In Knowledge
of the
Savior
Solomon’s advice to
parents is to
“train a child in the way he should go,
and when
he is old he will not turn from it”
(Proverbs 22:6)
Raising and training a child
within the context
of this proverb
means that it begins with the Bible, as
“all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training…”
(2 Timothy 3:16).
Regeneration is a radical
change
Teaching children
the
truths
of Scripture
will make them
wise for salvation
(2 Timothy 3:15);
thoroughly equip
them to
do good works
(2 Timothy 3:17);
prepare them to give an answer
to everyone who
asks them the reason for their hope
(1 Peter 3:15);
and prepare them to withstand
the
onslaught of cultures
bent on
indoctrinating
young people
with
secular values
The Bible tells us that
children are a reward from God
(Psalm 127:3).
It would certainly
seem fitting,
then, that we heed Solomon’s
wise counsel to train them
appropriately
In fact, the value that God placed on teaching our children
the truth is clearly addressed
by Moses who stressed to his people the
importance of teaching their children
about
the Lord and
His commands and laws:
“ImPRESS
them on your children. Talk about them when
you sit at home
and when you walk along the road, when you
Lie
down and when you RISE up.
Tie
them as symbols on your hands and
BIND
them on your foreheads. Write them
on the
DOOR Frames of your houses and your
GATES”
(Deuteronomy 6:7-9).
Moses’ thoroughness underscores his deep concern
that
successive generations maintain
obedience to God’s laws
to ensure they would
“live safely in the land”
(Leviticus 25:18),
that all would “GO WELL” with them
(Deuteronomy 12:28),
and that He would
bless them in the land
(Deuteronomy 30:16).
CLEAR-ly
Scripture teaches
that training children
to
KNOW
and obey God
is the
basis for pleasing Him
and
living victoriously in
His grace
Knowing God and His
TRUTH
begins with the child’s
understanding of sin
and his need for a
Savior
Even very young children understand that they
are not perfect and
can grasp
at an early age the need for forgiveness.
Loving parents model
a loving God who not only forgives,
but provides the
perfect sacrifice for sin in Jesus Christ.
Training up children in the way they should go
means, first and foremost,
directing them to
the Savior
Discipline
is an integral part of
raising
godly children,
for
we know that the
“LORD disciplines those He loves”
(Proverbs 3:12).
Thus, we should neither take discipline lightly nor become disheartened by it as the Lord “punishes everyone He accepts as a son” (Hebrews 12:5-6).
And we know that
God
disciplines us for
our good,
so that we may
share
in His
holiness
(Hebrews 12:10).
Likewise, when we discipline our children,
they receive wisdom (Proverbs 29:15)
and they will bring us peace (Proverbs 29:17)
and respect (Hebrews 12:9). In fact,
even at a tender age children are able to
discern
that discipline is
rooted in love.
That is why children who
grow up in
homes without discipline
often feel
unloved and are more likely
to disobey
authority as they
grow older
Now, the discipline administered should be commensurate
with the offense and physical discipline, such as spanking (rightly motivated),
is certainly condoned by the Bible
(Proverbs 13:24, 22:15, 23:13-14).
Indeed discipline, though it may
seem unpleasant when received,
will produce a
“harvest of righteousness and peace
for those who
have been trained by it”
(Hebrews 12:11).
Parents should have the same zeal for teaching their children
that Moses did.
Parents have been given the privilege of
being stewards
of their children’s lives for a very short time, but the
teaching
and training they provide is eternal.
Let no one deceive you in any way.
For that day will not come,
unless the rebellion comes first,
and the man of lawlessness is
revealed,
the son of destruction,
who opposes and
exalts himself against
every
so-called
god or object of worship,
so that he takes
his seat in the temple of God,
proclaiming himself to be God.
Do you not remember that when
I was still with you I told you
these things?
And you know what is restraining him
now so that he
may be revealed in his time
For the mystery
of
lawlessness is already
at work.
Only he who now restrains it will do so until
he is out of the way.
And then the lawless one will be revealed,
whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth
and bring to
nothing by the appearance of his coming.
The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with
all power and false signs and wonders,
and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing,
because they
refused to love the
truth
and so be saved
--2 Thessalonians 2:3–10
Those Opposed to the
Gospel
Paul does not appear to know the precise circumstances that have brought about the Thessalonians’ erroneous beliefs about the day of the Lord,
but in verse 3 he does suspect nefarious activity.
Paul labels any teaching
opposed to the eschatological
message of his gospel
as an effort at deception
(cf. 2 Thess. 2:10; Eph. 5:6; Col. 2:8).
He then reasons that the day of the Lord has not yet begun,
since the world has not yet experienced
the “rebellion” and the “man of lawlessness,”
both of which
must precede the day of the Lord.
The Greek word for
“rebellion” (apostasia) occurs in the Septuagint
OT and in the NT to speak of
rebellion against God and
his law
(Josh. 22:22; 2 Chron. 29:19; Jer. 2:19; Acts 21:21).
When the disciples asked Jesus about the signs and
timing of his second coming,
Jesus responded that
false messiahs and prophets
would precede his return,
as would
tribulation against the church
(Matt. 24:4–13, 23–28; Mark 13:5–13, 21–23; Luke 21:8–19).
Paul teaches elsewhere
that the rise of “deceitful spirits and teachings
of demons” and also “times of difficulty” will be
indicative of the last days
(1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1; cf. 2 Pet. 3:3–7; Jude 17–19).
As in 1 Thessalonians, Paul’s instruction on such matters is likely informed by Jesus’ own eschatological teaching
(cf. comments on 1 Thess. 4:15–16; 5:1).
In a similar way, Jesus taught that one of the
signs prior to his return
would be the advent of the “abomination of desolation”
in the “holy place” of the temple
(Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14).
Jesus cites the teaching of Daniel,
who prophesied that this abomination would
profane the Jerusalem temple
(Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11).
Paul draws on this tradition as he discusses the
“man of lawlessness,”
who is the
“son of destruction” in 2 Thessalonians 2:3
and the “lawless one”
in 2 Thess. 2:8–9.
The Septuagint Greek translation of Isaiah 57:3–4 similarly
speaks of the
“sons of lawlessness” who are “children of destruction”
(cf. John 17:12) and the
“seed of lawlessness”
(cf. also Ps. 88:23 LXX [English 89:22]). Following a common Semitic idiom,
a “man of lawlessness”
would
refer to a person whose life is
characterized by
his opposition
to God’s rule and reign
So, does regeneration come
before faith?
John 6:44 says,
“No one can come to Me unless the
Father who sent Me draws him,
and I
will raise him up at the last day.”
Second Corinthians 4:4 declares,
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,
so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that
displays the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God.”
It is undeniable that God must do
something to enable people to believe.
At the very least,
God must draw people to Christ and
open their eyes.
The question still remains, however, must
God regenerate people,
i.e., save them, before they can believe?
Is it possible that God could enable people to believe
without regenerating them? Could God draw people,
unblind their eyes,
soften their hearts,
and open their minds, making it possible
for them to believe,
without actually
regenerating them?
It is impossible to
draw, unblind, soften, or open the minds
of dead people
God must make people alive, regenerate them,
before they can believe.
It is absolutely biblically clear that God must do
a work in people before they can believe.
The extent of that work is debatable.
The key point is that
God must do a miraculous work in
people’s lives
before they are able to believe in
Christ
unto salvation
As a result,
all the glory belongs to God
(Romans 11:36).
The NEW Birth
is a
spiritual, holy, and heavenly birth
that results in our
being made alive spiritually
train up a child
with
The Gospel of
your
SALVATION
ANEW LIGHT
The LORD is
my light
and my salvation
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold
of my life
of whom shall I be afraid?
Raising up
a
Future Generation
of
World Changers, Training
them in
THE WAY
they should
GO
The
GOOD NEWS
is in
A Good NAME
Thorns and snares lie on the path
of the perverse;
he who
guards his soul stays far from them.
Train up a child in The Way
he should GO
and when he is old
he will not depart from it
The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is
slave to the lender.…
Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 4:9
Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.
Deuteronomy 11:19
Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Train up
a child in the way
he should go: and when he is old,
he will not depart from it
Raising up
Future Generation
of
World Changers, and
money changers,
we will be changed
Training
them in
THE WAY
they should
GO
When we read of the
"world"
in the
NEW Testament,
we are reading the Greek word cosmos.
Cosmos most often refers to the inhabited earth and the people who live on the earth, which functions apart from God. Satan is the ruler of this "cosmos" (John 12:31; 16:11; 1 John 5:19). By the simple definition that the word world refers to a world system ruled by Satan, we can more readily appreciate Christ’s claims that believers are no longer of the world—we are no longer ruled by sin, nor are we bound by the principles of the world. In addition, we are being changed into the image of Christ,
causing our interest in the
things
of the world to
become less and less as we
mature in Christ.
Believers in Jesus Christ
are simply
in the world—physically present--
but not of it,
not part of its values (John 17:14-15).
As believers, we should be
set apart
from the world
This is the meaning of being
holy and living a holy,
righteous
life—to be set apart
We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes,
nor are we to retain the insipid,
corrupt mind that the world
creates.
Rather, we are to conform ourselves,
and our minds,
to
that of Jesus Christ
(Romans 12:1-2).
This is a daily activity and commitment.
We must also understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness. We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is something “different” about us. Christians who make every effort to live, think and act like those
who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice.
Even the heathen knows that
“by their fruits you shall know them,”
and as Christians,
we should exhibit the
fruit of the Spirit within us.
Being “in” the
world
also means we can enjoy the
things of the world,
such as the
beautiful creation God has given us,
but we are not to immerse ourselves in
what the world values, nor are we to
chase after worldly pleasures.
Pleasure is no longer our calling in life, as it once was,
but rather the worship of God.
God gave Jesus
“as head over all things
to the
church,
which is his body”
(Ephesians 1:22-23).
Jesus is head
of the Church
because of his primary
role
in our creation and our
redemption
Jesus founded the Church.
He brought forth the Church
and
gave it life
through his
death and resurrection
Ephesians 3:1-12
Paul or a later follower of his
speaks of his
commission
to
preach the gospel
to Gentiles.
And he keeps using the word
“mystery”
He says in verses 3-6,
The mystery was made known
to me
by revelation,
as I wrote above in a few words, a
reading of which
will enable you to perceive
my understanding
of
the mystery of Christ
In
former generations
this
mystery was not made
known
to humankind
as it has
now been revealed to
his holy
apostles and prophets
by the Spirit:
that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs,
members of the same body,
and sharers in the promise
in
Christ Jesus through the gospel
In verses 8-9 he adds,
This grace was given to me to
bring to the Gentiles
the news of the boundless riches of Christ,
and to make everyone see
what is the plan of the mystery
hidden
for ages in [or by]
God
who created all things. . . .
We see a similar vibe in Romans 16:25-27:
Now to God who is able to strengthen you
according to my gospel
and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to
the revelation of the mystery
that was kept secret
for long ages but is now disclosed,
and through
the
prophetic writings
is made
known to all the Gentiles,
according to the command of the eternal God,
to bring about the obedience of
faith--
to the only wise God, through
Jesus Christ,
to whom be the glory forever!
Amen.
The letters of Paul use the
word “mystery”
in more than one way,
the connection between
the
gospel and the story of Israel
(aka the Old Testament, First Testament, Tanak, etc.) isn’t obvious.
- The “mystery of Christ” is specifically the inclusion of the Gentiles as “fellow heirs” (along with Jews).
- It’s called a mystery because “in former generations [it] was not made known to humankind,” was “hidden for ages in [or by] God,” and “kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed.”
- The disclosure of the mystery now in Paul’s day is “by revelation . . . . now . . . revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” [“Prophets” doesn’t mean Old Testament prophets but prophets of the early Jesus movement. See Ephesians 2:20.]
- Though a mystery that had to be revealed, the inclusion of the Gentiles is also “in accordance with the eternal purpose [of God] (Ephesians 3:11) and “through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles” (Romans 16:26).
- Gentiles as “fellow heirs” with Jews wasn’t known until it was revealed to Paul (and others, perhaps)—in other words, it’s not something you’d “get” from reading the Old Testament on its own terms.
- This mystery of Gentile inclusion has, nevertheless, been part of God’s purposes since forever, which is now made known “through the prophetic writings.”
God’s eternal purpose
for Gentile inclusion isn’t something
that jumps out at you from the
pages of the Old Testament.
It is hidden. Exegesis won’t get you there.
Only revelation will.
And once revealed, that which
was a mystery
“in former generations”
is now understood.
This creates a delightful
theological tension that, in my view,
goes a long way to explaining
the creative way
Paul engages his scripture:
His task is to explain this revelation of
“the mystery of Christ”
through the writings of the
“former generations,”
of those to whom the revelation
was
“hidden” and “kept secret.”
And so when we watch Paul
handling his Bible
to speak to this
mystery,
we can understand why he has to do so
in ways
that would not have made sense
to those of “former generations”
to whom the mystery had
not been revealed.
This is why we see
so much creative license
taken by Paul when he
calls upon
his Bible to speak of Christ.
He is looking not to the
words in their plain sense
to reveal the mystery.
Then it wouldn’t be a mystery and
wouldn’t need to be revealed.
Rather, Paul’s reading of his Bible has to
pull back the curtain to reveal
about the
behind-the-scenes activity
of
God,
which he only
knows because it was disclosed.
Paul, having received
the
revelation of the mystery,
now goes about reading his scripture
through the lens of God
The apostle Paul founded the church in Corinth.
A few years after leaving the church,
the apostle Paul heard
some disturbing reports about the Corinthian church.
They were full of pride
and were excusing sexual immorality.
Spiritual gifts were being used improperly,
and there was rampant
misunderstanding of key Christian doctrines.
The apostle Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians
in an attempt to restore the Corinthian church
to its foundation—Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:3: “You are still worldly.
For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you,
are you not worldly?
Are you not acting like mere men?”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Do you not know that your body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you, whom you have
received from God?
You are not your own; you were
bought at a price.
Therefore
honor God with your body.”
1 Corinthians 10:31:
“So whether you
eat or drink or whatever you do,
do it all for
the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 12:7:
“Now to each one the
manifestation of the Spirit
is given
for the common good.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
The Corinthian church
was plagued by divisions.
The believers in Corinth
were dividing
into groups loyal
to certain spiritual leaders
(1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:1-6).
Paul exhorted the
Corinthian believers to
be united
because of devotion to Christ
(1 Corinthians 3:21-23).
Many in the church were essentially
approving of an immoral relationship
(1 Corinthians 5:1-2).
Paul commanded them to expel
the wicked man from the church
(1 Corinthians 5:13).
The Corinthian believers were taking each other to court
(1 Corinthians 6:1-2).
Paul taught the Corinthians that it would
be better to be taken
advantage of than to
Damage their
Christian Testimony
Corinth was an evil place with pervasive idol worship and rampant sexual immorality. The recently converted Christians in Corinth sometimes had a hard time shaking the old habits. One man involved in egregious immorality had been tolerated in the church (chapter 5), and the Lord’s Supper had been dishonored to the point of including gluttony and drunkenness (chapter 11). To combat these evils, Paul taught that love does not enjoy or “delight in” such actions; rather, true love finds joy in truth and righteousness.
Psalm 1:1-2 offers the proper attitude concerning truth: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
The “blessed” person despises evil but
loves God’s truth,
reflecting upon it constantly.
Psalm 5:4 says, “You are not a God who delights in wickedness.” The God who is love (1 John 4:8) delights in what is true and just. God loves us, and He “desire[s] truth in the inner parts” (Psalm 51:6). In other words, God does not ignore our sin just because He loves us. In fact, it is because of His great love that He provided the means of cleansing our sin in Christ (1 John 4:10).
True love rejoices
in what is
right and good
Anything that covers up sin or seeks
to justify wrongdoing
is the polar opposite of godly love.
Love does not sweep
sin under the rug.
Love does not try to find ways to get away
with bad behavior,
and it
does not put up with
injustice
Instead, it treasures truth,
celebrates
good behavior, and
promotes virtue
True love has nothing to hide.
Further, to “not delight in evil” carries the idea
of not gloating over someone else’s guilt.
It is common for people to rejoice
when an enemy is found guilty of a crime or caught in a sin.
This is not love.
Love rejoices in the virtue of others, not in their vices.
Sin is an occasion for sorrow, not for joy.
Basically, to exhibit God’s kind of love,
we must have
God’s perspective on sin and righteousness.
The better we understand love, the more
we will sorrow over those who commit sin.
The more we love
the truth,
the better
we can love those around us.
Paul gave the Corinthian church instructions on
marriage and celibacy (chapter 7),
food sacrificed to idols (chapters 8 and 10),
Christian freedom (chapter 9),
the veiling of women (1 Corinthians 11:1-16),
the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34),
spiritual gifts (chapters 12-14), and
the resurrection (chapter 15).
Paul organized the book of 1 Corinthians by
answering questions the Corinthian believers
had asked him and by responding
to improper conduct and erroneous beliefs
they had accepted.
Connections: In chapter 10 of the Book of 1 Corinthians, Paul uses the story of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness to illustrate to the Corinthian believers the folly of the misuse of freedom and the danger of overconfidence.
Paul has just warned the Corinthians about their lack of self-discipline
(1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
He goes on to describe the Israelites who,
despite seeing God’s miracles and care for them--
the parting of the Red Sea,
the miraculous provision of manna from heaven
and water from a rock--
they misused their freedom, rebelled against God,
and fell
into immorality and idolatry.
Paul exhorts the Corinthian church to note the
example of the Israelites and
avoid lusts and sexual immorality (vv. 6-8) and
putting Christ to the test
and complaining
(vv. 9-10). See Numbers 11:4, 34, 25:1-9; Exodus 16:2, 17:2, 7.
Many of the problems and questions
the Corinthian church was dealing with are still present
in the church today.
Churches today still struggle with divisions,
with immorality,
and with the use of spiritual gifts.
The Book of 1 Corinthians very well could
have been written to the church today
and we would
do well
to heed Paul’s warnings and
apply them to ourselves.
Despite all the
rebukes and corrections, 1 Corinthians brings our
focus back to
where it should be—on Christ.
Genuine Christian love is the
answer
to many problems
(chapter 13).
A proper understanding
of the
resurrection of Christ,
as revealed in chapter 15,
and thereby a
proper understanding
of our
own resurrection,
is the cure
for what
divides and defeats us.
A Good Name
Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse;
he who guards his soul stays far from them.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and
when he is old he will not depart from it.
The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.…
Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath;
instead, bring them up
in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 4:9
Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.
Deuteronomy 11:19
Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
n up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old,
he will not depart from it.
train up a child
Genesis 18:19
For I know him,
that he will
command his children
and his household after him,
and they
shall keep
the way of the LORD,
to do justice
and judgment; that the LORD may
bring upon Abraham
that which
he hath spoken of him.
Deuteronomy 4:9
Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently,
lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen,
and lest they depart
from thy heart all the days of thy life:
but teach them
thy sons, and thy sons' sons;
Deuteronomy 6:7
And thou shalt teach them diligently
unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou
sittest in thine house,
and when thou
walkest by the way,
and when thou liest down,
and when thou
risest up.
the way
1 Samuel 1:28
Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD;
as long as he liveth he shall be lent
to the LORD.
And he worshipped the LORD there.
And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both
with the LORD, and also with men.
1 Samuel 12:2,3
And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before
Proverbs 22
A good name is more desirable than great wealth
Another word for regeneration
is rebirth,
related to the biblical phrase “born again.”
Our rebirth is distinguished from our first birth,
when we were conceived
physically and inherited our sin nature.
The new birth is a spiritual, holy,
and heavenly birth that results
in our being made alive spiritually.
Man in his natural state
is “dead in trespasses and sins”
until he is
“made alive” (regenerated) by Christ.
This happens
when he places his faith in Christ
(Ephesians 2:1).
Regeneration is a radical
change.
