Jesus told

us to

ask for daily bread

from God.


Daily.


Not weekly, monthly, or even a few days at a time. We are to look to God to provide for our needs on a day to day basis. Tomorrow, as Jesus points out elsewhere, has enough troubles of its own.

​This mentality of praying for, and expecting, daily provision helps to fight both greed and the fear of lack. In the desert as the Israelites were wandering, God provided manna every single day.

They even got a double portion on Fridays to cover Saturday as well, so they could relax on Shabbat. Is it conceivable that God could have abandoned them to starve in the desert? No! But we read about their lack of faith as they complained and then idolatry started to kick in. Idolatry is a result of fear of lack.

We try to get our needs met outside of God’s provision and it comes from a lack of trust, and rebellion against God.

Jesus fed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. But did you know God had done this before about 900 years beforehand?

In the story with Elisha, God miraculously provided for 100 people using just 20 loaves

(read 2 Kings 4:42-44)


God can provide, no matter how dire the situation might seem.

There are many stories of miracles of provision happening now, in our days. In Psalm 23 when we’re reminded that the Lord is our shepherd, we read about being cared for, sat down on grassy places and fed, and our cup running over.

This is who our Father is.

Similarly, in the patterns God lays out for temple worship there are grain offerings that need to be brought morning by morning (Ezekiel 46:14) as well as showbread that must be presented. Is God hungry?

Or is there a principle here? We need fresh manna daily, fresh bread. Jesus tells us we can expect our Father God to provide for us day by day. 

In 2 Samuel 6,


King David joyfully

dances

​
"with all his might"


before the

Ark of the Covenant

​as it is

brought into Jerusalem.


Wearing a simple linen

priestly garment

rather than royal robes,


David's

uninhibited worship reflects

deep devotion

and humility before God




The Procession



David gathered

30,000


of Israel's best men

to transport the


Ark,


which symbolized


God's presence,


from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem.



The Musical Worship Dance

Overcome with excitement and relief after a previously failed, tragic attempt to move the Ark, David stripped off his kingly garments to dance, leap, and twirl in the streets alongside shouting crowds and trumpet blasts.
​


The Sacrifice


Every six paces, the procession stopped

so David and the Levites

could offer

animal sacrifices to the Lord. 


After Passover Crossing Jordan,

sacrificing two turtledoves

(newlywed pigeon forge)


was a provision in the Mosaic Law

for the poor who could


not afford to

sacrifice a sheep or a lamb



One bird served as a burnt offering

(total dedication to God),


and the other as a sin offering

(atonement for purification)



“For, lo, the winter is past,


the

rain is over and gone


The flowers appear on

the earth;


the

time of the

singing of birds is come,

and the voice of

the turtle

is heard in our land



The fig tree


putteth forth her green figs,

and the vines with

the tender grape give

a good smell.”




Song of Songs


is read

during the Passover festival

to symbolize the spiritual


"romance" and covenant


betrothal between


God and Israel

that


began with the Exodus



The connection between Passover

and

Song of Songs goes deeper

than just

the season of spring: 





Spiritual Allegory


The Rabbinic tradition interprets the love poem of Song of Songs not just literally, but allegorically. The male lover represents God, and the female beloved represents Israel. Their love story mirrors the events of the Exodus, the parting of the Red Sea, and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.



Seasonal Timing

Historically, Passover is a spring festival celebrating rebirth and renewal. Song of Songs is famously filled with springtime imagery ("See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone"), making it a natural liturgical pairing.



Liturgical Practice:

In Jewish tradition, the reading of the Song of Songs is traditionally recited on the Shabbat of the intermediate days of Passover, or on the seventh day of the holiday. 



Types and Shadows:

Christians view Passover as a "type" or shadow of Christ, with Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb.



The Bride of Christ:

While the Song of Songs was originally written about human marriage, Christians often read it as an illustration of God's love for His people, or Christ's love for the Church


(which is called the Bride of Christ).




Shavuot is a joyous

biblical

festival marking the


wheat harvest


and

the giving of


the Torah at Mount Sinai.



Often called the


"Season of the Giving of our Torah,"



it shares deep

historical and theological

connections with the


Feast of Tabernacles

(Sukkot)


and the poetic book

of the


Song of Songs


The spiritual, scriptural, and traditional


ties that bind

these

elements together include:






The Wedding Imagery


(God & Israel)



Shavuot

Traditionally viewed in Judaism as the spiritual "wedding day" between God (the groom) and the Jewish people (the bride) at Mount Sinai, where the Torah served as the marriage contract.
​



Song of Songs


 Written by King Solomon, this book is an allegorical love song depicting the passionate, eternal romance between God and His people Israel. 



"Song of Songs"



The Springtime Reading

 Because of its spring setting and romantic themes of spiritual renewal, the Song of Songs (also known as the Song of Solomon) is traditionally chanted in the synagogue during the morning service of Shavuot.




Milk and Honey

The custom of eating dairy on Shavuot is famously rooted in the verses of the Song of Songs, specifically: "Honey and milk are under your tongue" (Song of Songs 4:11). 



 Feast of Tabernacles

Sukkot




The Three Pilgrimage Festivals

 In the ancient agricultural calendar, Shavuot (the Firstfruits of wheat) and the Feast of Tabernacles (the final Ingathering of fruits) were two of the three major festivals requiring a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.




The Extended Covenant

Rabbinic tradition draws a beautiful connection between the two: the Cloud of Glory that hovered over the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings (celebrated at Tabernacles) descended to rest upon Mount Sinai when God gave the Ten Commandments (celebrated at Shavuot). 




Psalms 113—118

are

known as the


Hallel Psalms


Hallel


(Hallel means “praise”)


While many psalms praise God, this set of psalms became associated with Passover due the mention of the deliverance from Egypt in Psalm 114. The focus on the exodus is the reason these psalms are also sometimes referred to as the Egyptian Hallel. These psalms were recited at Jewish feasts, especially Passover. Depending upon which tradition was being followed, one or two of the psalms were recited before the meal, and the rest after.



Hallel Psalms:


Psalm 113 is a short psalm of praise without reference to any historical context. Verse 3 may be the best known from this psalm: “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!” (ESV).

Psalm 114 is also a short psalm that poetically relates the Hebrews’ deliverance from Egypt: “The sea looked and fled. . . . The mountains skipped like rams. . . . [the Lord] turns the rock into a pool of water” (verses 3–4, 8).

Psalm 115 is slightly longer and contrasts those who trust in the Lord with those who trust in the idols of the surrounding nations. “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them” (verses 4–8, ESV).

Psalm 116 is written from the perspective of an individual who has been delivered from a dire situation. “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live” (verses 1–2, ESV).

Psalm 117 is both the shortest psalm and the shortest “chapter” in the Bible, with only 2 verses (although psalms are not technically chapters). This is the whole psalm: “Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” (ESV).

Psalm 118 is the longest of the Hallel Psalms. It admonishes both the nation and the individual to praise the Lord and expresses confidence that the Lord will save those who call on Him. It begins and ends with the well-known exhortation, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (ESV). Also well-known is verse 14: “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (ESV).

Taken as a group, the Hallel Psalms focus on deliverance, both nationally and individually. It is quite possible that, when Jesus finished the Last Supper and He and His disciples sang a hymn (Mark 14:26), the hymn that they sang was this group of Hallel Psalms. At the Last Supper, Jesus took the Passover meal and infused it with new meaning. The salvation that He promised was not deliverance from physical danger or human bondage but salvation from spiritual bondage and the grave danger of the penalty of sin.

In the conclusion to the great chapter on salvation, Paul in Romans 8:31 asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” This may be an allusion to one of the Hallel Psalms: “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 118:6).

The Hallel Psalms were a fitting passage to be included in Passover celebrations and fitting for today’s New Covenant believer to celebrate salvation from the power and the penalty of sin.



David took the stronghold


of Zion,


which is now the

city of David


(2 Sam 5; Pentecost 7B)



In our own time,



Jerusalem


has been the focal point

for


bitterly-contested claims

about land


On a high point in the city, the sacred Jewish site of Mount Zion, on a base which formed the foundation for the Temple built two millennia ago, sits the gleaming gold dome of a Muslim holy building. It has been contested territory for decades, ever since the modern state of Israel was established. Today, both Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims claim Jerusalem as the capital city of their contested territory.

Jerusalem has significance in Jewish tradition as the place where Abraham was said to have been tested by a command to sacrifice his son, Isaac (Gen 22), where David based his kingdom over a united Judah and Israel (2 Sam 5), where Solomon built a temple to the Lord God (1 Ki 3:1; 8:1–9:25), and where the returning exiles came to focus their rebuilding of religion and society after their years in Babylon (Ezra 1—3; Neh 7—8).

The more highly conservative of Jews today anticipate that, when the Messiah comes, he will oversee the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem also has significance in Islam, as the last place visited by the Prophet Mohammed before he ascended into the heavens (Quran 17:1), as well as being a key place in the events to take place at the end of the world. The city is called Al-Quds, meaning “the noble, sacred place”. It is reported that Mohammed instructed faithful people to make pilgrimages to three places: Mecca, Medinah, and Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock, with its golden-topped mosque, is a stunning reminder of the importance of the city to Muslims.

The history-like narratives that form the books in the extended series of Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, 1–2 Samuel, and 1–2 Kings tell the story, mythologised and valorised, of the development of Israel from its early days. These narratives most likely originated as oral stories, told and retold over the years, coming into written form many centuries after they were first told. We have access to these stories only through the written compilation that we have in Hebrew Scripture, most likely finalised in the time leading up to or during the exiles of the people of Israel and Judah from the 7th and 6th centuries BCE.

The lectionary selection this Sunday (2 Sam 5:1–10) tells of the taking of Jerusalem by the army of King David, soon after the elders of Israel had anointed him as king (2 Sam 5:3). His rule, we are told, would last for another 33 years; coming after the seven years that he had already ruled Judah, this would make for forty years as king (2 Sam 5:4-5).


And in these biblical narratives, “forty years” is the way of describing “a long, long time”.

The dominance of David over his kingdom is signalled in this claim.