Just as our physical birth resulted in a new individual entering the earthly realm, our spiritual birth results in a new person entering the heavenly realm (Ephesians 2:6). After regeneration, we begin to see and hear and seek after divine things; we begin to live a life of faith and holiness.
Now Christ is formed in the hearts;
now we are partakers
of the divine nature, having been
made new creatures
(2 Corinthians 5:17).
God, not man, is the
source
of this transformation
(Ephesians 2:1, 8).
God’s great love and free gift,
His rich grace and abundant mercy,
are the cause of the rebirth.
The mighty power of God--
the power
that raised Christ from the dead--
is displayed in the
regeneration and conversion of sinners
(Ephesians 1:19–20).
Regeneration is necessary.
Sinful human flesh cannot stand in God’s presence. In His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus said twice that a man must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3, 7). Regeneration is not optional, for “flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3:6). Physical birth fits us for earth; spiritual rebirth fits us for heaven. See Ephesians 2:1; 1 Peter 1:23; John 1:13; 1 John 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18.
Regeneration is part of
what God does
for us at the moment of salvation,
along with sealing
(Ephesians 1:14), adoption (Galatians 4:5), reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18–20), etc. Regeneration is God’s making a person spiritually alive, as a result of faith in Jesus Christ. Prior to salvation we were not God’s children (John 1:12–13); rather, we were children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3; Romans 5:18–20).
Before salvation, we were degenerate; after salvation we are regenerated. The result of regeneration is peace with God (Romans 5:1), new life (Titus 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17), and eternal sonship (John 1:12–13; Galatians 3:26). Regeneration begins the process of sanctification wherein we become the people God intends us to be (Romans 8:28–30).
The only means of regeneration is by faith in the
finished work of Christ on the cross.
No amount of good works or
keeping of the Law can regenerate the heart.
“By works of the law no human being will be justified in [God’s] sight”
(Romans 3:20).
Only Christ offers a cure for the total depravity of the human heart.
We don’t need renovation or reformation or reorganization;
we need rebirth.
Line 1: The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?
Line 2: The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
Both the first and second lines
focus on the Lord.
In the first line, David
describes the Lord
as his
light and salvation.
In the second line, David describes
the Lord
as his
stronghold or refuge
Both lines end with the same question phrased in a slightly different manner. This parallelism allows for a fuller understanding of the first line by looking at the immediate context of the second, and vice versa.
A stronghold or refuge was a place of protection during a time of siege. The farmers and workers outside of the city would be particularly susceptible to attack as they would have been outside the city walls’ protection (Nehemiah 2:17; cf. Joshua 6:1–21). So, those farmers and workers would run to the city for refuge and protection whenever battle came. Many cities also had a strong tower, which would have been an extra layer of defense. The strong tower would give protection to those within and allow those outside to identify the city’s location whenever a battle was imminent (see Proverbs 18:10).
This protection in the stronghold is
why David can ask the question in
Psalm 27:1,
“Of whom shall I be afraid?”
Much like God is a stronghold for David,
He is also David’s light and salvation.
Light is utilized
to see
and be aware of one’s surroundings
amid the darkness.
The idea of “light”
is often used in Scripture
as a metaphor for one’s deliverance,
such as in Psalm 27:1.
Whenever Jesus makes the claim,
“I am the light of the world” (John 8:12),
He is claiming that deliverance from darkness comes through Him.
Salvation, as seen in Psalm 27:1, can also be thought of as deliverance.
David utilizes three terms to describe God as the Deliverer: light, salvation, and stronghold. If God is David’s Deliverer, whom should he fear?
According to the context of Psalm 27:1,
David seems to be describing
God as the
Deliverer from physical enemies
(verses 2–3).
However, the Christian has also received salvation and
deliverance from his or her enemies.
If you have faith
in the
person and work
of
Jesus Christ
(1 Corinthians 15:3–5),
then God has bought you back
or redeemed you.
He has transferred
you from the domain or
authority
of darkness to the kingdom
of Jesus
(Colossians 1:13–14).
Through Christ’s provision,
the Christian has
been equipped for protection through
the “full armor of God”
(Ephesians 6:10–17).
Much as David can proclaim God is his light and salvation
from the enemies surrounding him, the Christian
can claim God is his light and salvation from the domain
of darkness and eternal judgment
(Ephesians 2:1–10).
“For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
(Romans 6:23).
Further descriptors are applied to this lawless one. He will be “revealed” (Gk. apokalyptō; also 2 Thess. 2:6, 8), employing terminology Paul reserves most often for the activity of God in making known something hidden (e.g., Rom. 1:17–18; 8:18; Eph. 3:5). The passive voice in verse 3 of “is revealed” makes it difficult to discern whether God is the one doing the revealing or if this is the work of an evil agent (such as Satan; cf. comment on 2 Thess. 2:9–10).
The man of lawlessness both opposes and exalts himself over every “so-called god or object of worship.” Paul elsewhere employs the Greek word for “opposes” as a title for Satan, the “adversary” (1 Tim. 5:14). The only other use of the Greek word for “exalts himself” (hyperairō) in Paul bears connotations of conceit (2 Cor. 12:7), as it likely does here. Paul is careful to say
“every so-called god,”
indicating the
false
deities of pagan worship.
The term for “object of worship” (Gk. sebasma)
refers to pagan idols
(cf. Acts 17:23).
This man of lawlessness seeks to
make himself
the central person of worship,
beyond any other
religious objects or personages in his day.
Beyond that, the man of lawlessness exalts himself over the very worship of God Almighty. The lawless one’s efforts to receive worship result in his taking “his seat in the temple of God.” Commentators debate which temple is envisioned here, with most opting for the Jerusalem temple, though others suggest the Thessalonians would imagine an important temple in their city, and still others argue the temple is a reference to the church as the “temple of God” (e.g., 1 Cor. 3:16–17; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21). However, Paul’s reliance in this context on OT imagery and Jesus’ eschatological instruction implies that “temple of God” refers to the Jerusalem temple. This connects well with the lawless one’s action in the temple—“proclaiming himself to be God.” The man of lawlessness promotes himself in place of God Almighty as the central deity to be worshiped. That still leaves open the question of whether a future physical temple will be in play or if this is prophetically symbolic of some other coming reality (cf. more below).
Paul here draws on OT Danielic imagery concerning a ruler opposed to God and his people (cf. Dan. 7:24–27; 8:23–26; 11:20–45; esp. 11:28–39). The Danielic background is particularly striking in comparison to the man of lawlessness in verse 4. We read in Daniel of a king who “shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods,” and “shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all” (Dan. 11:36–37). In Daniel it is this king who sets up the “abomination that makes desolate” in Jerusalem (Dan. 11:31). Other prophets also speak of rulers calling themselves god (e.g., Isa. 14:12–15; Ezek. 28:1–10).
The central interpretive debate in these two verses concerns the identity of this man of lawlessness. In response to this complex question, we should distinguish between what we can know with some certainty and what we can only suspect.
Two key historical events are known. First, Daniel’s prophetic imagery points to Antiochus IV of Seleucia, who styled himself Epiphanes (“god manifest”), invaded Jerusalem, despoiled the temple, commanded the burning of the Scriptures, forbade the covenant rite of circumcision, put to death many faithful Jews, and ultimately instituted pagan sacrifices in the Jerusalem temple (167 BC). Remarkably, a major Jewish literary source from the period appeals to Danielic language by labeling the pagan altar Antiochus set up in the temple as the abomination of desolation (1 Macc. 1:54; 6:7). The resulting Maccabean revolt eventually led to Jewish priests and kings again being in control in Jerusalem. Yet, nearly two hundred years later, Jesus applies the “abomination of desolation” language to the future (Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14), revealing that the Danielic imagery establishes a pattern of opposition to God’s rule preceding the eschatological judgment of God. Paul draws on Jesus’ eschatological instruction by similarly applying this Danielic imagery to events yet to occur.
Second, before Paul writes 2 Thessalonians, events have already presaged Roman imperial opposition to Jewish worship of God. In particular, the emperor Gaius Caligula ordered soldiers to erect a cult image of himself in the
Jerusalem temple, despite widespread Jewish opposition
(AD 40–41; Josephus, Antiquities 18.261–309).
In God’s providence, however, Gaius died while the image was still en route, so it was never installed. Paul almost certainly knows this history, and it may well be in his mind as he writes. Still, Paul’s argument works only if the man of lawlessness has not yet appeared, since the absence of the lawless one’s arrival proves that the day of the Lord is yet to come.
With that background, we can briefly list various specific interpretations that have been suggested over the years concerning this man of lawlessness. Many have looked to a future, yet unknown, person who will seek to exalt himself in this way. Some have suggested that this lawless one must refer to Satan himself or to one of his demons, but Satan is mentioned later as a separate figure (2 Thess. 2:9).
The most natural inference from this text and its Danielic imagery is that a human ruler is intended. Some have suggested that this refers to a nation-state (rather than to a particular individual), with the Roman Empire being the most likely candidate; however, the imagery itself repeatedly points to an individual rather than an entire state. Others have specifically considered his sitting in the temple (2:4) to refer to the destruction of the Jerusalem temple at the hand of Titus (AD 70), but the specifics of that event do not align with an individual’s calling himself God while seated in the temple precincts.
Similar objections could be made against any of the subsequent religious shrines built atop the Jerusalem Temple Mount, whether the Hadrianic Temple of Jupiter (built around AD 135) or the current Dome of the Rock (built around 691). This reminds us of another related debate, namely, is a specific physical temple required in order for the prophetic expectation to be satisfied? If so, then many contend this would require a future rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple prior to the advent of the lawless one. Yet others would suggest a more metaphorical understanding of the lawless one’s session in the temple.
This commentator anticipates a yet-future appearing of a human lawless one, whose manifestation amid false signs and prophecies will precede Jesus’ return and final judgment. Whether or not there will be a physical temple in Jerusalem is not yet foreseeable. The more fundamental goal of this commentary on such matters, however, is to encourage humility with regard to all such speculation.
God is faithful to his prophetic promises, yet the actual fulfillment of these promises often surprises. In the first advent of our Lord, Jesus’ fulfillment of OT prophecy, while comprehensible and wonderful in hindsight, was not anticipated properly by even the most faithful Jewish students of Scripture. Who in the Judaism of Jesus’ day, having studied OT prophecy thoroughly, would have predicted that the
Messiah
would be God
incarnate?
Or that he would come, be crucified, be raised, ascend, and then delay his return to establish his kingdom fully by at least two millennia?
Thus, though it seems best to assume that the man of lawlessness is still to be revealed, the specifics of how that might look (including what is meant by his session in the temple) will likely surprise the best of interpreters.
Only in hindsight will
we understand the full intent of the
prophetic word.
Remain Consistent and Confident
Verse five provides further reason to recommend humility to all modern interpreters.
Paul remarks, “Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?” Clearly, the original audience already knew more Pauline eschatological teaching than we presently have. Although Paul and his colleagues were compelled to leave Thessalonica sooner than they wished (Acts 17:10), they were able to begin instructing the Thessalonians concerning the events of Jesus’ return. Paul assumes the Thessalonians recall that instruction. Therefore, Paul often speaks in abbreviated ways about matters that we may wish he had written about in greater detail.
Paul insists that his teaching remains consistent with the message they knew from the beginning. He thus seeks to instill confidence regarding his present argument. In particular, they have previously been informed about the coming of the man of lawlessness.
Who or What RestrainsWhen Paul declares, “You know what is restraining him now,” we again confront our lack of firsthand knowledge. Paul’s original audience “knew” such matters based on Paul’s prior instruction (2 Thess. 2:5), but we are left to infer as much as we can to the best of our abilities. This is particularly difficult, and one of the most avid debates among modern commentators concerns the question of who or what is restraining the lawless one’s appearance.
Before considering the options, note that verse 6 speaks of some entity (neuter gender in Gk.) that is restraining the lawless one, while verse 7 shifts to the masculine gender, implying that the restrainer is some person (“he who now restrains it”). It seems that some personal entity must cease his restraining action in order for the lawless one to be revealed.
This could be metaphorical for a group of people, but it seems likely Paul has a single individual in mind.
Interpreters have considered multiple options for this “restrainer.” Many suggest that God himself restrains such evil, perhaps especially in the person of the Holy Spirit. Others believe Paul has some earthly agents in mind, and perhaps the Roman emperors or the empire itself held back the lawless one in Paul’s day. This is possible, though such postulations often require a metaphorical expansion of “he who now restrains” to indicate an entire nation or a series of emperors rather than a single individual. Some have even suggested that Satan is the one restraining his own lawless agent until the proper moment
(cf. 2 Thess. 2:9–10).
However, the mention in verse 6
of “in his time”
seems to speak more
of God’s sovereign timing that governs
the removing of restraint.
An intriguing recent monograph argues that
Paul believed
the restrainer to be an angel of God, noting that,
in Daniel, the lawless ruler
who establishes
the abomination of desolation
(Dan. 11:20–45) is
followed immediately by
Daniel’s prophecy that
Michael the archangel would “arise,”
unleashing a time of trouble
prior to the deliverance of God’s people
(Dan. 12:1–4).1
With this list of options, it appears most likely that
God himself
controls the timing
and the restraint, holding back the advent of the
lawless one until the proper moment.
God may then be the restrainer
(perhaps specifically as the Holy Spirit)
or may act through the agency of an angelic restrainer.
What can be
stated clearly is that the appearance
of the lawless one is entirely
in keeping with God’s sovereignty
(cf. comment on 2 Thess. 2:11–12).
Therefore, the Thessalonians
need not fear that the world is out of control.
Rather, the lawless one will
appear “in his time”
and will be conquered by
the Lord Jesus at the proper moment
(2 Thess. 2:8).
Already at Work
Although the lawless one is yet to come, “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” This is consistent with the concept of evil elsewhere in the NT. John states simultaneously that the “antichrist is coming” and that “now many antichrists have come” (1 John 2:18; cf. 1 John 2:22; 4:3; 2 John 7). Although Paul prophetically anticipates the rise of a particular figure who will embody deceptive opposition to God, he admits readily that the same forces of deception and lawlessness are already prevalent in society.
Paul has experienced such evil, as has the persecuted church in Thessalonica.
To the extent that the lawless one comes with “false signs and wonders” and “deception” (2 Thess. 2:9–10), it is helpful to remember that Jesus predicted that many false messiahs and prophets would arise over time but that the church will nevertheless endure and give witness (Matt. 24:4–5, 11–13, 23–25). Thus we live in an age when simultaneously the Spirit enables the church to proceed with its mission and lawlessness is at work.
The verbs Paul applies here to lawlessness is the same as language he uses elsewhere of God and Christ. If in 2:7 lawlessness is “at work” (Gk. energeō; cf. Rom. 7:5; Eph. 2:2), so also the word of God is “at work” in believers (1 Thess. 2:13; cf. Eph. 1:11, 20; 3:20; Phil. 2:13). Similarly, if in 2 Thess. 2:9 the lawless one will “come” (Gk. parousia), so also Jesus “comes” (2 Thess. 2:1, 8; cf. comment on 2 Thess. 2:9). The man of lawlessness will be “revealed” (Gk. apokalyptō; 2:3, 8), just as Paul elsewhere speaks of the revelation of Jesus and his gospel (cf. comment on 2:3–4). Finally, the word “mystery” is here applied to lawlessness (for similar evil mysteries, cf. Rev. 17:5, 7), but elsewhere Paul speaks of God as the author of the mysteries of the gospel (e.g., Rom. 16:25; 1 Cor. 4:1; 15:51; Eph. 3:3–4; Col. 1:26–27; 1 Tim. 3:9, 16).
Clearly the lawlessness of Satan
seeks to mimic
the good work of God in Christ.
Yet since God is the one
who reveals such mysteries and is
sovereign over their timing,
it is not surprising to find Paul
confident in God’s control
over the
advent of the mystery of lawlessness
(cf. 2 Thess. 2:11–12).
Lawlessness in the present age (“now”) is not yet as bad as it could be.
Only when “he who now restrains it” is removed will the lawless one arise (2:7). Various views on this restrainer’s identity were discussed in the preceding verse. Here we note that “until he is out of the way” is an English idiom for the more particular Greek phrase “until he comes from the middle.”
The restrainer interposes himself between the people of this age and the
fullest expression of evil represented by the lawless one.
Jesus Will Reign
Paul returns to the
revelation of the lawless one
(cf. comment on 2 Thess. 2:3–4), which will occur subsequent (“then”)
to the restrainer’s ceasing his action of holding back such evil.
However, lest the Thessalonians become concerned about the
power of such evil,
Paul quickly assures them that the Lord Jesus
will “kill”
and “bring to nothing” the lawless one.
Jesus will destroy the lawless one by the
“breath of his mouth.”
In the OT, God kills with his fiery breath (Job 4:9; cf. Isa. 30:33). Isaiah prophesied that the messianic “shoot from the stump of Jesse” would kill the wicked “with the breath of his lips” (Isa. 11:1, 4). The word “breath” here ( pneuma) is the same word used for the Holy Spirit, so there may be some indication of the Spirit’s involvement. In any case, the OT messianic resonances are clear:
the Messiah’s judgment
prevails
against all lawlessness.
The Thessalonians (and all Christians) need not worry about
the approaching time of lawlessness, for Jesus remains Lord,
and he will conquer in
due time.
Remember Jesus’s Warning
Empowered by Satan, the
lawless one will arrive
accompanied by false wonders and signs,
thus deceiving unbelievers;
but even this is under God’s sovereign control
(2 Thess. 2:11–12).
Paul again applies to the lawless one and Satan terms typically reserved for God’s activity in Christ. The “coming” (Gk. parousia) of the lawless one in verse 9 is placed immediately alongside the parousia of Jesus (2 Thess. 2:8; cf. also comment on 2 Thess. 2:1), and Satan’s “activity” uses a term often employed for God’s work (energeia; cf. comment on 2 Thess. 2:7). Satan mimics God’s work by causing a lawless one to appear, though ultimately
Satan’s designs will fail (cf. 2 Thess. 2:8)
Paul lists two sets of means through which Satan deceives the masses. The first set constitutes “all power,” along with “false signs and wonders”; the second set consists of “all wicked deception.” Concerning the first set, “power” and “signs and wonders” often serve as evidence of God’s work in the gospel of Christ (for “power,” cf. 1 Cor. 2:4–5; 1 Thess. 1:5; 2 Thess. 1:11; for “signs and wonders,” cf. Rom. 15:19; 2 Cor. 12:12). So, Satan continues mimicking the gospel and God’s work. We are again reminded of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, in which he warns of coming false messiahs and prophets who perform “signs and wonders” in order to lead others astray (Matt. 24:23–25; Mark 13:21–23).
Jesus’ teaching has set the pattern for
apostolic discussions of eschatology.
In this regard, this passage is linked with the portrayal of
the beasts and the false prophet in the book of Revelation
(Rev. 13:11–18; 16:13–14; 19:19–20).
The man of lawlessness is so convincing to the masses that Paul emphasizes that he appears with “all wicked deception.” However, even amid such deception, Paul carefully records that only “those who are perishing” will be fooled (cf. Rev. 13:8). This word for “perishing” (Gk. apollymi ) refers to those whose destruction awaits them. Paul uses apollymi elsewhere to depict those who reject the gospel of Christ (1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:15; 4:3). Because these followers of lawlessness have failed to love the truth of Christ’s gospel, they are perishing. The Thessalonians need not worry that they may be numbered among those who will be deceived by the man of lawlessness, since they already know and love the truth.
Galatians 6:2 states, “Carry each other’s burdens, and
in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (emphasis added).
What exactly is the law of Christ, and how is it fulfilled by carrying each other’s burdens? While the law of Christ is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 9:21, the Bible nowhere specifically defines what precisely is the law of Christ. However, most Bible teachers understand the law of Christ to be what Christ stated were the greatest commandments in Mark 12:28–31,
“‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’
Jesus answered, ‘The most important is,
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind
and with all your strength.”
The second is this:
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
There is no other commandment greater than these.’”