In our own time, Jerusalem has been the focal point for bitterly-contested claims about land. On a high point in the city, the sacred Jewish site of Mount Zion, on a base which formed the foundation for the Temple built two millennia ago, sits the gleaming gold dome of a Muslim holy building. It has been contested territory for decades, ever since the modern state of Israel was established. Today, both Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims claim Jerusalem as the capital city of their contested territory.

Jerusalem has significance in Jewish tradition as the place where Abraham was said to have been tested by a command to sacrifice his son, Isaac (Gen 22), where David based his kingdom over a united Judah and Israel (2 Sam 5), where Solomon built a temple to the Lord God (1 Ki 3:1; 8:1–9:25), and where the returning exiles came to focus their rebuilding of religion and society after their years in Babylon (Ezra 1—3; Neh 7—8). The more highly conservative of Jews today anticipate that, when the Messiah comes, he will oversee the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem also has significance in Islam, as the last place visited by the Prophet Mohammed before he ascended into the heavens (Quran 17:1), as well as being a key place in the events to take place at the end of the world. The city is called Al-Quds, meaning “the noble, sacred place”. It is reported that Mohammed instructed faithful people to make pilgrimages to three places: Mecca, Medinah, and Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock, with its golden-topped mosque, is a stunning reminder of the importance of the city to Muslims.

And Jerusalem has gained central significance in Christianity because it was the place where Jesus was arrested, tried, crucified, and buried (Mark 14—15 and parallels); where, in some traditions, his earliest disciples laid claim to having seen him alive (Luke 24:33–53; John 20:19–29); and where, according to Luke’s orderly narrative, the first gathering of “apostles and elders” made decisions about “what God had done … among the Gentiles” (Acts 15:6–29).

So the passage for this coming Sunday (2 Sam 5:1–10) touches on a deeply symbolic element of the story, not only of ancient Israelite religion and modern Judaism, but also of contemporary Christian and Muslim sensitivities about Jerusalem.


The history-like narratives that form the books in the extended series of Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, 1–2 Samuel, and 1–2 Kings tell the story, mythologised and valorised, of the development of Israel from its early days.

These narratives most likely originated as oral stories, told and retold over the years, coming into written form many centuries after they were first told. We have access to these stories only through the written compilation that we have in Hebrew Scripture, most likely finalised in the time leading up to or during the exiles of the people of Israel and Judah from the 7th and 6th centuries BCE.

The lectionary selection this Sunday (2 Sam 5:1–10) tells of the taking of Jerusalem by the army of King David, soon after the elders of Israel had anointed him as king (2 Sam 5:3). His rule, we are told, would last for another 33 years; coming after the seven years that he had already ruled Judah, this would make for forty years as king (2 Sam 5:4-5). And in these biblical narratives, “forty years” is the way of describing “a long, long time”. The dominance of David over his kingdom is signalled in this claim.

In listening to this passage, we need to remember that we are not dealing with a precise and accurate historical account of David’s taking control of the city of Jerusalem; not that such an objective factual account could ever exist, for all “history” is told from a specific perspective, and other perspectives on the same events are equally possible and valid. So this is an account from a later time, told to explain and justify the place that Jerusalem has held amongst “the house of David”, the people of Israel.

The city forms a stronghold for David, as he consolidates his power. This is but one in a number of battles that David engaged in, beginning with his his centre-stage role in the ongoing war against the Philistines, when he slew the giant Goliath (1 Sam 17). David held power through years of wrangling with Saul, before his dominance was secured. His earlier years as ruler of the united kingdom continued to be unsettled. The narrator cites a song that was later sung about these two kings, as their troops battled each other, as well as mutual enemies: “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Sam 21:11).

After fighting the Philistines, Saul has 85 priests of Nob slaughtered (22:1–19); David leads his men in “raids on the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites … leaving neither man nor woman alive” (27:8–11). He did battle once again with the Philistines (29:1–11); the narrator then provides a list of the many towns “where David and his men had roamed” (30:27–31). Presumably in those places they had murdered and pillaged as well.

2 Sam 8–12 lists ongoing battles in which David features: attacking the Philistines yet again (8:1), then the Moabites (8:2), the Syrians under Hadadezer of Zobah (8:3–8), the Edomites (8:13–14), the Ammonites (10:14) and the Arameans (10:15–19), and then the Ammonites once again (12:26–31). The conquest of Jerusalem from the Jebusites that features in the passage we read this coming Sunday (2 Sam 5:1–10) is but one of many armed conflicts that David leads.

It is ironic that the name of the city, Jerusalem, most likely means “city of peace”; the word combines two Semitic roots, yry, meaning “foundation”, and shlm, meaning “peace”. The name signifies that the city provides the foundation for peace. Yet the city was (and sadly, today, continues to be) anything but a city of peace. Even in his day, David used the site as a means to his own political ends; he takes the city from its Jebusite inhabitants and builds a foundation where God’s holiness could be reinforced and celebrated.

​



You have made them to

be a


kingdom and priests

to

serve our God





Yeshua


is the Hebrew name,

and its

English spelling is


“Joshua.”



Iesous is the


Greek transliteration of

the Hebrew name,

 Jesus.




Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) 


translates to


"salvation" or "Yahweh is salvation"


stemming

from the root word yasha,

meaning to


rescue, deliver, or save. 





Biblical Roots


Yeshua

is a shortened, contracted form of the older

biblical name


Yehoshua (Joshua).

When the Hebrew scriptures were translated to Greek,

the name became Iēsous.

This was later transliterated into English as "Jesus".


The name is found in the Old Testament

(e.g., in Ezra and Nehemiah),


where it refers to several individuals, including


​
Joshua


the High Priest



​Thus, the names “Joshua” and “Jesus” are essentially the same; both are English pronunciations of the Hebrew and Greek names for our Lord. (For examples of how the two names are interchangeable, see Acts 7:45 and Hebrews 4:8 in the KJV. In both cases, the word Jesus refers to the Old Testament character Joshua.)

Changing the language of a word does not affect the meaning of the word. We call a bound and covered set of pages a “book.” In German, it becomes a buch. In Spanish, it is a libro; in French, a livre. The language changes, but the object itself does not. As Shakespeare said, “That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet” (Romeo and Juliet, II:i). In the same way, we can refer to Jesus as “Jesus,” “Yeshua,” or “YehSou” (Cantonese) without changing His nature. In any language, His name means “The Lord Is Salvation.”

As for the controversy over the letter J, it is much ado about nothing. It is true that the languages in which the Bible was written had no letter J. But that doesn’t mean the Bible never refers to “Jerusalem” or “Judah.” And it doesn’t mean we cannot use the spelling “Jesus.” If a person speaks and reads English, it is acceptable for him to spell things in an English fashion. Spellings can change even within a language: Americans write “Savior,” while the British write “Saviour.” The addition of a u (or its subtraction, depending on your point of view) has nothing to do with whom we’re talking about. Jesus is the Savior, and He is the Saviour. Jesus and Yeshuah and Iesus are all referring to the same Person.

The Bible nowhere commands us to only speak or write His name in Hebrew or Greek. It never even hints at such an idea. Rather, when the message of the gospel was being proclaimed on the Day of Pentecost, the apostles spoke in the languages of the “Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene” (Acts 2:9–10). In the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was made known to every language group in a way they could readily understand. Spelling did not matter.

We refer to Him as “Jesus” because, as English-speaking people, we know of Him through English translations of the Greek New Testament. Scripture does not value one language over another, and it gives no indication that we must resort to Hebrew when addressing the Lord. The command is to “call on the name of the Lord,” with the promise that we “shall be saved” (Acts 2:21; Joel 2:32). Whether we call on Him in English, Korean, Hindi, or Hebrew, the result is the same: the Lord is salvation.
​
The Jebusites had long been the inhabitants of the city named in scripture as Jerusalem. This people appear with regularity in the list of peoples who were “the inhabitants of the land” that was initially, so the story goes, promised to Abraham and his descendants: “to your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites” (Gen 15:18–21).

In the book of Exodus, the Lord God declares of the Israelites in Egypt, “I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites” (Exod 3:7–8; see also 3:17; 13:5; 23:23; 33:2; 34:11).

Numbers 32 then purports to give a detailed account, in advance, of the various kingdoms and their cities that will be conquered and divided up amongst the twelve tribes of Israel, as they capture them, dispossess the people (see v.39), and rename the towns and villages. The command to “dispossess” the people of their land runs through Moses’s long speech that is reported in Deuteronomy (see Deut 7:17; 9:1–3; 11:1–3; 12:29; 31:3).

The instructions are clear: “You must demolish completely all the places where the nations whom you are about to dispossess served their gods, on the mountain heights, on the hills, and under every leafy tree. Break down their altars, smash their pillars, burn their sacred poles with fire, and hew down the idols of their gods, and thus blot out their name from their places. You shall not worship the Lord your God in such ways.” (Deut 12:2–4).
Before this speech, as they stand on the threshold of the land of Canaan, the people were hesitant about entering; it was reported, “the people [in Canaan] are stronger and taller than we; the cities are large and fortified up to heaven” (Deut 1:28). The Lord God chastens them and insists they press ahead to enter the land, where they will find “a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant” (Deut 6:10–11). For will give this all to them.

The book of Joshua then recounts the forceful invasion of the tribes of Israel into the land of Canaan, when list of the peoples whom “the living God who without fail will drive out from before you” includes “the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites” (3:10; see also 12:8; 24:11). The violence perpetrated in this invasion and conquest is made clear by incident after incident in this book and then in the following book of Judges. It was a violent time indeed.

The Jebusites are amongst the peoples identified in the genealogical lists of Genesis as the descendants of Canaan (Gen 10:15–18); in Numbers, we learn that “the Amalekites live in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea, and along the Jordan”

(Num 13:29).

At one point in the narrative relating to Joshua, the Israelites engaged in battle with the king of Jerusalem and four other kings (Josh 10:1–5); they were put to death (Josh 10:23–27) and the boundary if the land of the people of Judah was said to have gone “up by the valley of the son of Hinnom at the southern slope of the Jebusites (that is, Jerusalem)” (Josh 5:8). However, the account of the towns of Judah concludes with the note that “the people of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so the Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this day” (Josh 15:63).