First Corinthians 13:4-6 contains a list of several things love “does not” do. The final item in this list is that love “does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” Love loves the truth. Love does not love evil, or, as the ESV puts it,
“it does not rejoice at wrongdoing.”
Corinth was an evil place with pervasive idol worship and rampant sexual immorality. The recently converted Christians in Corinth sometimes had a hard time shaking the old habits. One man involved in egregious immorality had been tolerated in the church (chapter 5), and the Lord’s Supper had been dishonored to the point of including gluttony and drunkenness (chapter 11). To combat these evils, Paul taught that love does not enjoy or “delight in” such actions; rather, true love finds joy in truth and righteousness.
Psalm 1:1-2 offers the proper attitude concerning truth: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” The “blessed” person despises evil but loves God’s truth, reflecting upon it constantly.
Psalm 5:4 says, “You are not a God who delights in wickedness.” The God who is love (1 John 4:8) delights in what is true and just. God loves us, and He “desire[s] truth in the inner parts” (Psalm 51:6). In other words, God does not ignore our sin just because He loves us. In fact, it is because of His great love that He provided the means of cleansing our sin in Christ (1 John 4:10).
True love rejoices in what is right and good. Anything that covers up sin or seeks to justify wrongdoing is the polar opposite of godly love. Love does not sweep sin under the rug. Love does not try to find ways to get away with bad behavior, and it does not put up with injustice. Instead, it treasures truth, celebrates good behavior, and promotes virtue. True love has nothing to hide.
Further, to “not delight in evil” carries the idea of not gloating over someone else’s guilt. It is common for people to rejoice when an enemy is found guilty of a crime or caught in a sin. This is not love. Love rejoices in the virtue of others, not in their vices. Sin is an occasion for sorrow, not for joy.
Basically, to exhibit God’s kind of love, we must have
God’s perspective on sin and righteousness.
The better we understand love,
the more we
will sorrow over those who commit sin.
The more we love the truth,
the better we can love those around us.
The law of Christ, then,
is to love God with all of our being and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. In Mark 12:32–33, the scribe who asked Jesus the question responds with, “To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” In this, Jesus and the scribe agreed that those two commands are the core of the entire Old Testament Law. All of the Old Testament Law can be placed in the category of “loving God” or “loving your neighbor.”
Various New Testament scriptures state that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law, bringing it to completion and conclusion (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–25; Ephesians 2:15). In place of the Old Testament Law, Christians are to obey the law of Christ. Rather than trying to remember the over 600 individual commandments in the Old Testament Law, Christians are simply to focus on loving God and loving others. If Christians would truly and wholeheartedly obey those two commands, we would be fulfilling everything that God requires of us.
Christ freed us from the bondage of the hundreds of commands in the Old Testament Law and instead calls on us to love. First John 4:7–8 declares, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” First John 5:3 continues, “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.”
“What then?
Are we to sin because we are
not under law but under grace?
When we recognize the value of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, our response is to be love, gratitude, and obedience. When we understand the sacrifice Jesus made for us and others, our response is to be to follow His example in expressing love to others. Our motivation for overcoming sin should be love, not a desire to legalistically obey a series of commandments.
We are to obey the law of Christ because we love Him, not so that we can check off a list of commands that we successfully obeyed.
“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him” (John 4:23).
With the coming of Christ, the separation between Jew and Gentile was no longer relevant, nor was the centrality of the temple in worship. With the coming of Christ, all of God’s children gained equal access to God through Him. Worship became a matter of the heart, not external actions, and directed by truth rather than ceremony.
In Deuteronomy 6:4, Moses sets down for the Israelites how they are to love their God: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Our worship of God is directed by our love for Him; as we love, so we worship. Because the idea of “might” in Hebrew indicates totality, Jesus expanded this expression
to “mind” and “strength” (Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27).
To worship God in spirit and truth necessarily
involves loving Him
with heart, soul, mind and strength.
True worship
must be “in spirit,” that is,
engaging
the whole heart
Unless there’s a real passion for God,
there is no worship
in spirit.
At the same time,
worship
must be “in truth,”
that is, properly
informed.
Unless we have knowledge of the God we worship, there is no worship in truth. Both are necessary for God-honoring worship. Spirit without truth leads to a shallow, overly emotional experience that could be compared to a high. As soon as the emotion is over, when the fervor cools, the worship ends.
Truth without
spirit can result in a dry,
passionless encounter
that can easily lead to a
form of joyless legalism.
The best combination of both aspects of worship results in a joyous appreciation of God informed by Scripture.
The more we know
about God,
the more we appreciate Him.
The more we appreciate, the deeper our worship. The deeper our worship, the more God is glorified.
This melding of spirit and truth
in worship is
summed up well
by Jonathan Edwards, the 18th-century American pastor and theologian. He said, “I should think myself in the way of my duty to raise the affections [emotions] of my hearers as high as possibly I can, provided that they are affected with nothing but truth.” Edwards recognized that truth and only truth can properly influence the emotions in a way that brings honor to God.
The truth of God,
being of infinite value,
is worthy
of infinite passion.
Genesis 18:19
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Deuteronomy 4:9
Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;
Deuteronomy 6:7
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
the way
1 Samuel 1:28
Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
1 Samuel 2:26
And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
1 Samuel 12:2,3
And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day…
Proverbs 22
A good name
is more desirable than great wealth
Genesis 18:19
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Deuteronomy 4:9
Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;
Deuteronomy 6:7
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
the way
1 Samuel 1:28
Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
1 Samuel 2:26
And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
1 Samuel 12:2,3
And now, behold,
the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day…
Proverbs 22
A GOOD NAME
is more
desirable than great wealth
Gospel of Matthew:
Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching,
the chief priests
and the elders of the people came to him.
"By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked.
"And who gave you this authority?"
Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism — where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?"
They discussed it among themselves and said,
"If we say, 'From heaven', he will ask,
'Then why didn’t you believe him?'
But if we say,
'Of human origin' - we are afraid of the people,
for they all hold that
John was a prophet".
So they answered Jesus,
"We don’t know"
Then he said
"Neither will I tell you by what authority
I AM doing these things"
[38] For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will,
but the will of him that
sent me
. [39] And this is the Father's will which hath
sent me,
that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should
raise it up
again at the
last day.
“Do not think that I came to abolish the
Law or the Prophets;
I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
18 “For truly I say to you,
until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or stroke shall
pass from the Law
until
all is accomplished.
Abraham believed God, and it was
counted
unto him for righteousness.
“without faith,
it is impossible to please God”
(Hebrews 11:6).
The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is about faith
and those who possessed it.
Faith is a gift from God, as we see in Ephesians 2:8–9
and not something we come up with on our own.
All Christians have received the gift of faith from God,
and faith is part of the armor of God—the shield
with which we protect ourselves from the
“flaming arrows of the evil one”
(Ephesians 6:16).
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He that cometh from above is above all:
he that is of the earth
is earthly,
and speaketh of the earth:
he that.
we must “become as little children”
in order
to enter the kingdom of God.
the one
opposing and exalting himself
above every so-called god
or object of worship--so as for him to
sit down in the temple of God,
setting forth that he himself
is God.
Isaiah 14:13
You said in your heart:
"I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God.
I will sit on the mount
of assembly, in the far reaches of the north.
Isaiah 14:14
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High."
Isaiah 31:3
But the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble, and the one he helps will fall; both will perish together.
Ezekiel 28:2
"Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, 'I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.' Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god.
Daniel 11:36
Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be accomplished.
Acts 17:23
For as I walked
around and examined your objects of worship,
I even found an altar with this inscription:
TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.
Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.
1 Corinthians 8:5
For even if there are
so-called gods,
whether in heaven or on earth
(as there are many so-called gods and lords),
Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God,
or that is worshipped;
so that he as God sits in the temple of God,
showing himself that he is God. and exalteth.
Isaiah 14:13
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Ezekiel 28:2,6,9
Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Because
thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said,
I Am a God,
I sit in the SEAT of God,
in the midst of the seas;
yet thou ART a man, and
not God,
though thou set thine heart as the
heart of God: …
Daniel 7:8,25
I considered the horns, and, behold, there
came up among them
another little horn, before whom there were
three of the first horns
plucked up by the roots:
and, behold,
in this horn were eyes like the
eyes of man,
and a mouth speaking great things…
called
1 Corinthians 8:5
For though there be that are called gods, whether
in heaven or in earth,
(as there be gods many, and lords many,)
Daniel 8:12-14
And an host was given him against the daily
sacrifice by reason of transgression,
and it cast down the truth to the ground;
and it practised, and prospered…
Daniel 11:45
And he shall plant the tabernacles
of his palace
between the seas in the
glorious holy mountain;
yet he shall
come to his end, and none shall
help him.
Revelation 13:6,7
And he opened his mouth in
blasphemy against God,
to blaspheme his
NAME
and his tabernacle,
and them
that dwell in heaven…
The Hearts of Jesus and Mary
are mentioned explicitly only briefly in the text of the
New Testament.
Nevertheless the many references to the
love and compassion of Jesus and
Mary, as well
as implied references
to their Hearts,
provide a vivid revelation
of the
Two Hearts
It is remarkable that the few explicit references
all bear upon
the
work of redemption.
Some of the more important references are:
Matthew 11:25
"Learn from Me
for I am meek and humble of heart."
This passage refers to Our Lord's invitation to imitate the dispositions and
virtues of His own human Heart,
reflecting upon His ineffable humility in becoming
man and being born in a stable; His remarkable patience
in living a hidden, obscure life for 30 years;
His unsurpassed charity in preaching,
teaching, working miracles,
healing the bodies and souls of believers
and unbelievers; His perfect obedience to the Father
in enduring without complaint the
bitter agony
and infamy of death on the Cross.
Luke 2:19
"Mary kept in mind all these things, pondering them in Her Heart."
This passage refers to the visit of the shepherds to the Child Jesus in
His crib at Bethlehem. It refers directly to what they reported
regarding the heavenly host of angels that came to
announce the birth
of the
Messiah,
and how all marveled at what the shepherds had reported.
Luke 2:51b:
"His Mother kept all these things
carefully in Her Heart."
This passage refers to the events surrounding
the loss of Jesus for three days during a
visit to Jerusalem,
and how
Mary and Joseph found Him teaching
the doctors
of the Mosaic Law in the Temple,
to the
amazement of all who heard Him.
Luke 2:35:
"Your own soul a sword shall pierce,
that the thoughts
of many hearts may be revealed."
This passage is spoken by the old man Simeon on the occasion
of
Mary bringing Jesus
to the Temple in Jerusalem
to offer Him to God
according to the custom of the Mosaic Law.
In it Simeon prophesies that
Mary will share in the salvific
sufferings of Her Son.
John 7:38b:
"From His Heart will flow
rivers of living water."
This reading is based on the most reliable texts of the Gospel of St. John. It refers directly to the Heart of the Messiah, and recalls the prophesies of Isaiah (Isaiah 12:3) And St. John goes on to explain in verse 39, that Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit, which He Himself will give, from His Heart, to those who believe in Him. The reading which is found in most translations-referring to the hearts of believers-is a variant believed to have its source in a textual mistake by Origen, a famous theologian who complied a multi-lingual edition of the
Bible in the Third Century, A. D..
John 19:34:
"One of the soldiers
opened His side with a lance, and
immediately
there came out blood and water."
This passage refers to the piercing of Christ's Heart as He hung in death upon the Cross. The blood and water have always been seen by Roman Catholics to mystically symbolize and effect the origin and the Sacraments of the Catholic Church. It was at the piercing of Christ's Heart in death that Mary's Heart was pierced in spirit, thus fulfilling Luke 2:35 (cf. above), and exemplifying the profound mystical union of the Heart of Jesus with the Heart of Mary in the work of our redemption. This union began when by the power of the Holy Spirit Mary conceived the Heart of Jesus beneath Her own Heart. It is consummated when at one and the same time these Two Hearts are immolated for our salvation. And now in heaven it continues forever as the sole source of mankind's salvation and sanctification.
Each of these passages are very significant, for they clearly indicate that Admirable Alliance of Hearts, which worked the salvation of the whole world: the Heart of Jesus, which suffered to the point of being pierced so as to pour forth upon all who believe in Him, the grace of the Holy Spirit, which makes them partakers of the Holy Eucharist in the communion of fellowship in the Catholic Church; and the Heart of Mary, always focused on Her Divine Son, which was predestined by God to
suffer with Him for the salvation of mankind.
In the Fathers of the Church
"The holy Fathers,
true witnesses
of the
divinely revealed doctrine,
wonderfully understood what
St. Paul the Apostle
had quite clearly declared;
namely; that the mystery of love was,
as it were, both the foundation and the culmination
of the Incarnation and Redemption.
For frequently and clearly we can read in their writings that Jesus Christ took a perfect human nature and our weak and perishable human body with the object of providing for our eternal salvation, and of revealing to us in the clearest possible manner that His infinite love for us could express itself in human terms.
(from Hauretis Aquas by Venerable Pope Pius XII, n. 44)
Likewise these same Fathers of the Church often
meditated and
praised the singular
love and faith of the
Blessed Virgin Mary,
who so generously offered Herself
to God to fulfill His plans for our redemption,
and who so steadfastly persevered
with
Her Son Jesus Christ
in His
ignominious crucifixion and death.
In both these approaches the
Fathers of the Church
laid the foundation for
true devotion
to the
Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
by clearly
indicating the union of charity which bound
Them both in the work of redemption.
In the Writings of the Saints
Chief among the saints of the Catholic Church who fostered devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary are St. Bonaventure and St. John Eudes.
St. Bonaventure, a Cardinal and Doctor of the Roman Catholic Church, was a learned theologian and bishop of the Franciscan Order in the 13th Century.
He wrote extensive theological works and is considered by the Papal Magisterium to be one of the two primary Doctors of the Catholic Church since the patristic era. St. Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican priest and contemporary of St. Bonaventure, is the other.
St. Bonaventure's writings on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary are scatter throughout all his works, but a passage on the Sacred Heart that is particularly poignant is found in his devotional work The Mystical Vine, a description of the Passion of Jesus Christ.
One line in the familiar hymn
“Amazing Grace”
says, “I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.” We may have sung it a thousand times without realizing what lost means. The term lost is used in the Bible and in Christian circles to refer to people who have not yet found eternal life in Christ. Jesus said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Those who are spiritually lost are separated from God and unable to find their way back to Him.
To be lost is to have wandered away and to be helpless to find the way back. A hiker may be lost when he takes a wrong path and does not know how to return to the right one. A child may be lost when he wanders too far from his parents and does not know where they are. Human beings are spiritually lost because we have wandered away from God and
we do not know how to find Him again.
Isaiah 53:6 says,
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned
every one to his own way,
and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
The Bible compares human beings to sheep
(Psalm 23; John 10:11–14) because sheep are, by nature, defenseless. They are not overly bright and tend to follow a leader, regardless of where that leader is taking them. Sheep need a shepherd to survive. A shepherd protects them from attacks, guides them to good grazing, and keeps watch so that none are lost. Sheep tend to wander from the herd and can become easy targets for predators. In a spiritual sense, people are prone to wander and become easy targets for our enemy, Satan. Without Jesus, our Good Shepherd,
we are spiritually lost and
unable
to find God on our own.
Jesus told a parable about a lost lamb to explain the Father’s heart for lost people (Luke 15:3–7). The Good Shepherd was willing to leave the ninety-nine sheep in the fold to go in search of the one lost lamb. The lamb would never have found the Shepherd on its own. This parable demonstrates God’s tender concern for every individual. He stops at nothing to find those who need Him and bring them safely into His presence. Just as lost sheep cannot find the Shepherd on their own, lost people cannot find God on their own
(Psalm 53:2–3; Romans 3:11).
Religion is man’s attempt to find God on his own. Religion creates a goal, which may be a deity or a higher plane of existence, and then declares certain steps necessary to reach that goal. Because of religion, lost people consider themselves not lost. Imagine a hiker who has lost his way. After hours of fruitless searching for the right path, he decides to set up camp in an unknown forest and declare that he is now home. He will no longer try to be rescued. Although he still does not know where he is, familiarity with his immediate surroundings gives him the illusion of being found.
Christianity does not follow that pattern. Christianity teaches that it is futile for the lost to attempt to find God, and that’s why God sent Jesus to find the lost. God did for us what we could not do for ourselves (Romans 5:8). Even when we do not even realize we are lost, He knows our condition. So the Son of God left heaven to find us and bring us home (Philippians 2:5–8; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16–18).
We are born lost because we have a sin nature inherited from our first parents (Genesis 3) that drives us to rebel against our Shepherd (Romans 3:23). We were created to be at home with Him, walking in harmony and obedience. But because of our sin, we are lost (Isaiah 59:2). The gulf between us and God is impossible for us to bridge, and we cannot find our way back into His presence. Spiritually lost people are bound by their sin and condemned to hell (Luke 12:5; Romans 6:23). But when the lost place their trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a bridge opens up before them. Because of God’s mercy and love, the lost can come home (1 Peter 2:25).
Every human being is either lost or found. We all belong to one of those two categories. The first step in becoming found is to admit that we are lost. We agree with God that our sin deserves punishment, and we acknowledge that the punishment Jesus suffered was sufficient to pay for it. We humbly receive that gift through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). In a divine exchange, God transfers our sin to the cross and transfers Christ’s righteousness to our account (Colossians 2:14). We then enter into a new relationship with God as His own beloved children. We are no longer lost. We have been found, forgiven, and given a fresh start (2 Corinthians 5:17). That’s why Christians can joyfully sing, “I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.”
In Deuteronomy 4:40 the Lord gave the Israelites this command: “Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.” Does this mean God gave Israel the Promised Land in perpetuity?
This passage contains a conditional offer. Israel would have the Promised Land as they kept God’s “decrees and commands.” The Israelites had to obey God’s statutes in order to remain in the land. History reveals that the Israelites often disobeyed, resulting in temporary times of exile from their land.
However, the end of this passage notes that God is giving Israel the Promised Land “for all time.” The Hebrew phrase translated “for all time” is a general statement, likely in reference to God’s original promise of a land to Abraham in Genesis 12.
There are both a conditional and unconditional aspect to God’s promise. God offered blessings within the Promised Land conditionally, related to the Israelites’ obedience. Yet God also made an unconditional vow that Israel would have the Promised Land “for all time.”
How long is “for all time”? In the book of Revelation, we see Israel as a central focus. In the end times, Israel faces many difficulties, yet that tribulation concludes with the Messiah reigning from His throne in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. The book concludes with a new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem. The promise of Deuteronomy 4:40 is a far-seeing promise, extending to the end of this world’s existence and even into the time of the new earth.
Many other passages of Scripture support the fact that Israel will possess the Promised Land forever. For example, God spoke to Isaac in Genesis 26:3, saying, “Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.” The Lord also spoke to Jacob in Genesis 28:13–14 with similar words: “There above it stood the Lord, and he said: ‘I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.’” See also Psalm 132:14; Isaiah 14;1; and Zechariah 2:3–5, 10–13.
Some have suggested that, because of God’s promises to Israel concerning the Promised Land, Christians should support the modern nation of Israel without reservation. Christians have many reasons to support the people of Israel, but this does not mean Christians must agree with every political decision made by the modern Israeli government. Instead, the focus is on God’s spiritual restoration of Israel (Romans 11:26) and the
enduring promise to His
chosen people.
Many times in Scripture, God’s people are encouraged to seek the face of God. A familiar verse declares, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). If we can’t see God’s face, how do we seek God’s face?
The Hebrew word for “face” in the Old Testament is often translated “presence.” When we seek the face of God, we are seeking His presence. The call to seek God’s face was issued to His people because they had abandoned Him and needed to return to Him.
A person’s face reveals much about his or her character and personality. We see the inward emotions of a person expressed outwardly on the face. We recognize a person by looking at his or her face. In a sense, one’s face represents the whole person. For the writers of the Bible, the human face could represent the entire person.