Then, when the book of Judges was compiled, a similar note was included to the effect that “the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country … [but] the Benjaminites did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived in Jerusalem among the Benjaminites to this day” (Judg 1:19, 21).
As an explanation as to how “the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, forgetting the Lord their God, and worshiping the Baals and the Asherahs” (Judg 3:7), the author of this narrative explains that “the Israelites lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and they took their daughters as wives for themselves, and their own daughters they gave to their sons; and they worshiped their gods” (Judg 3:5–6).

So when David comes to the city, the narrative preserved in the scriptures of the Israelites clearly records that he led his army into the city to take “the stronghold of Zion” and to proclaim that it “is now the city of David” (2 Sam 5:7). Hebrew Scripture makes it abundantly clear that the Israelites took over control of this remaining Canaanite settlement by force, just as earlier generations of Israelites had invaded and conquered the people of the wider territory of Canaan, and then waged war against the Philistines.

The narrative had earlier reported that the youthful David, after he had fought and killed the Philistine giant, Goliath, had taken Goliath’s head in triumph into Jerusalem (1 Sam 17:54). However, at this point the narrative had not recorded the transfer of power in Jerusalem from the Jebusites to the Israelites. So this claim is a somewhat anachronistic note, most likely influenced by the understanding that Jerusalem would become the central location of importance for David’s kingdom. (It would be like an Australian talking about going to Canberra in the late 19th century, years before the city was established in 1913.)

In this Sunday’s passage, as David’s Israelite troops approach the city, a curious declaration is made by the local inhabitants, the Jebusites, that any people marked by the imperfection of impurities—the blind, the lame—will be barred from it (v.8). An article on the Jebusites in the Jewish Encyclopedia refers to “a midrash quoted by Rashi on II Sam. v. 6” which explained that “the Jebusites had in their city two figures—one of a blind person, representing Isaac, and one of a lame person, representing Jacob—and these figures had in their mouths the words of the covenant made between Abraham and the Jebusites.” If that was the case, then the Jebusites were presumably trusting in these idols to ensure the security of their city against the Israelite invaders.

Another view is summarised by Daniel Gavron in his article on “History of Jerusalem: Myth and Reality of King David’s Jerusalem”, in the Jewish Virtual Library. Gavron notes that the eminent Israeli scholar Yigael Yadin had proposed that the people with disabilities were actually to be used as the “first line of defence” against David and his troops.

Yadin draws on the connection between the Jebusites and the ancient Hittite kingdom, noting that there is evidence that soldiers in that kingdom were required to swear an oath of loyalty to the king; should they fail in that loyalty, they would become lame or blind or deaf. So the threat posed by the blind or the lame was to be met by the soldiers of David by their attacking the city—they were used as taunts by David to provoke his men 
It is worth noting, perhaps, that the blind and the lame form part of a large cluster of unclean people who were prohibited from bring offerings to the holy God in the Temple (Lev 21:16–18). They are also those whom, according to Jeremiah, the Lord God will come to gather exiles “from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labour, together; a great company, they shall return here”

(namely, to Jerusalem; Jer 31:8).

Then, of course, they are amongst those who attest to the way that the power of God is at work in Jesus: “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them” (Matt 11:5; Luke 7:22). Blind and lame came to Jesus by the Sea of Galilee (Matt 15:30–31) and in the Temple in Jerusalem (Matt 21:14); and Jesus instructs his followers, “when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” (Luke 14:13; also 14:21). They form part of the signs of the kingdom of God which is breaking into the world through Jesus.
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Exodus 19:6
And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Isaiah 61:6
But you will be called the priests of the LORD; they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will feed on the wealth of nations, and you will boast in their riches.

2 Timothy 2:12
if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;

Daniel 7:27
Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Revelation 1:6
who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Matthew 19:28
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Romans 5:17
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

Psalm 110:1-2
A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” / The LORD extends Your mighty scepter from Zion: “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”

Luke 22:29-30
And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father has bestowed one on Me, / so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

1 Corinthians 6:2
Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?

Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

Zechariah 14:9
On that day the LORD will become King over all the earth—the LORD alone, and His name alone.

Psalm 45:16
Your sons will succeed your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land.

Revelation 1:6
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Revelation 22:5
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
we.

Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Daniel 7:18,27
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever…

​



The Lamb Takes the Scroll


1Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One seated on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”

3But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look inside it. 4And I began to weep bitterly, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.

5Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven spiritsa of God sent out into all the earth. 7And He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne.

8When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.




And they sang

anew song:


“Worthy are You to

take the

scroll and open its seals,


because You were slain,

and by

Your blood You purchased for God

those from every

tribe and tongue and people and nation.


You have made them to be a kingdom

and

priests to serve our God,

and they

will reign upon the earth.”




The Lamb Exalted



Then I looked,

and I heard the voices of many angels

encircling the throne,

and the

living creatures and the elders.


And their number

was

myriads of myriads

and

thousands of thousands.

In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and riches

and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and blessing!”




And I heard every creature in heaven

and on earth

and

under the earth and in the sea,

and all

that is in them, saying:



“To Him who sits on the throne

and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power

forever and ever!”