In Psalm 105:4, God’s faithful ones were called to “seek his face always.” Even if we have not abandoned God, there are times when we neglect to pursue Him. God’s face, His holy character, is often obscured by our human condition and fleshly desires. That is why the Lord urges us to seek His face continually. The Lord desires to be our constant companion in every experience of life. He wants us to know Him through and through. If we draw close to Him, God will draw close to us: “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world” (James 4:8, NLT).
When we approach God in prayer,
we are seeking His face:
“Who may ascend the mountain of the
LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?
The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the
generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob”
(Psalm 24:3–6).
The true nature of worship is to seek God’s face. The Christian walk is a life devoted to seeking God’s presence and favor. The Lord wants us to humbly and trustingly seek His face in our prayers and in our times in His Word. It requires intimacy to look intently into someone’s face. Pursuing God’s face is equivalent to developing an intimate relationship with Him: “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!” (Psalm 63:1–3, NLT).
Having God’s face smile on us is an expression of His blessing, love, and favor: “May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:25, NLT; see also Psalm 80:3, 7, 19). When we draw close to God, we are blessed with His shining favor. We do not pursue Him only to give Him a list of wants and needs because we know God is already aware of what we need (Matthew 6:7–8, 32–33). We trust that He will take care of us.
Seeking God’s face means desiring to know His character and wanting Him—His presence—more than any other thing He can give us.
- Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker,
- those who are nothing but potsherds
among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, - ‘The potter has no hands’?
- Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18wisdomworldselfishness
- Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine.
Exodus 19:5obediencecovenantvaluable - And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21:3-4Godsadnessworrying - For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
Romans 12:3gracefaithmind - Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Colossians 3:16Word of Godlearningworship - Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
Hebrews 13:4marriagedesiresjudgment - The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
Psalm 146:9protectionorphanswidows - Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
James 1:26speaking - Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:17-18lovegentlenessanger - In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:5holinessJesus - Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:5-6gentlenesswisdomspeaking - The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17Godjoyredeemer - Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8sinloveneighbor - Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:10-11callingobediencekingdom - Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6Jesussecond comingrebirth - Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
1 Thessalonians 5:15blamelessrighteousnessevil - They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:10-11ascensionsecond coming heaven - The vine is dried up
and the fig tree is withered;
the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree--
all the trees of the field—are dried up.
Surely the people’s joy
is withered away.
Joel 1:12joysadnessfood - I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.
Ephesians 1:18understandinghopereceiving - They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
- Acts 2:3-4speakingSpiritpentecost
- Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.
- Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.
- Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
- Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
- I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
Psalm 108:3worshipworldpraise - Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.
Matthew 20:26-27humilityservingneighbor - But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
Ephesians 5:3singreedholiness - Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Psalm 105:1speakingevangelismworship - “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
Joshua 24:23idolsheartpurification - He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10Godpeace - So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?
Galatians 3:5lawSpiritlistening - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14truthJesusWord of God - I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.
Ezekiel 36:23sinGodholiness - Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
James 3:13humilitywisdomlife - The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Matthew 13:22Word of Godworryingmoney - To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:27evangelismJesushope - Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”
Luke 9:48humilityJesus - In that day you will say:
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.”
Isaiah 12:4speakingevangelismworship - For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
Matthew 18:20Jesuscommunityprayer - But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.
Micah 5:2christmasprophecyJesus - This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
1 John 4:9loveJesuslife - Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.
Exodus 23:25worshipblessingsickness - For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:2evangelismJesusmind - I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.
1 Corinthians 1:10communityfamilytransformation - Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12salvationJesus - Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great:
He appeared in the flesh,
was vindicated by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory. - 1 Timothy 3:16JesusSpiritangels Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
- James 5:14-15sicknessprayerfaith
- Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.
Philippians 2:14-16aholinessWord of Godlife - Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.
Luke 2:14
Promised Land is a term designating a region of the world that God promised as a heritage to His people, Israel (Genesis 12:7; 15:18–20). Promised Land is not the official name of Israel’s boundaries, but it conveys a larger meaning. The Promised Land was an endowment from Earth’s Creator to a specific people group, the children of Israel, in which they established their nation. Israel acquired the Promised Land only through God’s guidance and His miraculous intervention in history (Exodus 33:14–16; Psalm 44:1–8; 136:10–22).
The promise of a land for God’s people began in Genesis 12 when God appeared to Abram (Abraham) and told him that he had been chosen to be the father of many nations. God promised to bless Abram and lead him into a land that would belong to his offspring as a lasting heritage. God later confirmed this promise to Abraham’s son Isaac (Genesis 26:3) and then to Isaac’s son Jacob (Genesis 28:13).
The boundaries of the Promised Land were from the River of Egypt (the Nile) to the Euphrates (Exodus 23:31). By the time Israel was ready to take the land, hundreds of years after Abraham, it was inhabited by pagan nations: Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (Exodus 33:2). When it was time for the Israelites to inherit the Promised Land, God raised up Moses to bring His people out of slavery in Egypt and used Joshua to lead a military conquest of Canaan. The Promised Land includes modern-day Israel, including Gaza and the West Bank, and Jordan, as well as parts of Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
The term promised land has also been applied to any type of satisfying achievement or a state of realized dreams. For example, the World Series might be called baseball’s “promised land.” Or someone may say, “After receiving a significant raise, Joe moved his family out of the projects and into the promised land.” Hebrews 11:8–10 alludes to the Promised Land when it recounts Abraham’s journey to his new home in Canaan and then equates that with our journey toward God’s heavenly city (verse 16).
Christians sometimes refer to heaven and the future restoration of the earth as the Promised Land. God has promised a glorious eternal home for all those who love Him and have trusted in Christ Jesus for salvation. God’s eternal Promised Land is the heritage of all who come to Him through His Son (John 14:6). A familiar hymn by Samuel Stennett describes the anticipation Christians feel as we move toward our heavenly home:
“On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand
And cast a wishful eye
To Canaan’s fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.
I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
O who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.”
The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths and Sukkot, is the seventh and last feast that the Lord commanded Israel to observe and one of the three feasts that Jews were to observe each year by going to “appear before the Lord your God in the place which He shall choose” (Deuteronomy 16:16). The importance of the Feast of Tabernacles can be seen in how many places it is mentioned in Scripture. In the Bible we see many important events that took place at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. For one thing, it was at this time that Solomon’s Temple was dedicated to the Lord (1 Kings 8:2).
It was at the Feast of Tabernacles that the Israelites, who had returned to rebuild the temple, gathered to celebrate under the leadership of Joshua and Zerubbabel (Ezra 3). Later, the Jews heard Ezra read the Word of God to them during the Feast of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8). Ezra’s preaching resulted in a great revival as the Israelites confessed and repented of their sins. It was also during this Feast that Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37–39).
The Feast of Tabernacles takes place on the 15th of the Hebrew month Tishri. This was the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar and usually occurs in late September to mid-October. The feast begins five days after the Day of Atonement and at the time the fall harvest had just been completed. It was a time of joyous celebration as the Israelites celebrated God’s continued provision for them in the current harvest and remembered His provision and protection during the 40 years in the wilderness.
As one of the three feasts that all “native born” male Jews were commanded to participate in, the Feast of Tabernacles is mentioned multiple times in Scripture, sometimes called the Feast of the Ingathering, the Feast to the Lord, or the Feast of Booths (Exodus 23:16; Deuteronomy 16:13). As one of the pilgrim feasts (when Jewish males were commanded to go to Jerusalem), it was also the time when they brought their tithes and offerings to the Temple (Deuteronomy 16:16). With the influx of people coming to Jerusalem at that time, we can only imagine what the scene must have been like. Thousands upon thousands of people coming together to remember and celebrate God’s deliverance and His provision, all living in temporary shelters or booths as part of the requirements of the feast. During the eight-day period, so many sacrifices were made that it required all twenty-four divisions of priests to be present to assist in the sacrificial duties.
We find God’s instructions for celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles in Leviticus 23, given at a point in history right after God had delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt. The feast was to be celebrated each year on “the fifteenth day of this seventh month” and was to run for seven days (Leviticus 23:34). Like all feasts, it begins with a “holy convocation” or Sabbath day when the Israelites were to stop working to set aside the day for worshiping God. On each day of the feast they were to offer an “offering made by fire to the Lord” and then after seven days of feasting, again the eighth day was to be “a holy convocation” when they were to cease from work and offer another sacrifice to God (Leviticus 23). Lasting eight days, the Feast of Tabernacles begins and ends with a Sabbath day of rest. During the eight days of the feast, the Israelites would dwell in booths or tabernacles that were made from the branches of trees (Leviticus 23:40–42).
The Feast of Tabernacles, like all the feasts, was instituted by God as a way of reminding Israelites in every generation of their deliverance by God from Egypt. Of course, the feasts are also significant in that they foreshadow the work and actions of the coming Messiah. Much of Jesus’ public ministry took place in conjunction with the Holy Feasts set forth by God.
The three pilgrim feasts where all Jewish males were commanded to “appear before the Lord in the place he chooses” are each very important in regards to the life of Christ and His work of redemption. We know with certainty that the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are symbolic of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross. Likewise, we know that Pentecost, which marked the beginning of the Feast of Weeks, was the time of Jesus’ bodily ascension. And most scholars would agree that the Feast of Tabernacles is symbolic of Christ’s Second Coming when He will establish His earthly kingdom.
There are also some who believe that it was likely during the Feast of Tabernacles that Jesus was born. While we celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25, most scholars acknowledge that this tradition was begun in the fourth century AD by the Roman Catholic Church and that the exact day of Jesus’ birth is unknown. Some of the evidence that Jesus might have been born earlier in the year during the Feast of the Tabernacles includes the fact that it would be unlikely for shepherds to still be in the field with their sheep in December, which is in the middle of the winter, but it would have been likely they were in the fields tending sheep at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. The strong possibility that Jesus was born at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles is also seen in the words John wrote in John 1:14. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” The word John chose to speak of Jesus “dwelling” among us is the word tabernacle, which simply means to “dwell in a tent.”
Some believe it is very likely that John intentionally used this word to associate the first coming of Christ with the Feast of Tabernacles. Christ came in the flesh to dwell among us for a temporary time when He was born in the manger, and He is coming again to dwell among us as Lord of Lords. While it cannot be established with certainty that Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, some believe there is a strong possibility the Feast of Tabernacles not only looks forward to His second coming but also reflects back on His first coming.
The Feast of Tabernacles begins and ends with a special Sabbath day of rest. During the days of the feast all native Israelites were “to dwell in booths” to remind them that God delivered them out of the “land of Egypt” and to look forward to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would deliver His people from the bondage of sin. This feast, like all of the feasts of Israel, consistently reminded the Jews and should remind Christians as well that God has promised to deliver His people from the bondage of sin and deliver them from their enemies. Part of God’s deliverance for the Israelites was His provision and protection of them for the 40 years they wandered in the wilderness, cut off from the Promised Land. The same holds true for Christians today. God protects us and provides for us as we go through life in the wilderness of this world. While our hearts long for the Promised Land (heaven) and to be in the presence of God, He preserves us in this world as we await the world to come and the redemption that will come when Jesus Christ returns again to “tabernacle” or dwell among us in bodily form.
In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul quotes an astonishing statement from the Psalms: “There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:11). How can Paul, and David before him, make such a sweeping declaration? Of all who have ever lived, not even one person has really sought after God? There’s no question that billions of people have sought after a god, but they have not always sought after the true God.
This fact ties directly to Adam and Eve’s sin prompted by Satan’s deception. Throughout the history of mankind, the treachery promulgated by Satan has been so thorough that the natural man can perceive only bits and pieces of the real truth about God. As a result, our conceptions about God are blurred. It’s only when God chooses to reveal Himself to us that the pieces begin to fall together as our eyes are opened to truth. Then, truly seeking God becomes possible.
Jesus tells us in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Here Jesus is telling us that our continuing to seek God, desiring to know Him more, is the essence of true life, eternal life. The most important thoughts our minds can entertain are thoughts of God, because they will determine the quality and direction of life. Seeking God, then, is an ongoing responsibility and privilege for all Christians.
But we also know that seeking God is not always an easy thing to do, not because God is elusive, but because our minds are saturated with misconceptions and deceits planted by Satan and reinforced by the culture, not to mention the sinful nature of our own hearts and the
general deceitfulness of sin (Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:13–15)
But the good news is that these mistaken beliefs are done away with through coming to know God and growing in our relationship with Him. This starts when we turn to
Him for salvation and put our trust in Jesus Christ.
When we are saved, we receive the indwelling Holy Spirit who helps us to know God and even transforms our hearts to want to seek Him (Ephesians 1:13–14; Philippians 1:6; 2:12–13; Romans 8:26–30). Romans 12:2 counsels, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” We learn the truth about God and seek Him through reading His Word (the Bible).
We seek God also through prayer and in times of worship. We seek God both individually and corporately. Spending time with other believers in Jesus who are also seeking God is important to help us continue to seek Him
(Hebrews 10:24–25).
Second Chronicles 15:2–4 is instructive for us. This passage was written over two thousand years ago to a people like us: “[Azariah the prophet]
went out to meet Asa and said to him, ‘Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel,
and sought him, and he was found by them.’”
Their instructions were simple: when they sincerely sought God, things went well, but when their desire to seek Him waned and eventually ceased altogether, their world came apart. Sin increased, morality declined, and contact with God ceased. The admonitions to the children of God of that time are clear to us today: “If you seek him, he will be found by you.” This profound principle is repeated throughout Scripture (Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7; Acts 17:27; James 4:8).
The idea is that, when we draw near to God,
He reveals Himself to us. God does not hide Himself
from the seeking heart.
“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if
you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul”
(Deuteronomy 4:29).
“You will seek me and find me when
you seek me
with all your heart”
(Jeremiah 29:13).
“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you”
(Matthew 7:7)
In the opening of Psalm 9, David makes several distinct “I will” statements: “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High”
David is known in Scripture for having
a heart after God’s own heart
(1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22).
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
What does the Bible say about two hearts becoming one?
'” He then declares a great and beautiful truth inscribed in creation: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh” (Mark 10:6–8).
John 19:34 speaks of blood and water that flowed from the spear wound Jesus sustained on the cross: “One of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.” And in John 7:38 Jesus declares, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
In the prayer of Psalm 86, we hear the passionate desire of David’s heart to do what God wanted him to do, to live the truth he believed, and to be undivided in his devotion to God: “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name” (Psalm 86:11, ESV).
The words unite my heart may sound a bit peculiar to modern-day Bible readers. The plea to “unite my heart to fear Your name” can also be rendered “give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (NIV) or “grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you” (NLT).
Like all of us, David was flawed. His affections were often inclined to roam. But David recognized this tendency in himself and continually sought to reorient his heart and compel it toward the single-minded pursuit of God.
Throughout its history, the nation of Israel was prone to wanderings of the heart (Psalm 95:10; Hebrews 3:10). For this reason, God gave His people the command, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5; see also Matthew 22:37). Along with wholehearted love, God required their absolute obedience: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul” (Deuteronomy 10:12, NLT; see also Joshua 22:5; 24:14–15).
Time and time again, Israel fell short, and God called them back to repentance. He promised to circumcise the people’s hearts, purifying them and setting them apart so that they would love, serve, and follow Him with undivided devotion (Deuteronomy 30:6). “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). Through the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord pledged, “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart” (Jeremiah 24:7). And again, “I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them” (Jeremiah 32:39).
David’s longing to “unite my heart to fear Your name” resonates in the apostle Paul’s New Testament appeal to “live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:35). It echoes in James’ plea to “come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world” (James 4:8, NLT).
Jesus taught that divided loyalties are of no use in God’s kingdom: “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24, NLT). Instead, we are to fix all of our affection on the treasure we have in Him (Matthew 6:19–21). When we pray like David prayed, “Unite my heart to fear Your name,” we are asking the Lord to transform our wayward hearts that we might be singularly devoted in our reverence for God and obedience to Him.
In speaking of God’s victory over His enemies, Psalm 68:18 says, in part, “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men” (ESV).
In ancient warfare, captives were part of the spoils of war. The conquering general would take many captives, soldiers as well as civilians, who could then be sold or held as slaves or perhaps held for ransom in case some of the surviving relatives would be willing to pay to get them back. “Captives in your train” refers to a long line of captives included in the procession/parade of the conquering general, his army, and all of the spoils of war. In 1 Kings 10:2, the Queen of Sheba comes to Jerusalem with “a very great train,” which refers to her large retinue or entourage. Train is simply a word for “procession” or “parade.” (The word train was chosen to denote the modern method of rail transportation because it is a long line—like a parade of cars hauling people and things.) Most modern versions avoid using the word train. The NIV translates the clause as “you took many captives,” and the CEV renders it as “you took prisoners with you.”
So that explains what captives in your train means, but what does the verse mean?
Psalm 68 speaks of YHWH being victorious over all His enemies. Psalm 68:18 speaks of YHWH in terms of a conquering general or king who has taken many captives and has received gifts from those He conquered. Ephesians 4:8 paraphrases or perhaps summarizes the concepts found in Psalm 68, changing the wording to speak of Christ taking many captives and giving gifts, not receiving them. This paraphrasing has caused many to question just how Paul is using Psalm 68:18, because, on the surface, receiving gifts would appear to be exactly the opposite of giving them. Many complex solutions have been offered, but perhaps the best explanation is to remember that a conquering general or king would receive gifts from his enemies and then would often distribute them to his own people, friends, or supporters. The main point Paul makes is that Christ is a conquering king in a position to distribute many gifts to His people. Paul does not press the specific details of the verse in Psalms.
In 2 Corinthians 2:14 Paul speaks of a similar situation. In that passage, Christians are the “captives” of Christ and are now included in His triumphal train or procession. Christians are the “spoils of war,” in that they were taken from the enemy and are now slaves of Christ, which is ultimately the best thing that could have happened to them.
The gifts that Christ gives to the church in Ephesians 4 are the people who will help the church grow and mature. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:11–12).
In the final analysis, the picture of Christ having captives in His train communicates that He is the conquering king, leading a train (procession, parade) of captives who are the spoils of war. These captives were once slaves of sin, but are now slaves of Christ. Christ distributes some of His slaves as leaders for the good of the church, which is made up of all the people He has captured. These church leaders do not own the church, but simply serve under the authority of Christ. (See 1 Peter 5:1–4).
After Hannah dedicated her son Samuel to serve the Lord in the tabernacle, she prayed a joyous prayer of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, celebrating God’s sovereignty and wondrous works (1 Samuel 2:1–10). She acknowledged that Samuel was a gift from God and not the result of her strength or achievement, saying, “For by strength shall no man prevail” (1 Samuel 2:9, KJV 1900).
In the New Living Translation, Hannah’s admission is, “No one will succeed by strength alone.” “Strength” in 1 Samuel 2:9 refers to physical or mental power, ability, and might. Human strength cannot hold a candle to the force of the all-powerful God who satisfies the needs of the hungry, opens the womb of a childless woman, and orchestrates life and death (1 Samuel 2:5–6).
The meaning of by strength shall no man prevail is that it’s impossible to succeed in this life depending on our own strength. Other passages affirm the same truth: “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength” (Psalm 33:16). “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:5, NLT). King Hezekiah reminds us that our enemies have “only the arm of the flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles” (2 Chronicles 32:8). The pathway to success is “not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies” (Zechariah 4:6, NLT).
King David found his strength in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6), and we too must depend on God’s power in the battles we face (2 Samuel 22:40; Psalm 18:39). In every circumstance “and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want,” like the apostle Paul, we can say, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12–13).
The believer’s source of strength is Jesus Christ. The power we need is not human or fleshly: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). The strength we require does not come from this world: “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).
By strength shall no man prevail means that, to navigate and overcome life’s challenges, we must look to something entirely different from flesh-and-blood, worldly strength. We require the divine power of God. We need “all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil’s strategies” (Ephesians 6:10–11, GW).
We tend to overestimate our power and significance. We tend to underestimate our need for humble dependence on God. Hannah realized that only God could transform her desperate situation into one of pure joy, and she praised Him for it. By accepting our human weakness and declaring our dependence on God, we, like Hannah, have the opportunity to celebrate and showcase the miracle-working, life-changing strength of God (2 Corinthians 12:9–10; 13:4; 1 Corinthians 1:25–27).
God is able to transform our lives. He is working in and through us, and nothing is impossible for Him (Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37; 18:27). We can depend on His strength and not our own to serve God, to preach the gospel, and to endure suffering, and we can trust Him to restore, support, strengthen, and keep us on a firm foundation (1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:17; 1 Peter 5:10).
When David prays, “Create in me a clean heart,” he is asking God for forgiveness. The subtitle to Psalm 51 clarifies the situation: “A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.”
Second Samuel 11 tells the sordid tale. King David saw Bathsheba, a married woman, and lusted after her. He summoned her to fulfill his desires. Some time later, she notified him that she was pregnant with his child. David first tried a cover up, and, when that did not work, he arranged for the murder of Bathsheba’s husband. David then married her.
Obviously, David did not have a clean heart after this. He had committed adultery and possibly rape, as the language used in this case is also used of rape; his summoning of and sleeping with Bathsheba was certainly an abuse of royal authority. He then engaged in deception and finally in murder, corrupting others in the process. When it was all done, he thought he had succeeded in covering it up and destroying all the evidence. The last sentence of 2 Samuel 11 tells us, “But the thing David had done displeased the Lord” (verse 27).
In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan confronts David. He does so using a parable that David could relate to. He told of a rich man who took advantage of a poor man by stealing his only lamb, a pet, which he killed to feed to his guests. David was overcome with anger and exclaimed, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity” (2 Samuel 12:5–6).
Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7). Although David had tried to hide his sin, it was eating away at him inside, as he records in Psalm 32:3–4: “When I kept silent [about my sin], my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” David admitted to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13). He knew he needed a clean heart.
When David was through trying to hide his sin, he confessed it freely. Psalm 51 is that confession and plea for forgiveness. His request “create in me a clean heart” is simply another way of asking for forgiveness and spiritual cleansing. Psalm 51:1–10 is filled with poetic descriptions of forgiveness and cleansing, identified in italics below:
“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
“For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Even though David suffered consequences for his sin, which are outlined in 2 Samuel 12, he was forgiven and restored to spiritual fellowship with God. Psalm 32 tells of the great relief that David felt when he confessed, and in this psalm he encourages others to confess their sins as well:
“Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
“When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
“Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, ‘I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.’
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
“Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
“Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!”
Paul uses Psalm 32 as an example of salvation apart from works (Romans 4:6–8). David was forgiven not because of any works he did to earn forgiveness, but simply because he asked in faith. Because of the sacrifice of Christ, any sinner can ask God for forgiveness, that is, for a clean heart, and he will receive it. The apostle John also tells us, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1: 8–9). In spite of all that David did, and all that we do, God is willing to forgive because Jesus paid the penalty that we deserve. No matter how dirty we are, God can create in us a clean heart.
Psalm 69 includes a shocking request that might make one wonder if names can be blotted out of the book of life: “May [my enemies] be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous” (Psalm 69:28).
Psalm 69 is an imprecatory psalm because in it the writer seeks justice and pronounces judgments (imprecations) on those who do evil and harm the righteous. In Psalm 69 the judgments that David requests for those who are trying to destroy him are indeed severe, even to the point of blotting out names from the book of life (Psalm 69:28).
David cries out to God to save him, as his life is being threatened (Psalm 69:1). He describes the difficulty he is having as he waits for God to deliver him (Psalm 69:2–3). David proclaims his innocence and explains to God that the enemies’ threat is in response to David’s zeal for God (Psalm 69:4–9). In this section the anger, frustration, fear, and heartache of David are evident, and he implies that God is not working quickly enough for his liking. This is a helpful clue that this psalm (like other imprecatory psalms) is in part an expression of great frustration and is not entirely prophetic or predictive of what will take place.
David asks for God to deliver him at the right time (Psalm 69:13–15) and then adds that he is requesting that deliverance come quickly (Psalm 69:16–18). Emphasizing the severity of the situation, David explains how shamed, dishonored, and reproached he is (Psalm 69:19–21). David then begins his imprecations, or prayers for the judgment of those who were harming him—including his statement implying that names can be blotted out of the book of life (Psalm 69:28).
David asks that the table of his enemies will be a snare to them (Psalm 69:22) and that they would become blind and shake with fear (Psalm 69:23). He asks that God would be angry with them (Psalm 69:24) and make their camps desolate (Psalm 69:25). This is a poetic way of asking that God would kill them all. David reminds God of His responsibility in all this (Psalm 69:26) and demands that his enemies not be given salvation (Psalm 69:27); in fact, he desires that they would be blotted out of the book of life and that they would not be recorded with the righteous (Psalm 69:28).
While the English translations usually translate the Hebrew phrase as “the book of life,” it can be literally translated as “the book of the living ones”; if that literal translation is best, then David’s request would simply be that God would take their lives, a rewording of his request in Psalm 69:25. The idea that David is requesting that their names be removed from God’s book of the living ones—that they be killed physically—seems to be supported by earlier references to blotting out names from God’s book.
After God delivered Israel in a miraculous victory over Amalek, God instructed Moses to write the account in the book and to recite to Joshua that God would blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven (Exodus 17:14). After Israel sinned by worshiping the golden calf, Moses asked God to either forgive them or to blot out his own name from God’s book (Exodus 32:32). God responds by saying that only those who sinned He would blot out from His book (Exodus 32:33), and then He immediately acts on that promise. He punished those who did evil by smiting them (Exodus 32:34–35). This book, also mentioned in several other places (including Deuteronomy 29:20), is not called the book of life, but seems to simply reference the history that God was having Moses record. God asserts that people can be blotted out from under heaven and from that book (Exodus 32:33; Deuteronomy 29:20). In other words, the people blotted out or removed were killed. They were no longer living “under heaven.”
Nowhere in these Old Testament contexts is the book of life directly mentioned (if indeed Psalm 69:28 is best translated as “the book of the living ones”). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul mentions a book of life in which the names of his fellow workers are written (Philippians 4:3). John records Jesus’ description of the book of life from which Jesus would not erase the names of those who have overcome (Revelation 3:5). John adds that all who have believed in Jesus have overcome (e.g., 1 John 5:4–5) and that their names have been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8; 17:8). Finally, at the Great White Throne Judgment, John describes that there are “books” opened—including the book of life (Revelation 20:12). People are judged according to their deeds recorded in the books, and if their name is not written in the book of life they are sent to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14–15). Only those whose names were written in the Lamb’s book of life would be allowed into the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27), where God would dwell.
In none of these contexts does the Bible describe that the names of people written in the book of life can be blotted out. In fact, Jesus says He will not erase the names of those who are written in the book (Revelation 3:5), who have overcome because He has overcome. Even if David’s request was that God blot out names from the book of (eternal) life rather than from the book of the (physically) living ones, the Bible never indicates that God would do such a thing. It seems more likely that David’s request is simply that God blot out the names of his adversaries from the book of those living on earth. David is asking that God would take the lives of those who were reproaching him and seeking to take his life.
There was a time when King David asked God to restore to him the joy of his salvation. That time came after the incident recorded in 2 Samuel 11 of David committing adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his loyal soldiers. The sordid story involves not only adultery but Bathsheba’s pregnancy, an attempted cover-up, and David’s eventual murder of Bathsheba’s husband. David then marries Bathsheba and believes that no one will ever know of his misdeeds. But the last part of verse 27 contains this ominous declaration: “But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.”
In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan confronts David with his sin, and David confesses (verse 14).
Psalm 51 is a song that David penned after this confrontation as noted in the title: “For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.”
Psalm 51 is a prayer of forgiveness and cleansing. Verses 1–9:
“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.”
Verses 10–12 are perhaps the most famous of Psalm 51:
“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
In verse 11 David asks that the Holy Spirit not be removed from him. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit usually came upon a person to enable the performance of a certain task. If the Holy Spirit were removed from David, it would mean that he would be rejected by God as king in the same way that God had rejected Saul and removed His Spirit from him (1 Samuel 16:14).
Next, David asks God to restore the joy of his salvation. The time between David’s sin and Nathan’s confrontation was some months because the child had already been born. During that time, David suffered inner torment, as he describes in Psalm 32:3–4:
“When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.”
Despite all the steps David had taken to suppress the news of what he had done, he did not experience joy in the cover-up. However, once he confessed his sin to God, he received forgiveness, and his joy returned. Psalm 32 begins this way:
“Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.”
Psalm 32 ends with “Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!” (verse 11).
When David pleads with God to “restore to me the joy of your salvation,” he is asking that he would again have the fellowship with God that he once knew and enjoyed. David could not enjoy God’s fellowship while he had unconfessed sin.
Even today, we can lose the joy of our salvation. We will not lose salvation—sin will not separate the believer from God—but it can rob us of joy and the enjoyment of close fellowship with our Savior.
Spiritual adultery is unfaithfulness to God. It is having an undue fondness for the things of the world. Spiritual adultery is analogous to the unfaithfulness of one’s spouse: “‘But like a woman faithless to her lover, even so have you been faithless to me, O house of Israel,’ says the LORD” (Jeremiah 3:20; see also Isaiah 1:21; 57:8; Ezekiel 16:30).
The Bible tells us that people who choose to be friends with the world are an “adulterous people” having “enmity against God” (James 4:4–5). The “world” here is the system of evil under Satan’s control (John 12:31; Ephesians 2:2; 1 John 5:19). The world system, with its contrived and deceitful scheme of phony values, worthless pursuits, and unnatural affections, is designed to lure us away from a pure relationship with God. Spiritual adultery, then, is the forsaking of God’s love and the embracing of the world’s values and desires (Romans 8:7–8; 2 Timothy 4:10; 1 John 2:15–17).
Spiritual adultery includes any form of idolatry. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel tried to mix the worship of other gods such as Baal with that of God (Judges 3:7; 1 Kings 16:31–33; Jeremiah 19:5). In doing so, Israel became like an adulterous wife who wanted both a husband and another lover (Jeremiah 9:2; Ezekiel 6:9; 16:32). In the New Testament, James defines spiritual adultery as claiming to love God while cultivating friendship with the world (James 4:4–5). The person who commits spiritual adultery is one who professes to be a Christian yet finds his real love and pleasure in the things that Satan offers. For believers, the love of the world and the love of God are direct opposites. Believers committing spiritual adultery may claim to love the Lord, but, in reality, they are captivated by the pleasures of this world, its influence, comforts, financial security, and so-called freedoms.
The concept of spiritual adultery against God is a major theme throughout the Old Testament (Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:20; Ezekiel 16:15–19). This theme is illustrated especially well in the book of Hosea. The prophet’s wife, Gomer, symbolizes the infidelity of the children of Israel (Hosea 2:2–5; 3:1–5; 9:1). Hosea’s commitment to Gomer symbolizes God’s faithful, patient love with His erring people.
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24). The Bible exhorts us, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:15–16). Believers must echo the words of the old hymn: “The world behind me, the cross before me; no turning back.”
“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14–16). Spiritual adultery is like trying to straddle the fence with one foot in the world and the other in heaven. We cannot have both. As Jesus warned the church in Laodicea, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15–16).
The love of the world is primarily an attitude of one’s heart, and we can cast away worldliness by cultivating a new affection. To avoid spiritual adultery, “set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2, KJV).
In Exodus 32 Moses returns from talking with the Lord on the mountain and finds that the Israelites have turned to sinful actions. Verse 6 says, “The people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” What exactly was this “revelry” that followed the Israelites’ feast?
The context helps identify the main actions that offended the Lord. First, verse 4 notes that the people gave offerings to a golden calf. They had already broken the first of the Ten Commandments before Moses had even returned to them! And verse 6 mentions that feasting and drinking were part of the festivities.
Second, Moses had identified the noise emanating from the camp as “the sound of singing” (Exodus 32:18). In their pagan revelries, the people of Israel were singing songs of adoration to the golden calf. In the not-so-distant past, they had been singing praise to the Lord after He led them safely through the Red Sea (Exodus 15). Now their tune had changed.
Third, the people of Israel danced as part of their celebration of the golden calf. Verse 19 says, “When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.” Dancing per se is not noted as wrong, but dancing in celebration of an idol made Moses (and God) angry.
Fourth, there was an unrestrained attitude of partying around the golden calf. Verse 25 presents the shameful truth: “The people were running wild . . . Aaron had let them get out of control and so [they became] a laughingstock to their enemies.” Details of their behavior are not given, but their actions were unruly, uncivilized, and ungodly.
In turning to a graven image, the people had turned away from the Lord (see Deuteronomy 9:16). Even though the golden calf had been billed as the god they had been following all along (Exodus 32:4), the True God cannot be reduced to imagery. The Lord will not share His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8). That is why God judged the people of Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai.
The Dead Sea is a large body of salt water on the southern end of the Jordan River. Cited sixteen times in the Bible, the Dead Sea is mentioned primarily to describe the borders of the Promised Land.
The Dead Sea is known by a few different names in the Bible, including the Salt Sea (Genesis 14:3; Numbers 34:3, 12; Deuteronomy 3:17; Joshua 3:16; 12:3), the Sea of the Arabah (Deuteronomy 3:17; 4:49; Joshua 3:16; 2 Kings 14:25), and the Eastern Sea (Ezekiel 47:18; Zechariah 14:8). It was called the Salt Sea for its unusually high salinity. The name Sea of the Arabah was given for its location in the Arabah Valley. In Hebrew, arabah means “a wasteland” or “barren district.” And the name Eastern Sea originated from the Dead Sea’s position on the eastern boundary of the land of Israel.
Only in Genesis 14:3 is the Dead Sea referred to as a location. In all other instances, it is used to designate a border for the land of Israel. Thus, the Dead Sea was likely considered more of a territorial boundary line than a destination for the people of the Bible. Nevertheless, several noteworthy biblical settlements were positioned on the shores of the Dead Sea, including Masada, En Gedi, and Qumran.
The Dead Sea is located 16 miles directly east of Jerusalem. A long and narrow oblong, the sea, in Bible times, measured a little over 50 miles from north to south and about 11 miles wide at its broadest point. The Dead Sea lies within the great trough of the Jordan Valley, also known as the Rift Valley, which forms part of the longest and deepest crack in the earth’s crust. At approximately 1,300 feet (400 meters) below sea level, the Dead Sea sits at the lowest point of the earth’s surface.
Fed mainly by the Jordan River and a few smaller streams and rivers, the Dead Sea receives an average of six or seven million tons of daily inflow with no outlet for the water except through evaporation. The extreme heat and dry conditions of the region produce an exceptionally high rate of evaporation. Even with no outflow of water, the Dead Sea’s surface rises no more than 10 to 15 feet a day.
The waters that feed the Dead Sea contain an unusually high salt content (approximately 26 percent), making it the world’s most saline body of water, with almost five times the level of salt concentration of the ocean (on average 3.5 percent). With such high salinity, no marine life can live in the Dead Sea.
Even with its inability to sustain life, the Dead Sea provided a valuable commodity for trading in ancient times—salt. The sea was also known for producing bitumen, a natural petroleum product similar to asphalt, prized for its waterproofing properties. Historians have suggested that Cleopatra’s ambition to rule the Dead Sea region was motivated by her desire to control the bitumen trade.
Biblical archaeologists believe the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18—19 took place in the vicinity of the Dead Sea. Some believe that Sodom and Gomorrah lie underneath the Dead Sea. Exactly how God destroyed these cities is still debated. Some theorize God used a volcanic eruption or a spontaneous explosion of subsurface pockets of bituminous soil. Curiously, at the southeast corner of the Dead Sea is a salt rock plug known today as Mount Sodom. On its slopes, which are formed by a combination of gypsum, salt, limestone, and chalk, can be seen strange formations of salt, like pillars. These pillars are often pointed out to tourists by the nickname “Lot’s wife” (see Genesis 19:26).
When David fled from King Saul, he found a place of refuge on the western shore of the Dead Sea in the town of En Gedi. In contrast to the lifeless nature of the Dead Sea, En Gedi is an oasis full of fresh flowing springs, fine dates, aromatic and medicinal plants, and semitropical vegetation.
The prophet Ezekiel foresaw a time when the
Dead Sea’s toxic waters
would be transformed into a fresh River of Life flowing from the throne of God: “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets.
The fish will be
of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. . . .
Fruit trees of all kinds
will grow on both banks of the river.
Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail.
Every month they will bear fruit,
because the water from the sanctuary flows to them.
Their fruit will
serve for food and their leaves for healing”
(Ezekiel 47:8–12).
In recent times the Dead Sea has been shrinking because its waters are evaporating faster than the inflow from the Jordan and other streams can replenish. In the last 40 years or so, the sea has lost about 30 percent of its area and has divided into two basins.
The shallow southern basin
is used primarily for the
mining of Dead Sea minerals.
In speaking to His disciples about a
coming time of great destruction,
Jesus mentioned what happened to Lot’s wife and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. “Remember Lot’s wife!” He said. “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (Luke 17:32–33).
The story of Lot and his wife is found in Genesis 19.
God had determined to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness (Genesis 18:16–33), and two angels warned Abraham’s nephew Lot to evacuate the city so he and his family would not be destroyed. In Genesis 19 we read, The two [angels in the form of] men said to Lot, ‘Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it’” (verses 12–13).
At dawn the next day, the angels hurried Lot and his family
out of Sodom so they would not be destroyed with the city.
When Lot hesitated, “the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, ‘Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!’” (Genesis 19:16–17).
As the family fled,
“the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah--
from the Lord out of the heavens” (Genesis 19:24).
But, then, in disobedience to the angel’s command,
“Lot’s wife looked back,
and she became a pillar of salt” (verse 26).
Lot’s wife lost her life because she “looked back.” This was more than just a glance over the shoulder; it was a look of longing that indicated reluctance to leave or a desire to return. Whatever the case, the point is she was called to desert everything to save her life, but she could not let go, and she paid for it with her life. In Judaism, Lot’s wife became a symbol for a rebellious unbeliever.
Jesus cites this story in Luke 17, as He describes a future event: “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (verses 28–33).
When “the Son of Man is revealed,” it will be time for people to flee. There will be no time to take anything along. If you see the sign when you are on the roof (a rooftop deck with exterior stairs was a common feature of houses at the time), you should not even take time to go into the house to gather up your possessions. You need to get out and “don’t look back.” Lot’s wife is the example of what will happen if you do. If you try to save your life (that is, your things that your life is made up of), you will lose everything. Leave it all to save your life.
The scenario is similar to a person who wakes up in the middle of the night to find the house in flames. That person might be tempted to run around and gather up valuable items, but the delay might prevent escape—all the things will be lost, as well as the person’s life. It is better to leave it all behind and get out with your life. The principle is clear, but the exact referent is more difficult to discern.
The revelation of the Son of Man is the event in view in Luke 17. Mark 13:14–16 records much the same message without the mention of Lot’s wife. There, the sign is “the abomination that causes desolation” (see also Matthew 24:15–18). Finally, Jesus mentions a similar situation in Luke 21:20–21: “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.”
The above passages are open to several different approaches to interpretation, centered on when this will take place. If we are correct that all of these passages describe roughly the same event(s), it would seem that “the day the Son of Man is revealed,” “the abomination that causes desolation,” and “Jerusalem surrounded by armies” all refer to the signal that it is time to flee.
Outside of Luke 17, the warnings to flee are found in the context of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (see Luke 21:5–7 and Mark 13:1–4). In Matthew 24:1–3, Jesus also deals with the destruction of the temple, except there the disciples also ask specifically about “the sign of your coming and the end of the age.” So, at least some of the prophecy was fulfilled in the first century with the destruction of the temple, but that does not preclude a future, fuller fulfillment at the second coming. The wording in Luke 17, in which Jesus speaks of the revelation of the Son of Man, certainly seems to suggest the second coming (see Colossians 3:4).