And the four living creatures said,


“Amen,”

and the elders fell down and worshiped.





 the sevenfold Spirit

they will reign over; they reign upon


 Him who lives for ever and ever.
​


Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down every principality and authority and power:


Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
​



Zechariah 4:11-14


Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?” He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”


Then the end will come, when

he hands over

the

kingdom to God the Father

after he has


destroyed all dominion, authority and power.


He hands over the kingdom to God the Father



Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”

Luke 22:29-30
And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father has bestowed one on Me, / so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Daniel 7:13-14
In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. / And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.


after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power


Ephesians 1:21
far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Colossians 2:15
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

1 Peter 3:22
who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.

Daniel 7:14
And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Ephesians 1:20-22
which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, / far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. / And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,

Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, / that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, / and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Matthew 28:18
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

Psalm 110:1
A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

Hebrews 1:13
Yet to which of the angels did God ever say: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”?

Revelation 20:4-6
Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. / The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection. / Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Daniel 12:4,9,13
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased…

Matthew 10:22
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 13:39,40
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels…

Isaiah 9:7
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Daniel 7:14,27
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed…

Matthew 11:27
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
​



Why does Christ give God the kingdom? 


What is the significance of


Christ

handing over the kingdom

to God


in 1 Corinthians 15:24?



“Then the end will come, when

He hands over

the

kingdom to God the Father


after He has destroyed

all

dominion, authority, and power.”


(1 Corinthians 15:24)


Paul’s entire chapter centers on the bodily resurrection of Christ and, by extension, the guaranteed resurrection of believers (vv. 1-23). Verses 24-28 form the climactic eschatological sequence: (1) Christ reigns; (2) He subdues every enemy, death last; (3) He presents the kingdom to the Father; (4) God is “all in all.” The handing-over phrase cannot be isolated from this narrative of victory over death and the consummation of God’s redemptive plan.

Scripture employs “kingdom” (Heb. malkût; Gk. basileia) to describe God’s comprehensive rule (Psalm 103:19) and the Messiah’s delegated, mediatorial reign (Daniel 7:13-14). In the present age Christ possesses “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). Yet the kingdom also has a consummate stage when rebellion is fully eliminated (“already/not-yet” tension). Paul is describing that future consummation.

At His ascension Christ was enthroned (Acts 2:33-36; Psalm 110:1). He now reigns “until He has put all His enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25). This reign is mediatorial—exercised on behalf of, and in submission to, the Father’s redemptive purpose. Once every enemy is subdued, the mediatorial role has achieved its goal; the Son returns the kingdom to the Father so that the eternal, unmediated sovereignty of God becomes visibly absolute.

The verb denotes deliberate, authoritative transfer. It does not connote abdication or loss but successful completion of an assigned mission. The same term is used of stewardship transfers (cf. Luke 4:6). Christ fulfills the Father’s commission (John 17:4), then formally presents the reconciled creation back to its Source.


1. Second Coming and resurrection of believers (vv. 22-23).

2. Active reign destroying “all dominion, authority, and power” (v. 24; cf. Colossians 2:15).

3. Final annihilation of death (v. 26; cf. Revelation 20:14).

4. Formal presentation of the kingdom to the Father (v. 24).

5. God “all in all” (v. 28), ushering in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21–22).


• Psalm 110:1—Messiah seated until enemies subdued.


• Daniel 7:13-14, 27—Son of Man receives kingdom, then “the sovereignty, power, and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints.” Paul’s wording echoes Daniel’s sequence.


• Psalm 8:6—“You made him ruler over the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet,” applied to Christ in Hebrews 2:6-9.




Trinitarian Dynamics:

Equality of Essence, Order of Operations


Handing over the kingdom is functional, not ontological. Father, Son, and Spirit share the same divine essence (John 10:30; Acts 5:3-4). Yet within redemption the Son willingly subjects Himself (Philippians 2:5-11). Paul immediately safeguards unity: “When it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him” (1 Corinthians 15:27). The action displays perfect intra-Trinitarian harmony, not hierarchy of value.



Relation to Defeat of Death

Death is “the last enemy to be destroyed” (v. 26). Christ’s resurrection guarantees its demise (vv. 20-23). The transfer of the kingdom signals the moment death is gone forever, proving the efficacy of the cross and resurrection. Without bodily resurrection this handover is impossible, so Paul’s argument for resurrection climaxes here.


• Matthew 13:41-43—Son of Man removes evil, “then the righteous will shine…,” paralleling Paul’s order.

• Hebrews 1:13; 2:8—Everything subjected under Christ, with an acknowledged “not yet” completion.

• Revelation 11:15; 22:3—Kingdom becomes “the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ,” yet “the throne of God and of the Lamb” is singular, affirming unified reign post-handover.


Assurance—Our future is tethered to Christ’s completed triumph.

Purpose—Living “to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:12)

anticipates the day God is “all in all.”

Hope in Suffering—Present afflictions are eclipsed by the promised consummation

(2 Corinthians 4:17).

Evangelism—The handover marks a closing door of grace; therefore, “now is the day of salvation”

(2 Corinthians 6:2).


Christ’s ultimate surrender of the kingdom models humble stewardship. Believers, likewise, “present” their lives to God (Romans 12:1). Kingdom work now—justice, mercy, proclamation—participates in the coming consummation, knowing our labor “is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Christ handing over the kingdom seals the cosmic restoration initiated at Calvary, validates the resurrection as history’s hinge, and ushers creation into the unhindered, eternal glory of the triune God.

he Olivet Discourse is the name given to the orderly and extended teaching given by Jesus Christ on the Mount of Olives. His subject is the end times. This discourse is recorded in Matthew 24:1 – 25:46. Parallel passages are found in Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:5-36. The record in Matthew is the most extensive, so reference here will be to Matthew’s Gospel.

It is important to recognize that Jesus’ teaching in this discourse is in reference to Israel and not the Church. Christ was speaking of God’s future program for Israel. Other passages to consider when studying the Olivet Discourse are Daniel 9:24-27 and Revelation 6:1–19:21, which refer to the future seven-year period called the tribulation. God’s program for the Church concludes with the rapture, which is not taught in the Olivet Discourse. The rapture of the Church is found in John 14:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

In Matthew 23, Jesus had spoken to the Pharisees concerning judgment. This can be seen in the "woe" statements in that chapter. In 24:1, Jesus was leaving the temple when the disciples called His attention to the magnificent buildings on the temple mount. Jesus then tells the disciples that “not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (verse 2). This prophecy was literally fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. The temple was burned. The gold in the temple melted in the fire and ran down into the cracks between the stones. As people later searched for the gold, they toppled every stone from its place. This destruction of Jerusalem was but a foreshadowing of what is yet to come.

Jesus’ prophecy of doom got the disciples curious, and probably more than a little concerned. When they were alone with Jesus on the Mount of Olives, they asked Him, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3, NLT). What follows in Matthew 24–25 refers to the future, seven-year tribulation period and the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation. During that time, God will complete His chastisement and purification of Israel and judge the whole world (Daniel 9:24-27; Revelation 6–19).

Daniel 9:27 indicates that the tribulation will be divided into two equal parts. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24:4-8 refers to the first half. The “birth pangs” (verse 8) refer to the sufferings that Israel will experience during the first 3 1/2 years. The signs with reference to the end of the age are the coming of false messiahs (verse 5), the threat of wars and widespread conflict (verses 6-7), and various natural catastrophes (verse 7).

Revelation 6 is a parallel passage. The apostle John writes of the seal judgments. Revelation 6:2 speaks of a rider on a white horse, which refers to a false messiah called elsewhere the Antichrist and the Beast. Revelation 6:4 says that peace is taken from the earth. Revelation 6:6-8 speaks of famine and death. Jesus said these things are only the “beginning of birth pangs” (Matthew 24:8). Worse is yet to come.

In Revelation 13, the second half of the tribulation begins when the Beast, or Antichrist, sets up his rule for 42 months (cf. Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15).

In the Olivet Discourse, the second half of the tribulation is described in Matthew 24:9-14. Persecution of the Jews and death (verse 9) will be the result of the Beast’s rise to power. The Antichrist will also persecute anyone who refuses to follow him (Revelation 13:1-18). The salvation promised in Matthew 24:13 is deliverance from the Beast’s persecution. The one who endures until Christ returns will be saved from the Beast. Jesus says that “this gospel of the kingdom” will be preached worldwide before the end comes. In other words, the good news (gospel) will be available during the tribulation; the message will be that Christ will soon return in judgment to set up His earthly kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6). This message will cause many people to realize their sinful state and receive the Savior during the tribulation.

Matthew 24:15-26 gives further details concerning the tribulation. Jesus refers to an “abomination” and desolation of a future temple in Matthew 24:15-22; this is more clearly spoken of in Luke 21:20-24. The Beast will take authority and set up an image of himself in the future temple (Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4; Revelation 13:1-18). When this happens, Jesus says, head for the hills. Those in Jerusalem are advised to flee for their lives when they see that the Beast has taken his seat of authority (Matthew 24:16-20). The Antichrist will rule from Jerusalem for 42 months (3 1/2 years), the latter half of the tribulation, called the “great tribulation” in verse 21.

Jesus warns that the great tribulation will be the worst time ever seen on earth (verse 21). In fact, if those days were not cut short by the return of Christ, no one would survive (compare the bowl judgments in Revelation 16).

Jesus again gives a warning of false prophets in the last days (Matthew 24:23-28). At the end of the tribulation, there will be astronomical upheaval (verse 29), and the nations of the world will see the Christ “coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory” (verses 29-30). Those who were saved during the tribulation will be gathered out of the world by the angels (verse 31).

Jesus emphasizes the facts that there will be signs leading up to the day of judgment (Matthew 24:32-34) and that His Word is sure (verse 35). Jesus says that no one knows the timing of these events and that those upon whom judgment is coming will be caught unawares (verses 36-44).

Jesus ends the Olivet Discourse with four parables. The first one concerns a wicked servant whose master punishes him upon his return home (Matthew 24:45-51). The next, the Parable of the Ten Virgins, encourages readiness and watchfulness (25:1-13). The third parable, relating the story of three servants and their use (or misuse) of finances, teaches faithfulness in view of the fact that God’s servants must give an account of themselves one day (25:14-30). Jesus ends His discourse by telling the Parable of the Sheep and Goats, which pictures the dividing of the saved from the unsaved at the end of the tribulation before the commencement of Christ’s millennial reign (25:31-46).