Jewish believers in the first century faced persecution from Rome, often at Jewish instigation. As long as Christians were considered a sect of Judaism, they enjoyed religious freedom as Jews. However, as they were denounced by Jewish leaders and no longer considered part of Judaism, the full force of Roman expectations applied to them, including the requirement to affirm the creed “Caesar is Lord” and offer sacrifices to Caesar. If Christians failed to do this, they could be punished, imprisoned, or even killed. As a result, believing Jews faced continual pressure to “go back to the temple.” The book of Hebrews encourages believing Jews to remain true to Christ and not return to the Old Covenant system of the temple, priests, and sacrifices. Hebrews explains that the Old Covenant has passed.
There may have been some believing Jews in Judea who still had some attachment to the temple. In Luke 17, Jesus warns that there will come a time when they see a symbol of impending judgment, and they will need to get out of the area as quickly as possible. Just as God rained down wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah, He will judge Jerusalem. The coming wrath is no time for divided loyalties. While many believed that God would never allow the temple to be destroyed, Jewish Christians knew that the usefulness of the temple had passed and its days were numbered. They could stay on in Jerusalem and witness of the resurrected Christ, but when they saw that judgment was about to fall, they knew to get out. Eusebius in his Church History records that they did escape. By abandoning everything and getting out of the city, the Christians not only saved their lives but also gave testimony to the fact that the Old Covenant had been replaced by the New.
A similar sentiment is expressed by Jesus in other contexts, although Lot’s wife is not mentioned. Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). In context, Jesus is talking about people who want to follow Him but are hindered by their concern for other things. It is not just that they look back, but they have divided loyalties, like Lot’s wife.
Jesus also used the statement “whoever wants to save his life shall lose it” in a number of different contexts (Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24; 17:33). Regardless of the specifics of the context, following Jesus requires turning our backs on the “life” that this world offers. Attempting to “save your life” is the same as “looking back.” Attachment to our “old life” will cause us to lose our lives, and Lot’s wife is the illustration and example that we would do well to remember.
Jesus used the concepts of salt and light a number of different times to refer to the role of His followers in the world. One example is found in Matthew 5:13: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Salt had two purposes in the Middle East of the first century. Because of the lack of refrigeration, salt was used to preserve food, especially meat, which would quickly spoil in the desert environment. Believers in Christ are preservatives to the world, preserving it from the evil inherent in the society of ungodly men whose unredeemed natures are corrupted by sin (Psalm 14:3; Romans 8:8).
Second, salt was used then, as now, as a flavor enhancer. In the same way that salt enhances the flavor of the food it seasons, the followers of Christ stand out as those who “enhance” the flavor of life in this world. Christians, living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to Christ, will inevitably influence the world for good, as salt has a positive influence on the flavor of the food it seasons. Where there is strife, we are to be peacemakers; where there is sorrow, we are to be the ministers of Christ, binding up wounds, and where there is hatred, we are to exemplify the love of God in Christ, returning good for evil (Luke 6:35).
In the analogy of light to the world, the good works of Christ’s followers are to shine for all to see. The following verses in Matthew 5 highlight this truth: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16, NASB). The idea here is similar—the presence of light in darkness is something that is unmistakable. The presence of Christians in the world must be like a light in the darkness, not only in the sense that the truth of God’s Word brings light to the darkened hearts of sinful man (John 1:1-10), but also in the sense that our good deeds must be evident for all to see. And indeed, our deeds will be evident if they are performed in accordance with the other principles that Jesus mentions in this passage, such as the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-11. Notice especially that the concern is not that Christians would stand out for their own sake, but that those who looked on might “glorify your Father who is in heaven” (v. 16, KJV).
In view of these verses, what sorts of things can hinder or prevent the Christian from fulfilling his or her role as salt and light in the world? The passage clearly states that the difference between the Christian and the world must be preserved; therefore, any choice on our part that blurs the distinction between us and the rest of the world is a step in the wrong direction. This can happen either through a choice to accept the ways of the world for the sake of comfort or convenience or to contravene the law of obedience to Christ.
Mark 9:50 suggests that saltiness can be lost specifically through a lack of peace with one another; this follows from the command to “have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” And in Luke 14:34-35, we find a reference to the metaphor of salt once again, this time in the context of obedient discipleship to Jesus Christ. The loss of saltiness occurs in the failure of the Christian to daily take up the cross and follow Christ wholeheartedly.
It seems, then, that the role of the Christian as salt and light in the world may be hindered or prevented through any choice to compromise or settle for that which is more convenient or comfortable, rather than that which is truly best and pleasing to the Lord. Moreover, the status of salt and light is something that follows naturally from the Christian’s humble obedience to the commandments of Christ. It is when we depart from the Spirit-led lifestyle of genuine discipleship that the distinctions between ourselves and the rest of the world become blurred and our testimony is hindered. Only by remaining focused on Christ and being obedient to Him can we expect to remain salt and light in the world.
In Matthew 5:16, Jesus says, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Of course, it is not technically our light that should shine before others. It is the light of Christ, entrusted to believers as light-bearers (cf. John 1:8). In other words, we do not produce the light within us. God does. And through our good works, people may glorify the One who gives that light.
One of the ways to let our light shine before others is to show compassion to others. Jesus expressed deep compassion for all people, regardless of their ethnic background, social status, gender, or personal beliefs (Matthew 9:36; 15:32; Mark 6:34). As Christians, we should follow His example by showing compassion and kindness to everyone.
Another way to let our light shine before others is to practice humility (Philippians 2:1–11). Christians are called to be humble in all things, knowing that it is only through the grace of God that we “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Humility also means the willingness to confess our sins before God and others (Luke 15:21; James 5:16). In doing so, we demonstrate our receptivity to correction and guidance (Proverbs 15:32).
Generosity is another means of letting our light shine before others. Christians are called to be generous with their money, time, resources, and love (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:16). After all, everything that we have belongs to God (Deuteronomy 10:14). So, we should share our God-given blessings with those in need and give without expecting anything in return (Luke 6:30).
Forgiveness, too, is a means of letting our light shine before others. Jesus taught that we should forgive others as we have been forgiven (Matthew 18:15–20; cf. Ephesians 4:32). Thus, we should seek reconciliation with those who have wronged us—and with those whom we have wronged—to promote peace and unity (cf. Ephesians 2:14).
There are many ways to let our light shine before others. We can volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter, donate money to a charity, or be kind and compassionate to someone in need. We can also lend an ear to a friend who is going through a tough time and offer words of encouragement, or we can simply smile and say, “Hello,” to a stranger on the street (cf. Hebrews 13:2).
Perhaps the best way to let our light shine before others is to share the gospel, the “good news,” with others. The good news is that God redeems sinners through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). If we believe in the person and work of Christ (who He is and what He did), then we are saved from eternal condemnation. We should not keep this message to ourselves; good news is meant to be shared, and we should make it visible for everyone to see (Matthew 28:19).
The ultimate purpose of letting our light shine before others is not to draw attention to ourselves or to promote our own interests; rather, it is about living in such a way that others will glorify our Father in heaven. Of course, this is not an easy task. It can be difficult to maintain a spirit of compassion, humility, generosity, and forgiveness in a world that is often characterized by hatred, anger, and division. We may even be met with resistance and opposition (Matthew 10:16; John 15:18). But we are not alone. We have the Holy Spirit within us, and He empowers and guides us to reflect the glory of God.
Jesus Christ began His great Sermon on the Mount by teaching the Beatitudes, a list of blessings that define the inner character of a genuine servant of God (Matthew 5:1–12). These verses also illustrate God’s kingdom principles, which are directly opposite of the world’s value system. To the casual listener, this countercultural teaching could suggest that Christ expects His disciples to withdraw from the world. But in Matthew 5:13–16 Jesus follows up immediately with an illuminating segment, leaving His true followers with no doubt as to His intended meaning: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (verse 14, NASB95).
Jesus compared Christians
to a city on a hill that cannot
be hidden
because kingdom people are meant
to be a beacon in the night, providing
spiritual light
to a
lost and dying world.
Jesus said in John 9:5,
“While I am in the world,
I AM
the light of the world.”
To His disciples, He explained, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Jesus is the light that illuminates our lives. Everyone who puts their faith and trust in Him “will no longer remain in the dark” (John 12:46).
As long as we live on this earth, we are meant to have an influence on the people around us. The apostle Paul taught, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
The purpose of light is to give direction by making it possible to see. At night, a city on a hill shines its light in all directions from an elevated position. The light can be seen far and wide, illuminating the way for many travelers and showing them which way to go. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Toward Jesus, and ultimately into a relationship with God the Father, is the direction in which people ought to walk.
The apostle John said of Jesus, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4–5). As Christians we are to make the light of truth visible—by sharing the gospel of salvation in Jesus, and through the way we live our lives—thereby providing direction and guidance for those who are lost and living in darkness.
Isaiah foresaw the coming of Jesus Christ as the dawning of a great light seen by “people walking in darkness . . . those living in the land of deep darkness” (Isaiah 9:2; cf. Matthew 4:16). Saul of Tarsus had been walking in profound spiritual darkness, persecuting Christians. When Jesus Christ appeared to him, Saul saw “a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me” (Acts 26:13).
The Lord allowed Saul to remain temporarily blinded by the light, as a symbol of his sightless spiritual state. That day God told Saul, “I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:16–18). From the moment God removed the blinders from his eyes, Saul began to preach the truth that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:17–31).
Saul, who later went by the name of Paul, went on to become one of Christianity’s most zealous messengers. Everywhere he went, Paul taught Christians to “live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people” (Philippians 2:15, NLT).
The Christian life is meant to have a visible impact and not to be lived in secret, hidden from the world. Jesus said, “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:15–16, NLT). There is no such thing as covert Christianity or clandestine discipleship.
Paul advised Timothy, “Never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord” (2 Timothy 1:8, NLT). We must not hide our devotion to Christ. Instead, we are to remain humble while doing everything we can to attract, influence, and guide others toward the truth: “For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth’” (Acts 13:47, NLT).
When we live as true disciples of Jesus Christ, obeying the principles of God’s kingdom, we become like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. In fact, as new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), it is now part of our nature as kingdom servants to be the light in the world. The light we shine does not come from us but instead is a reflected light coming from our source—“the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
The apostle John opens his Gospel with a systematic, 18-verse introduction to the Lord Jesus Christ. A key aspect of Christ’s nature that John highlights is that He is the bearer of light. Jesus brings the revelation of God’s life and light into a dark world (verses 4–5). In John 1:6–9, the apostle explains that John the Baptist was merely a witness to the light, but Jesus is the true light: “There was a man sent from God whose name was John [the Baptist]. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”
John the Baptist’s message was illuminating, but he was not the true light. Jesus is the true light, the real thing, the genuine article—God in the flesh. He alone reveals God’s glory in the world because He is God incarnate who “became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14; see also 1 Timothy 3:16; 1 John 1:1–2; 4:2).
By stating that Jesus is the true light coming into the world, John directly connects Him to Israel’s Messiah as the prophets foretold: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2; see also Isaiah 49:6; 60:1–2; Malachi 4:2).
Jesus is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” (Hebrews 1:3). He beams forth the light, truth, and life of God to the world and into the hearts of men and women. Jesus Himself declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12; see also John 9:5). At Christ’s transfiguration, Peter, James, and John caught a glimpse of the true light as Jesus’ “face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2). In the book of Revelation, John describes Jesus’ face “like the sun shining in all its brilliance” (Revelation 1:16). He is the “bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16).
Jesus is the true light of God for those who partake of His salvation. When we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, He makes God’s “light shine in our hearts” so we can “know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). Those who trust in Jesus and “believe in the light” become “children of light” (John 12:35–36, 46). As children of the light, we are called to bring His “salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47). Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Several elements are necessary to sustain human life: light, air, water, and food are among the most critical. Jesus is the true light means He is our essential source of life. Without light, it is impossible to sustain life of any kind on earth. If the sun ceases to shine, everything will die. Not only is Jesus our light, but He is also the spiritual air we breathe. By His Holy Spirit, He breathes on us the “breath of life” (John 3:8; 20:22). Jesus is also the “living water” who, by His Holy Spirit, becomes in us “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:10–14; 7:37–39).
Jesus declared Himself to be “the true bread from heaven” (John 6:32). He is the genuine “bread of life” (John 6:35). He is our life-giving, life-sustaining source. He fully meets all our needs and perfectly satisfies our souls. In John 15:1–17, Jesus revealed that He is “the true vine,” and His Father owns the garden. Christ’s followers are described as fruit-bearing branches. They are the true believers who “abide in the vine.” Jesus is everything we need for life because He is God, “the fountain of life” (Psalm 36:9).
Jesus is the true light is John’s unequivocal way of stating that Jesus Christ is the ultimate, one and only, genuine self-disclosure of God to man. The Word of God became flesh and blood, and Jesus Christ is “the light of the world.” In Him, there is “no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). His light is our “light and our salvation” (Psalm 27:1). Jesus Christ is the true light of God sent into the world to pierce through the darkness. Through His life, ministry, and message, Jesus brought the light and life of God to bear on everyone He encountered. That light continues to shine on earth through His Church (Ephesians 5:8; Philippians 2:15).
“I am the way and the truth and the life” is one of the seven “I Am” statements of Jesus. On the last night before His betrayal and death, Jesus was preparing His disciples for the days ahead. For over three years, these men had been following Jesus and learning from His teaching and example. They had placed their hopes in Him as the Messiah, the promised deliverer, yet they still didn’t understand how He was going to accomplish that deliverance. After the Last Supper, Jesus began speaking about His departure, which led to questions from His disciples.
In John 13:33, Jesus said, “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.” This prompted Peter to ask where He was going (verse 36). Peter and the others did not understand that Jesus was speaking of His death and ascension to heaven. Jesus’ response was, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter was still misunderstanding and declared that he would follow Jesus anywhere and even lay down His life if necessary. As Jesus patiently continued to teach His disciples, He began speaking more plainly about heaven, describing the place He was going to prepare for them (John 14:2–3). Then Jesus said, “You know the way to the place where I am going” (verse 4). Speaking for the others, Thomas said they did not know where He was going, so how could they know how to follow Him there? It was in answer to this question that Jesus uttered one of the seven famous “I am” statements.
I am – In the Greek language, “I am” is a very intense way of referring to oneself. It would be comparable to saying, “I myself, and only I, am.” Several other times in the Gospels we find Jesus using these words. In Matthew 22:32 Jesus quotes Exodus 3:6, where God uses the same intensive form to say, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” In John 8:58, Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am.” The Jews clearly understood Jesus to be calling Himself God because they took up stones to stone Him for committing blasphemy in equating Himself with God. In Matthew 28:20, as Jesus gave the Great Commission, He gave it emphasis by saying, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” When the soldiers came seeking Jesus in the garden the night before His crucifixion, He told them, “I am he,” and His words were so powerful that the soldiers fell to the ground (John 18:4–6). These words reflect the very name of God in Hebrew, Yahweh, which means “to be” or “the self-existing one.” It is the name of power and authority, and Jesus claimed it as His own.
The way – Jesus used the definite article to distinguish Himself as “the only way.” A way is a path or route, and the disciples had expressed their confusion about where He was going and how they could follow. As He had told them from the beginning, Jesus was again telling them (and us) “follow me.” There is no other path to heaven, no other way to the Father. Peter reiterated this same truth years later to the rulers in Jerusalem, saying about Jesus, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The exclusive nature of the only path to salvation is expressed in the words “I am the way.”
The truth – Again Jesus used the definite article to emphasize Himself as “the only truth.” Psalm 119:142 says, “Your law is the truth.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminded His listeners of several points of the Law, then said, “But I say unto you . . .” (Matthew 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44), thereby equating Himself with the Law of God as the authoritative standard of righteousness. In fact, Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17). Jesus, as the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1) is the source of all truth.
The life – Jesus had just been telling His disciples about His impending death, and now He was claiming to be the source of all life. In John 10:17–18, Jesus declared that He was going to lay down His life for His sheep, and then take it back again. He spoke of His authority over life and death as being granted to Him by the Father. In John 14:19, He gave the promise that “because I live, you also will live.” The deliverance He was about to provide was not a political or social deliverance (which most of the Jews were seeking), but a true deliverance from a life of bondage to sin and death to a life of freedom in eternity.
In these words, Jesus was declaring Himself the great “I Am,” the only path to heaven, the only true measure of righteousness, and the source of both physical and spiritual life. He was staking His claim as the very God of Creation, the Lord who blessed Abraham, and the Holy One who inhabits eternity. He did this so the disciples would be able to face the dark days ahead and carry on the mission of declaring the gospel to the world. Of course, we know from Scripture that they still didn’t understand, and it took several visits from their risen Lord to shake them out of their disbelief. Once they understood the truth of His words, they became changed people, and the world has never been the same.
Psalm 119 is a long acrostic poem dedicated singularly to honoring and proclaiming the value of God’s Word. In verse 105, the psalmist declares to the Lord, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (ESV). Just as a lamp brightens a path for our feet to walk, God’s Word provides the illumination and guidance we need to walk in this world.
The word translated “lamp” in this passage is ner in the original Hebrew. It refers to a small clay lantern with a solitary wick. The psalmist describes the Word of God as a lamp carried on his journey to distinguish the way and keep him from stumbling off course and going astray. The light of God’s Word allows us to see the right direction. It is God’s guidance for our travels through life on earth.
Proverbs 6:23 offers a companion thought: “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.” The guidance referred to by the biblical writers is not the advice of career counselors or pop magazines but rock-solid truth for navigating difficult moral choices in a dark and fallen world.
Ideas like moral relativism, situational ethics, and subjectivism make staying on the right path all the more challenging and perplexing. Worldly voices claim, “There are many paths to God,” “There’s no such thing as absolute truth,” and “Just do what feels right to you.” If we aren’t careful about the choices we make, if we listen to these voices rather than rely on God’s illuminating truth to guide us on the right roads, we will quickly encounter grief and ruin.
Only God’s Word provides the direction we need. Second Peter 1:19 describes it as a reliable lamp shining in a dark place: “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
The apostle Paul told his young protégé, Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NLT). If we study God’s Word frequently and diligently, if we give it our full attention, it will provide us with the direction, correction, and wisdom we need to succeed in life and do the Lord’s work.
Obeying God’s Word brings blessings and rewards: “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (Psalm 1:1–3, NLT; see also Exodus 15:26; Psalm 128:1; James 1:22–25). On his deathbed, King David told his son Solomon, “Keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn” (1 Kings 2:3, ESV).
God’s Word has extraordinary power, says Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The Word of God is alive because He is a living God (Hebrews 3:12; 2 Corinthians 6:16). His words are full of energy, life, power, and productivity—they cause things to happen (Psalm 33:9). If we allow it to, if we don’t ignore it, God’s Word will take an active presence in our lives. We can trust the Word of God to accomplish whatever purpose God intends for it and to prosper wherever He sends it (Isaiah 55:11). For this reason, we ought to study it (2 Timothy 2:15), meditate on it (Psalm 119:97), hold firmly to it (Philippians 2:16), and hide it in our hearts (Psalm 119:11).
Christians can say to God, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” because the Word of God is the living energy that actively provides illumination, insight, direction, and guidance for our pilgrimage through a dark and sinful world.
In Ephesians 4:17—5:21, the apostle Paul gives practical yet challenging instruction in holy living. The path to holiness includes imitating God (like children imitating a parent) by walking in love (verses 5:1–2) and walking as “children of light” (verses 5:8–9). The opposite of holy living is characterized in the Bible as “walking in darkness” (Isaiah 9:2; see also Proverbs 2:13), which is why Paul warns, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11, ESV).
Throughout Scripture, darkness symbolizes sin and its effects (Proverbs 2:12–15; Matthew 6:23; Isaiah 5:20; Isaiah 29:15). The word unfruitful in Ephesians 5:11 means “having no beneficial use, unproductive.” The works of darkness are unfruitful because they end in death, but the fruit of righteousness “leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life” (Romans 6:20–22).
By telling the Ephesians what behaviors to avoid, Paul outlines the unfruitful works of darkness: “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Ephesians 5:3–5).
Paul advised the Romans to “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Then he listed other dark deeds such as “orgies and drunkenness, . . . sexual immorality and sensuality, . . . quarreling and jealousy” (Romans 13:12–13, ESV).
To the Corinthians, Paul explained that light and darkness could not mix: “How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. . . . Let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God” (2 Corinthians 6:14—7:1, NLT).
Paul described people before salvation as being “dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God” (Ephesians 2:1–2, NLT). In this dead state, “their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him” (Ephesians 4:17–18, NLT). Jesus said, “Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going” (John 12:35). Unbelievers wander about in the darkness until their eyes are opened “so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people” (Acts 26:18, NLT).
God’s people are made alive as children of light (1 Thessalonians 5:4–5). They avoid unfruitful works of darkness because they have been rescued “from the dominion of darkness and brought” into the kingdom of Christ’s light (Colossians 1:13).
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). The unsaved person walks in darkness, performing unfruitful works of darkness, while the child of God puts on the armor of light and works toward complete holiness as Jesus directed: “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:14–16, NLT).
Paul told the Ephesians to expose the unfruitful works of darkness. He may have been speaking about the sins of fellow members of Christ’s body. Jesus taught believers to hold one another accountable for how they live and to work to restore those who get entangled in sin (Matthew 18:15–20; Luke 17:3; see also Galatians 6:1; Psalm 141:5; Hebrews 12:13; James 5:19–20; 1 Thessalonians 5:14).
But Paul may also have been referring to exposing the sins of disobedient non-believers. Jesus stated, “All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants” (John 3:20–21, NLT). We expose unfruitful works of darkness by shining the light of God’s truth into a dark world. The apostle John explained, “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:5–7).
Darkness cannot remain in the light of God’s truth. Whether we expose unfruitful works of darkness in the church or shine light into a lost and dying world, we are fulfilling our mission on earth—transforming darkness into light as those living in darkness become people of the light (Isaiah 42:6–7; John 12:46; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:19).
The apostle Paul instructed workers to “obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free” (Ephesians 6:5–8, ESV).
This passage is part of an extensive teaching in Ephesians 5—6 in which Paul laid out guidelines for maintaining harmony in our close life relationships. He addressed husbands and wives (Ephesians 5:22–33), children and parents (Ephesians 6:1–4), and servants and masters (Ephesians 6:5–9). The final section applies not just to the responsibilities between slaves and masters but also between employees and their bosses.
Paul taught an interplay of mutual, reciprocal submission—of obedience and Christlike love and care—between believers in each of these relationships. In every interaction, Christians are to relate to one another as though serving the Lord. Paul used a curious expression when he wrote to workers. He told them not to act “by way of eye-service.” A worker who performs by way of eye-service appears to fulfill his duties actively, but only when the boss is present and watching.
“Eye-service” is operating only to please the eye of a human master. It means doing our work to please people only when their eyes are on us. The Bible teaches us to serve and obey our supervisors in everything we do, and always, not just when they are watching. Our sincere motivation comes from deep respect and reverence for the Lord and a desire to please Him rather than people. The New Living Translation renders Paul’s advice like so: “As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do” (Ephesians 6:6–8, NLT).
In a similar instruction, Paul wrote, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord” (Colossians 3:22, NLT).
An essential aspect of the Christian life is always trying “to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10, ESV). We stop living to please ourselves, and, like Paul, we quit “trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant” (Galatians 1:10, NLT). As a minister of God’s grace, entrusted with the gospel, Paul did not concern himself with human opinions, advice, or approval (Galatians 1:15–16; 1 Thessalonians 2:4). He only sought praise from God.
Whether we serve in ministry, work in a church, or labor for a secular company, we must see our workplace as God’s appointed mission field. Merely performing eye-service to please humans is only doing just enough to pass muster on the job. But if we have genuinely experienced “a change of heart produced by the Spirit,” then, as Paul explained, “a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people” (Romans 2:29, NLT).
Believers are called to go deeper. As followers of Christ, God wants our total heart commitment in which we present our bodies “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). A Christian with the right attitude and work ethic, who doesn’t just give “eye-service” but seeks to please the Lord at all times, will shine bright as a model employee for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 6:20; 10:31; Philippians 1:20).
When Paul compares the armor of God with military gear, each piece represents a part of God’s strength that He extends to us when we become His children. The breastplate of righteousness refers to the righteousness purchased for us by Jesus at the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). At salvation, a “breastplate” is issued to each repentant sinner. It is specially designed by God to protect our heart and soul from evil and deception. Our own righteous acts are no match for Satan’s attacks (Isaiah 64:6). The breastplate of righteousness has Christ’s name stamped on it, as though He said, “Your righteousness isn’t sufficient to protect you. Wear mine.”
We are instructed to “put on” this armor, which implies that we do not automatically wear it all the time. Putting on the armor of God requires a decision on our part. To put on the breastplate of righteousness, we must first have the belt of truth firmly in place. Without truth, our righteousness will be based upon our own attempts to impress God. This leads to legalism or self-condemnation (Romans 8:1). We choose instead to acknowledge that, apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). We see ourselves as “in Christ” and that, regardless of our failures, His righteousness has been credited to our account.
We “put it on” by seeking God and His righteousness above everything else (Matthew 6:33). We make Him and His ways our dwelling place (Psalm 91:1). We delight in His commands and desire for His ways to become our ways (Psalm 37:4; 119:24, 111; Isaiah 61:10). When God reveals an area of change to us, we obey and allow Him to work in us. At the point where we say “no” to God, we open a little crack in the armor where Satan’s arrows can get through (Ephesians 6:16).
As we wear Christ’s breastplate of righteousness, we begin to develop a purity of heart that translates into actions. Wearing this breastplate creates a lifestyle of putting into practice what we believe in our hearts. As our lives become conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), our choices become more righteous, and these godly choices also protect us from further temptation and deception (Proverbs 8:20; Psalm 23:3).
When armor is abused or worn incorrectly, it can malfunction. Likewise, there are several factors that can interfere with the effectiveness of our spiritual breastplate. Carelessness (1 Peter 5:8), unbelief (Hebrews 3:12), abusing grace (Romans 6:1–2), or disobedience (1 John 3:4; Hebrews 4:6) can hinder our ability to stand firm and defeat the enemy in our lives. When we tolerate sin, refuse to forgive (2 Corinthians 2:10–11), rely on personal righteousness (Titus 3:5), or allow earthly concerns to crowd out time for an intimate relationship with God, we, in effect, take off the breastplate of righteousness, minimizing its power to protect us.
We need our breastplate of righteousness in place in order to gain the victory specified in 2 Corinthians 10:5: “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” When we quickly reject heretical ideas, idolatry, and the “counsel of the ungodly” (Psalm 1:1) and instead “keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), we keep our breastplate securely fastened.
Jesus is described as the author and perfecter, or finisher, of our faith in Hebrews 12:2. An author is an originator or creator, as of a theory or plan. The Greek word translated “author” in Hebrews 12:2 can also mean “captain,” “chief leader” or “prince.” Acts 3:15 uses the same word: “And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses” (KJV), while the NIV and ESV use the word “author” instead of “prince.” From this we can deduce that Christ is the originator of our faith in that He begins it, as well as the captain and prince or our faith. This indicates that Jesus controls our faith, steers it as a captain steers a ship, and presides over it and cares for it as a monarch presides over and cares for his people.
The Greek word translated “perfecter” in Hebrews 12:2 appears only this one time in the New Testament. It means literally “completer” or “finisher” and speaks of bringing something to its conclusion. Putting the two words together, we see that Jesus, as God, both creates and sustains our faith. We know that saving faith is a gift from God, not something we come up with on our own (Ephesians 2:8-9), and that gift comes from Christ, its creator. He is also the sustainer of our faith, meaning that true saving faith cannot be lost, taken away or given away. This is a source of great comfort to believers, especially in times of doubt and spiritual struggles. Christ has created our faith and He will watch over it, care for it, and sustain it.
It is important for us to understand that God in Christ is not only the creator and sustainer of our saving faith, but He is also the sustainer of our daily walk and the finisher of our spiritual journey. For if God in Christ is not the author of our new life, and if Christ is not the finisher and perfecter of our faith through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling power, then we are neither born again nor are we a true follower of Christ. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 1:13-14).
One of the foundational truths of the Bible
is that God is the Creator of all that is.
One of the many passages to proclaim God as Creator is Isaiah 40:28,
“Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.”
All three Persons of the Trinity were involved in the
creation of the universe
(Genesis 1:2; Acts 17:24; Hebrews 1:2).
A creator is one who makes something new. People can “create” art projects, musical compositions, and physical structures; however, they always have something to work with. They begin with preexisting matter and form it in new ways. Even music and other intellectual creations have rhythms, rhymes, notes, instruments, and artistic mediums that provide structure and offer possibilities. What is commonly called “creativity” is more akin to synthesis. God had no such raw materials to work with. When we say that God is the Creator, we mean that He is truly creative, in a category all by Himself, because He started with nothing (Colossians 1:16).
Genesis 1:1 says that “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” That means that, before Genesis 1:1, there existed no heavens and no earth. God spoke them into being (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9). “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11; cf. Revelation 10:6). He is God. He is not limited by our understanding, nor by time, space, or matter. As the Creator, God is the all-wise originator and designer of all things: “How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all” (Psalm 104:24).
When God created the heavens and the earth, He did so by speaking it into existence. When He created the things that filled the earth and the sky, He spoke them into being (Genesis 1:11–16). But when He created human beings, He did something different. He took some dust of the ground that He had already made and formed a man. Then He breathed His own life into that man, and “man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). When He created the first woman, Eve, He also used that which He had already made. He caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and took a rib
from his side and formed a woman
(Genesis 2:21).
God is the Designer and Craftsman of everything in the universe, and He created human beings a step above all the rest. By breathing His own life into that man, He created the man and woman “in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). That means that human beings are more like God than any other created thing. We have an eternal spirit, just as God has. We can reason, choose good or evil, and love. We have emotions, intellect, and the power and desire to create things ourselves. God desires to have fellowship with us (Genesis 3:8–9; Jeremiah 29:12). He does not seek fellowship with dogs, dolphins, or trees—only humans. And when He came to earth to save us, He came in the form of a man (Philippians 2:5–8; Luke 1:35).
When we say that God is the Creator, we mean that no one created Him and that God alone is THE Creator. Satan cannot create; he can only pervert what God creates. People cannot truly create, because we must start with something that has already been created. Everything originated from God (Jeremiah 10:16; James 1:17; Revelation 10:6). Because He created everything, everything is His (Exodus 19:5; Psalm 50:12). As human beings, we are also His, and He has the right to rule over us. He gives us freedom to choose Him or reject Him, but consequences come with either choice. The wise person bows before the Creator and willingly submits himself or herself to the only One who truly knows how we are made (Psalm 78:39; 103:14; Romans 9:20).
Psalm 19:1 states, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” This is one of the clearest biblical statements that nature itself is meant to show the greatness of God. These words are in the present tense. That is, the heavens “are declaring,” and the sky “is proclaiming” the creative work of God. It’s a continual display. What we see in nature is meant to constantly show us that God exists and tell us how amazing a Creator He truly is.
The more we know about the world around us, the more glory we give to God. The more we discover, the more evidence we have that He is the One responsible for nature and its laws. A person needs the Bible and personal faith in Christ in order to have a proper relationship with God.
Hannah’s prayer is a remarkable passage of Scripture containing a song of praise with prophetic and messianic significance. Found in 1 Samuel 2:1–10, Hannah’s prayer eloquently celebrates the holiness and sovereignty of God and affirms the central tenets of Israel’s faith. Not only is Hannah’s prayer a testimony of God’s handiwork in her own life, but it is also a foreshadowing of His actions in the lives of the prophet Samuel, King David, and the nation of Israel.
Hannah, like several prominent women in the Bible, was barren and unable to conceive a child for a long time after marrying. In ancient Israel, children were considered a clear sign of God’s blessing (see Psalm 127:3). Infertility brought severe disgrace to a woman because in those days it meant she could not fulfill her God-given purpose of producing offspring for her family. Adding to Hannah’s misfortune was her family situation: her husband Elkanah had a second wife, Peninnah, who had given him many children. The rival wife mocked Hannah cruelly (1 Samuel 1:6–7). For years Hannah poured out her soul’s desire to the Lord in prayer, promising Him that, if she had a son, she would give the child back to God.
One day at the tabernacle in Shiloh, the high priest Eli overheard Hannah’s heartbroken petition and assured her that her prayer would be answered. True to the promise, Hannah gave birth to a son and named him Samuel. When the boy was old enough, she brought him to live with Eli to serve in the tabernacle of the Lord. After leaving behind her miracle child to be trained in the priesthood, Hannah prayed an extraordinary, poetic prayer under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Similar to many biblical prayers, Hannah’s prayer begins with praise for a specific act of God and then branches out into a more universal praise of God’s attributes and actions.
In 1 Samuel 2:1–2, Hannah’s prayer begins on a high note with personal expressions of pure joy and enthusiastic delight in the Lord and His salvation: “My heart rejoices in the LORD;
in the LORD my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.
‘There is no one holy like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.’”
Hannah’s barrenness had caused her humiliation and shame, but God has delivered her from all that. Notice that Hannah’s rejoicing is in the Lord, not in Samuel; in other words, she praises the Giver as more important than the gift. “My horn is lifted up” is an expression that refers to the renewal of strength. Hannah declares that her strength, her worth, her dignity, and her rightful place as a fruitful wife have been restored. She has been delivered from her shame. Hannah acknowledges God’s greatness, uniqueness, steadfastness, and holiness.
In verses 3–5, Hannah’s prayer takes on a more public dimension, allowing others to consider her words and join in. Hannah cautions those who boast and exalt themselves because God knows their thoughts and sees their actions. He judges in all matters, including military action, overindulgence, poverty, starvation, and infertility:
“Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.
The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.”
Verses 6–10 contain some of the most poetic and linguistically beautiful portions of Hannah’s prayer. Here we encounter a long list of contrasting actions that the Lord takes in dealing with humans:
“The Lord brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.
The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.
For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
on them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
It is not by strength that one prevails;
those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
In all things, the Lord is sovereign.
Exaltation, social position, and even
life and death
are under God’s control.
God’s actions are not random. As Judge over the whole earth, God brings the worst actions against those who oppose Him, while His faithful ones receive the blessings of protection, strength, and exaltation.
Mary’s song in Luke 1:46–55 draws close thematic parallels to Hannah’s prayer. Both women adopt the role of motherhood to align with the purposes of God, and both praise God for aiding His people in their desperate plight.
The final sentence of Hannah’s prayer is remarkable for several reasons:
“The LORD will judge the
ends of the earth;
he will
give strength to his king
and exalt
the horn of his anointed”
(1 Samuel 2:10, ESV).
When Hannah prayed this, Israel had no king; she lived in the
time of the judges,
so her prayer is prophetic,
looking forward
to the time
when a king
would rule the nation.
Also, Hannah’s reference to
God’s “anointed” is a
clear
messianic prophecy.
The prediction that God
would “exalt the horn”—increase the
strength--of the anointed king
was fulfilled,
in part, in the reigns of David and Solomon.
But the
ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah,
would be
honored above all kings.
“Whoever acknowledges me before others,
I will also
acknowledge
before my Father in heaven.
Proverbs 3:6
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Your word
is a lamp to guide my feet and a
light
for my path
“Enter through the
narrow gate.
For wide is the gate and broad is the
road that leads
to destruction, and many enter through it.
But small is the gate
and narrow the road that leads to life,
and
only a few find it.”
Confession of sin is the admission of what we did and the agreement with God that our actions or words were wrong. In a court of law, a person who confesses to a crime is agreeing that he or she did in fact violate a societal standard. When we confess our sins, we are admitting that we violated God’s law. We admit that we chose to do, say, or think something opposed to God’s will, and we stand guilty before Him.
Related to confession is repentance. Whereas confession involves admitting what we did was wrong, repentance involves a desire to change course. We not only acknowledge our sin but take steps to overcome and forsake it. Confession without repentance is only words. Most people will confess to a sin when caught red-handed, but they may have no intention of changing. Their show of remorse is due to the consequences of their actions, not the sin of the actions. John the Baptist preached repentance in preparing the way for the Messiah: “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). In other words, John counselled his hearers to not merely confess their sins but demonstrate by their actions that they had truly repented of them.
The Bible presents two avenues for the confession of sins. First, we are to confess our sins to God. First John 1:9 says that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Second, we are to confess our sins to other believers. James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” When we have wronged someone, it is appropriate to confess our wrongdoing to that person and seek forgiveness.
Several factors can hinder or prevent our confession of sins. One is pride. We don’t like to admit we were wrong. Pride rushes in to justify, explain, or blame-shift instead of confessing and being forgiven (Proverbs 16:18). God resists a prideful person (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Confession of sin does little good when it is coerced or insincere because it is not true agreement with God but a temporary effort to appease a guilty conscience or pacify someone else.
Another factor that hinders the confession of sin is ignorance. In our modern age, people are growing more biblically illiterate, and hearts are growing cold toward the things of God. The neglect of Scripture means that many, including professing Christians, are woefully ignorant of God’s moral standards. Some indulge their sinful desires with little remorse, preferring to remain in the dark rather than have to confess and forsake their sin. Their attitude is “ignorance is bliss,” and they may even resist learning more about God’s Word for fear it will make them feel guilty about their lifestyles. God holds us accountable for all He has entrusted to us, so ignorance is no excuse for not confessing our sin to God and being forgiven.
When we confess our sins to someone we have wronged, that confession should be accompanied by an appeal for forgiveness. While we cannot force someone to forgive us, we should always make that option available to them so that they can live free of bitterness toward us. The Bible is filled with commands to forgive each other (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13; Matthew 6:14). Jesus even gave us a step-by-step tutorial in confession and restoration within the church (Matthew 18:15–17). There are other times when our sin was not against a specific person, but we can confess it anyway to Christian brothers and sisters as a way of becoming accountable for change (James 5:16).
An old adage says, “Confession is good for the soul.” This is true. God wants us to live with a clear conscience and a pure heart (Matthew 5:8; Psalm 24:4). This is only possible when we regularly confess and forsake our sins, keeping the model of Jesus ever before us (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1). He never had to confess His sins because He never committed any (Hebrews 4:15). But no one else can truthfully say that, so we need to learn how to confess our sins regularly both to God and to other people so that we can live free of guilt and shame (Colossians 2:14).
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,
neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample
them under their feet.
And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Genesis 1:30
[8] And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.
To be spiritually dead is to be separated from God. When Adam sinned in Genesis 3:6, he ushered in death for all humanity. God’s command to Adam and Eve was that they could not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It came with the warning that disobedience would result in death: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” The phrase “you shall surely die” could be literally translated “dying you shall die.” This signifies a continuous state of death that began with spiritual death, continues throughout life as a gradual degradation of the body, and culminates in physical death. The immediate spiritual death resulted in Adam’s separation from God. His act of hiding from God (Genesis 3:8) demonstrates this separation, as does his attempt to shift blame for the sin to the woman (Genesis 3:12).
Unfortunately, this spiritual – and eventual physical – death was not confined to Adam and Eve. As the representative of the human race, Adam carried all of humanity into his sin. Paul makes this clear in Romans 5:12, telling us that sin and death entered the world and spread to all men through Adam’s sin. Additionally, Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death; sinners must die, because sin separates us from God. Any separation from the Source of Life is, naturally, death for us.
But it is not just inherited sin that causes spiritual death; our own sinfulness contributes. Ephesians 2 teaches that, before salvation, we are “dead” in trespasses and sins (verse 1). This must speak of spiritual death, because we were still “alive” physically before salvation. While we were in that spiritually “dead” condition, God saved us (verse 5; see also Romans 5:8). Colossians 2:13 reiterates this truth: “And you, who were dead in your trespasses . . . God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”
Since we are dead in sin, we are completely unable to trust God or His Word. Jesus repeatedly claims that we are powerless without Him (John 15:5) and that we cannot come to Him without God’s enabling (John 6:44). Paul teaches in Romans 8 that our natural minds cannot submit to God, nor please Him (verses 7-8). In our fallen state, we are incapable of even understanding the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:14).
The act of God whereby He makes us alive from spiritual death is called regeneration. Regeneration is accomplished only by the Holy Spirit, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When we are regenerated, we are made alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:5) and renewed by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). It is like being born a second time, as Jesus taught Nicodemus in John 3:3, 7. Having been made alive by God, we will never truly die – we have eternal life. Jesus said often that to believe in Him is to have eternal life (John 3:16, 36; 17:3).
Sin leads to death. The only way to escape that death is to come to Jesus through faith, drawn by the Holy Spirit. Faith in Christ leads to spiritual life, and ultimately to eternal life.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Created in God’s Image by Anthony Hoekema
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. [18] As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also
sent them into the world.
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they
also might be
sanctified through the truth.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and
ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that
seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Matthew 10:39; 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it:
and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
39 Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things” (ESV). The Greek for “unsearchable riches” is translated “boundless riches” in the NIV.
The Greek word translated “unsearchable” describes something that cannot be fully comprehended or explored. In other words, there is no limit to the riches of Christ; they are past finding out. Try as we might, we can never plumb the depths of Christ’s worth. Paul delineates some of these riches in Ephesians 1:7–14: redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, the knowledge of the mystery of His will, the message of truth, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, and the guarantee of our inheritance. These are spiritual riches with eternal benefits, and we cannot fully comprehend them.
Jesus taught two short parables that emphasize the value of eternal life and the kingdom of God: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:44–46). Like a hidden treasure or a pearl of great price, admission to the kingdom is of incalculable worth—and it is Jesus Christ who grants the admission. The unsearchable riches of Christ are on display in every believer’s heart.
The unsearchable riches of Christ cannot be fully traced out. “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9), so the riches of Christ include all that God is. The unsearchable riches of Christ are the Glory of God, the Truth of God, the Wisdom of God, the Life of God, and the Love of God. In Christ, God “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). In Christ are hidden “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). In Christ, God “has given us everything we need for a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3).
In Ephesians 3:8 Paul refers to himself as “less than the least of all the Lord’s people.” This humble statement is then contrasted with “the boundless riches of Christ.” Paul describes himself as the lowest of believers while lifting Jesus up as the greatest of all. Every believer, in like humility, acknowledges the all-surpassing goodness and grace of God: “The LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (Psalm 84:11).
Christ’s riches that He makes available to us are not material but spiritual. The unsearchable riches of Christ provide salvation to everyone who believes (John 3:16; Romans 1:16). We may be the worst of sinners, yet Jesus can forgive us and transform our lives (Romans 12:1–2). It is the gift that truly keeps on giving, as we are changed, by God’s Spirit, into “loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled” people (Galatians 5:22–23, CEV).
King Solomon was a man of great riches and wisdom, and his fame spread throughout the known world. Dignitaries from other countries came to hear his wisdom and see his lavish display of wealth (1 Kings 10:24). Scripture says that Solomon had no equal in the earth at that time: “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth” (verse 23). Yet, for all that, Solomon’s riches were not unsearchable. They could be quantified; the gold bars could be counted, and he had no inexhaustible supply of silver. Besides that, Solomon’s riches were only the temporal treasures of this world. Jesus is “greater than Solomon” (Luke 11:31). The treasures of Christ are inexhaustible, they are unsearchable, and they are forever.
Philippians 1:21 says, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” In order to understand Paul’s words, we must first look at the context.
The book of Philippians is a letter from the apostle Paul to the church in Philippi. In the epistle, Paul encourages the church, gives them advice, prescribes the life Christians should lead, and more. At the beginning of chapter 1, Paul opens with greetings to the church, letting them know how much he yearns for them (Philippians 1:1–8). He then goes on to speak of his current imprisonment in Rome and attempts to put the minds of the church members at ease (verses 12–14). Paul knows his suffering is happening for a reason, and that reason is to further the message of Christ: “What has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel” (verse 12).
In Philippians 1:19–20, we see the contextual setup for Paul’s “to die is gain” statement. Up to this time, Paul had already suffered much in his missionary journeys. He was beaten, stoned, hated and derided, shipwrecked, and now imprisoned. But Paul found joy in his afflictions, because they had strengthened his faith exponentially and allowed him to serve as a strong witness for Christ. Preaching and living out the Word of God was Paul’s highest goal, and these events had provided him with ample opportunities for evangelism. He literally presented his body “as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1) for God’s kingdom. Because he had faithfully run the race set before him (Hebrews 12:1), he knew God would be honored through both his life and his death (Philippians 1:19–20).
This brings us to Paul’s statement, “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). As Christians, our whole lives are to bring glory to God, and Paul had the assurance that, even in his suffering, he was accomplishing that goal (“to live is Christ”). But, as we see in the second part of the verse, Paul knew that his death would bring glory to God as well—and not only that, but it would also be the time when his faith would come to fruition and he would live with his Savior forever (“to die is gain”). Paul longed for the day when death would bring him face to face with Jesus (verse 23.)
All Christians feel the pull of heaven and yearn for an eternity with Christ. Heaven will be far better than our earthly life, for we will be present with our Savior in a place devoid of sin, sickness, and death (2 Corinthians 5:8). What we lose in life we will gain in heaven. Before that time comes, our purpose on Earth is to live as a light of hope in the darkness of sin and death (Matthew 5:16). We live a life of sacrifice so we may be assured, as Paul was, that even our death will glorify Christ Jesus.
Bible Story of the Prodigal Son
The parable of the prodigal son is one of the greatest redemption stories ever told - a story filled with mercy and grace. It is a parable of how God views us and how we can choose to repent and turn to God or reject him. You will learn of a father and two sons in this Bible story. While the older son stayed home and worked hard for his father, the younger son ran away with his inheritance and spend it on foolish things.
Finding himself alone, working like a slave for food, and living with pigs, the younger son returns home begging to work for his father. The father welcomes home his son with open arms and great compassion. The oldest son becomes very angry with his brother for coming back home and his father for accepting him home.
The fruit of repentance toward God is,
among other things, a change of attitude
toward Him and His law (Romans 8:7)
It represents quenching one's enmity toward Him,
as well as turning from disobedient to
His Word to obedient.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet.
Jesus had just finished explaining to the disciples the meaning of the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, and these two short parables are a continuance of His discussion of the “kingdom of heaven.” He expressed truths about the kingdom in three pairs of parables in Matthew 13: the seed and the sower (vv. 3-23) and the weeds in the field (vv. 24-30); the mustard seed (vv. 31-32) and the leaven (v. 33); and the hidden treasure (v. 44) and the pearl of great price (vv. 45-46).
The similarities of these two short parables make it clear they teach the same lesson—the kingdom of heaven is of inestimable value. Both parables involve a man who sold all he had to possess the kingdom. The treasure and the pearl represent Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers. And while we cannot pay for salvation by selling all our worldly goods, once we have found the prize, we are willing to give up everything to possess it. But what is attained in exchange is so much more valuable that it is comparable to trading an ounce of trash for a ton of diamonds (Philippians 3:7-9).
In both parables, the treasures are hidden, indicating that spiritual truth is missed by many and cannot be found by intelligence or power or worldly wisdom. Matthew 13:11-17 and 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 14 make it clear that the mysteries of the kingdom are hidden from some who are unable to hear, see, and comprehend these truths. The disobedient reap the natural consequences of their unbelief—spiritual blindness. Those whose eyes are opened by the Spirit do discern spiritual truth, and they, like the men in the parable, understand its great value.
Notice that the merchant stopped seeking pearls when he found the pearl of great price. Eternal life, the incorruptible inheritance, and the love of God through Christ constitute the pearl which, once found, makes further searching unnecessary. Christ fulfills our greatest needs, satisfies our longings, makes us whole and clean before God, calms and quiets our hearts, and gives us hope for the future. The “great price,” of course, is that which was paid by Christ for our redemption. He emptied Himself of His glory, came to earth in the form of a lowly man and shed His precious blood on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1–2). In his letter to the Ephesian church, Paul writes of the great gift God has given them through His Son (2 Corinthians 9:15). Because of Jesus, they are not merely bad people made good, but dead people made alive.
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), they brought both physical and spiritual death into God’s perfect world (Romans 5:12; 6:23). The moment they transgressed God’s law, “their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). For the first time, mankind tasted rebellion and was awakened to the difference between good and evil. They had experienced no evil, no shame, and no guilt until that moment. But, with one forbidden bite, their souls and bodies began to die. God Himself made the sacrifice required to atone for that sin (Genesis 3:21) and established the principle that only through the death of a perfect substitute could the sinner live. This began the unfolding of God’s ultimate redemption plan by which He would make the ultimate sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2; John 3:16–18).
Before we surrender to the Holy Spirit’s urging, our spirits are dead to the things of God (Romans 8:8). We have no good within ourselves and no desire to submit to our Creator. We are dead spiritually and have no way to make ourselves alive. Just as a corpse cannot do anything to help himself, so we cannot save ourselves or make a move to cleanse our sins. We cannot even produce the desire to obey God. We were dead because of our sin. Dead people need a life-giver. John 1:4 says of Jesus, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
The life Jesus gives is not merely eternal life in heaven (John 3:36; 14:2; Titus 3:7) but spiritual life on earth that empowers us to live out the purpose for which He created us. Our dead spirits can be compared to a deflated balloon inside our souls. We are scarcely aware of its presence as we live for ourselves, under the command of sin (2 Peter 2:19; Romans 6:16). When we respond to the Holy Spirit’s calling (John 6:44), we repent of our sin and exercise faith in the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 12:3). God forgives our sin, crediting us with the righteousness of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21), and sends the Holy Spirit to live inside us. The Greek word for “spirit” is pneuma, which means “breath” or “wind.” At the moment of conversion, the breath of God fills that deflated balloon, and our dead spirits come alive. This new spiritual life goes to work, transforming us from lifeless, sin-filled corpses to vibrant, living children of God (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:5; John 1:12).
Every human being in the world exists in one of two categories: spiritually dead or spiritually alive. Religion cannot make a dead man live. Good works, effort, and tradition may look like life to other dead people, but they have no spiritual power to transform from the inside out. Jesus Christ paid the highest price to redeem us from the clutches of Satan. Sin destroys; surrender brings life. We were all dead in our trespasses and sins, but we can be made alive through the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Peter 1:2; Ephesians 2:13).
Confessing Christ
31So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. 33But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.…Berean Standard Bible · Download
Cross References
Luke 12:8
I tell you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God.
Luke 15:10
In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God's angels over one sinner who repents."
Romans 10:9
that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Revelation 3:5
Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
Treasury of Scripture
Whoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
confess me.
Psalm 119:46
I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
Luke 12:8,9
Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: …
John 9:22
These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
him.
Matthew 25:34
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
1 Samuel 2:30
Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
Revelation 3:5
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
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Matthew 10
1. Jesus sends out his apostles, enabling them with power to do miracles;
5. giving them their charge, teaches them;
16. comforts them against persecutions;
40. and promises a blessing to those who receive them.
Love One Another11 For vthis is the message that you have heard from the beginning, wthat we should love one another. 12 We should not be like xCain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? yBecause his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers,3 zthat the world hates you. 14 We know that awe have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 bEveryone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that cno murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, that dhe laid down his life for us, and ewe ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But fif anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet gcloses his heart against him, hhow does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not ilove in word or talk but in deed and jin truth.
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, kif our heart does not condemn us, lwe have confidence before God; 22 and mwhatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and ndo what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, othat we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and plove one another, qjust as he has commanded us. 24 rWhoever keeps his commandments abides in God,4 and God5 in him. And sby this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
Test the Spirits4 Beloved, tdo not believe every spirit, but utest the spirits to see whether they are from God, for vmany wfalse prophets xhave gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: yevery spirit that confesses that zJesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit athat does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and bnow is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for che who is in you is greater than dhe who is in the world. 5 eThey are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and fthe world listens to them. 6 We are from God. gWhoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know hthe Spirit of truth and ithe spirit of error.
God Is Love7 Beloved, jlet us love one another, for love is from God, and kwhoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 lAnyone who does not love does not know God, because mGod is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that nGod sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, onot that we have loved God nbut that he loved us and sent his Son to be pthe propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 qNo one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and rhis love is perfected in us.
13 sBy this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And twe have seen and testify that uthe Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of vthe world. 15 wWhoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So xwe have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. yGod is love, and zwhoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this ais love perfected with us, so that bwe may have confidence for the day of judgment, because cas he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but dperfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not abeen perfected in love. 19 eWe love because he first loved us. 20 fIf anyone says, “I love God,” and ghates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot1 love God hwhom he has not seen. 21 And ithis commandment we have from him: jwhoever loves God must also love his brother.
Overcoming the World
Everyone who believes that lJesus is the Christ has been born of God, and meveryone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 nBy this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For othis is the love of God, that we pkeep his commandments. And qhis commandments are not burdensome. 4 For reveryone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that
has overcome the world--
Who is it that overcomes the world except the one
who believes that
Jesus is the Son of God?
Testimony Concerning the Son of God6 This is he who came uby water and blood--Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And vthe Spirit is the one who testifies, because wthe Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 xIf we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God ythat he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God zhas the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God ahas made him a liar, bbecause he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us ceternal life, and dthis life is in his Son. 12 eWhoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
That You May Know13 I write fthese things to you who gbelieve in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is hthe confidence that we have toward him, that iif we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and jGod1 will give him life--
to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. kThere is sin that leads to death; lI do not say that one should pray for that. 17 mAll wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
18 We know that neveryone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but ohe who was born of God pprotects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
19 We know that we are from God, and qthe whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and rhas given us understanding, so that we may know shim who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and teternal life. 21 Little children, ukeep yourselves from idols.
Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. ”
Matthew 10
1. Jesus sends out his apostles, enabling them with power to do miracles;
5. giving them their charge, teaches them;
16. comforts them against persecutions;
40. and promises a blessing to those who receive them.
Matthew 7:21-23
I Never Knew You21 “Not everyone who says to Me,
‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them,
‘I never knew you; depart from Me,
you who practice
lawlessness!’
Do Not Judge7 “Judge[a] not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what [b]judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
The Narrow Way13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 [c]Because narrow is the gate and [d]difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
You Will Know Them by Their Fruits15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
I Never Knew You 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them,
‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness!’
Build on the Rock
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the
rain descended, the floods came,
and the winds blew and beat on that house;
and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew
and beat on that house;
and it fell. And great was
its fall.”
And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings,
that the people were astonished at His teaching,
for He taught them as
one
having authority, and not as the scribes.
Success in the Christian life requires keeping the mindset not of a short-distance sprinter but of a marathon runner, especially in challenging times. Strength, stamina, and patient endurance are needed to go the distance as a follower of Jesus Christ. James is focused on this topic when he encourages fellow believers to “establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand”
(James 5:8, ESV).
The word for “establish” in the original language
means
“to strengthen, to confirm, to make more
marked by
firm determination or resolution.”
An established heart is ready for anything in the face of suffering. “Stand firm. Let nothing move you,” declares the apostle Paul to the Corinthians, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Enduring until the end is the Christian’s goal because the precious prize of salvation and eternity with the Lord awaits us (Matthew 10:22; Acts 20:24; Hebrews 10:36; 2 Timothy 2:12).
In the meantime, we must endure hardship
and heartache with patient endurance,
standing firm until Jesus Christ returns
(Acts 14:22; Romans 15:4; 1 Timothy 4:16).
“Establish your hearts” is James’ way of saying, “Determine with your whole heart to pursue a lifestyle of persistent devotion as you serve the Lord.” One motivation James offers for showing such firmness of purpose is the closeness of Christ’s return. Paul gives a similar incentive to the believers in Thessalonica: “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:12–13, ESV). We are to live with eager expectation of Christ’s second coming, knowing He could return at any minute (1 Corinthians 1:7; Philippians 3:20).
James illustrates what it means to establish your hearts by presenting the example of farmers “who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen” (James 5:7, NLT). A farmer must remain patient for a healthy crop to arrive. As he waits, he has no control over the weather. Instead, he must entrust his valuable crop into the Lord’s hands. In the same way, we establish our hearts by determining not to “become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
Like the good soil in the parable of the sower, we establish our hearts when we “hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest” (Luke 8:15, NLT). The farmer works hard, year-round, waiting to reap the harvest (Luke 12:43). It doesn’t happen overnight but takes months of nurturing. Our spiritual harvest is the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s slow and steady work in our lives (Galatians 5:22–23). Earlier, James urged his brothers and sisters in Christ, “When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2–4, NLT).
We establish our hearts by keeping our eyes on the prize no matter what we face in life (Luke 9:62; Philippians 3:13–14; 1 Corinthians 9:24; 1 Timothy 6:11). We stay put and stand fast, even when we want to run. Like the psalmist, we say, “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16:8).
James’ appeal to “establish your hearts” resonates in Paul’s letter to the Romans: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:3–5, NLT). An established heart is filled with a strength of character and confident hope in God’s steadfast, ever-present love. It is “rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17, ESV). It is a heart convinced that nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (see Romans 8:38–39, NLT). No matter what we must endure, God’s love will establish our hearts and carry us home to heaven.
Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV):
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
After Jesus explained to His disciples what would take place at the end of the age, during the tribulation, and at His second coming, He gives several illustrations of what the end of the age and His coming will be like. In one of those illustrations, Jesus says that the coming of the Son of Man will be “as it was in the days of Noah” (Matthew 24:37).
Before Jesus compares His coming to the days of Noah, He illustrates His coming with a parable of the fig tree. By observing the growth of the fig tree one can determine that summer is near (Matthew 24:32). In the same way, by observing the signs (the things Jesus mentioned in the earlier part of the chapter), one can recognize that His coming is near (Matthew 24:33). The generation of people who are alive when these things begin to happen will see them completed (Matthew 24:34), as they will happen swiftly. And, while Jesus’ words are totally reliable (Matthew 24:35), He said at that time that no one knows exactly when the events will take place except for His Father (Matthew 24:36).
Against the backdrop of the fig tree illustration, Jesus says that the coming of the Son of Man will be “as the days of Noah were” (Matthew 24:37, NKJV). This is an important statement for several reasons. First, Jesus identifies Himself as the “Son of Man,” the one in Daniel 7:13–14 who is given an eternal kingdom. With that identification Jesus is claiming to be the rightful King over all. When the King—the Son of Man—comes, it will be as in the days of Noah. In those days, the people were going about their lives, eating, drinking, and marrying, until the flood came swiftly (Matthew 24:38). They were ignorant about what was coming until it came upon them and took them away (Matthew 24:39). In the same way, when Christ returns to earth as the Son of Man—the King—He will bring judgment with Him. Even though the signs of
His coming
will be obvious to anyone
who is paying attention,
apparently few will be
looking
It is worth noting that, while there are some similarities between the event Jesus describes in Matthew 24 and the event we call the “rapture” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17), these are two different events. The events of Matthew 24 result in Christ coming to earth with people being taken in judgment, while the rapture event has Christ only coming to the clouds and taking up people to be in heaven. The rapture event takes place before the tribulation period described in Matthew 24 (as the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4 precedes the day of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5), and the coming of Jesus in Matthew 24 occurs after the tribulation period (Matthew 24:29–31).
Even though Jesus’ coming would not be during the lifetime of the people He was addressing in Matthew 24, He prepares them for what would take place so they would be on the alert because of the certainty of the events and the uncertainty (from their perspective) of the timing (Matthew 24:42). Jesus provides His listeners an outline of the future so they will know that God’s plans will come to fruition and that He has given His disciples a stewardship with which to be faithful. We also need a sense of urgency. Even if these prophesied events don’t begin to happen in our lifetime, we have only a limited time to use for Him. We should strive to make the most of the time He has given us (Ephesians 5:16). The coming of the Son of Man will be as it was in the days of Noah.