Within days of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus was betrayed into the hands of unbelievers and crucified for sinners. The Holy One of God will one day return in glory to judge the world, but first He had to provide the way of salvation for all who would trust in Him.

While there were many different cultures throughout the world in Bible times, the Bible itself mostly follows God’s chosen people, the Israelites, through the coming of the Messiah. Therefore, this article will focus on Jewish marriage customs.

Marriages in Bible times were not made for love, per se, but for the mutual benefit of both families involved. Jewish marriages were usually arranged by the fathers of the bride and groom and would begin with a betrothal, or engagement. The bride’s and groom’s feelings on the marriage were not usually taken into consideration, and it was possible that the bride and groom had never met before the betrothal. Betrothals could even be agreed upon when the couple was very young. In these cases, the engagement would stand until the bride and groom were old enough to marry.

Contrary to the practice of many other cultures, in which the bride’s father would pay the groom’s family a dowry, in Jewish culture the groom’s father paid a bride price, or mohar, to the bride’s family in order to negotiate the betrothal and, in essence, “purchase” the bride. The groom would also give a gift to the bride called a mattan, which became a part of the property the bride would bring into the marriage. These gifts were not always monetary; they may have been property or even services provided to the bride’s family. A good father was expected to share the mohar with his daughter or give it over to her entirely.

A Jewish betrothal was an important part of the marriage process and was as binding as marriage itself. Those initiating the betrothal and witnesses to the event would likely sign a marriage contract called a ketubah. Therefore, if one or both parties wished to end the betrothal, they would be required to get a divorce. We see this in the case of Mary and Joseph, who were pledged to be married; when Mary was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit, Joseph considered divorcing Mary quietly to protect her reputation (Matthew 1:18–19). However, after an angel visited Joseph in the night, Joseph decided to continue their betrothal. As a betrothed couple, Mary and Joseph were essentially husband and wife, and they later married (verse 24), although they did not consummate the marriage until after Jesus was born (verse 25).

It was a common custom for the bride to join the groom’s father’s household, rather than the groom and the bride establishing their own household. So, if the bride and groom were of a marriageable age, the groom would return to his father’s house after the betrothal to prepare a bridal chamber. This process traditionally took a year or more (the length of time being dictated by the groom’s father). When the place was complete, the groom would return and fetch his bride. The bride would not know the day or hour of her husband-to-be’s return, so the groom’s arrival was usually announced with a trumpet call and a shout so the bride had some forewarning.

Before the ceremony, which was attended by a select few (most likely family), the bride would take part in a ritual cleansing. After the ceremony, the couple would attend a wedding feast in their honor. It was customary for a wedding feast to include a much larger crowd than the ceremony itself, and it was a great celebration provided by the groom’s family. Jesus Himself attended a wedding feast in Cana, where He performed His first miracle of turning water into wine. At this marriage feast, the groom’s family had run out of wine, which could have damaged their reputation. So Jesus’ mother, Mary, appealed to Him for help on behalf of the family. Jesus responded by turning the water into even better wine than the family had served previously. (For a full account of the wedding at Cana, see John 2:1–12.)

In His time on earth, Jesus often used Jewish marriage customs as a beautiful allegory of God’s relationship with the church, His “bride.” Jesus purchased believers with His blood, shed on the cross for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20; 11:25). He is currently preparing a place for us (John 14:3), and at a future time no one knows (Matthew 24:36) He will return for His bride with a trumpet call and a shout (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). The dead in Christ and those alive in Him will be taken to heaven, where they will be joined forever with the Lord (Revelation 19:7) and take part in the marriage feast of the Lamb (verse 9).

Matthew 1:18 states, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (ESV). Here, Matthew introduces the virgin birth of Jesus and mentions Mary’s betrothal to Joseph. Other translations speak of the betrothal as a pledge to be married (NIV, BSB) or an engagement (NLT, CSB).

A betrothal in Jewish marital customs was a legally binding arrangement between a man and a woman. It was like an engagement but more formal. Betrothal was the first step in marriage, establishing a contractual relationship between families. During the betrothal period, Mary and Joseph were considered “legally married,” but they did not live together or consummate their union. So, when Matthew writes that “Mary had been betrothed to Joseph,” he emphasizes the sanctity and official nature of their relationship.

After Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, she was found to be pregnant supernaturally. According to Jewish law, a betrothed woman who became pregnant would face severe consequences such as public disgrace and, potentially, death: “If there is a betrothed virgin and a man meets her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring them both out to the gates of that city, and you stone them to death with stones” (Deuteronomy 22:23–24, ESV). Matthew’s mention of Mary’s betrothal to Joseph amplifies the tension of the situation. Mary and Joseph were faced with navigating a delicate situation. The betrothal also magnifies the Holy Spirit’s role in Jesus’ birth and the fulfillment of prophecy: “The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14, ESV).

Mary’s betrothal to Joseph also affirms Joseph’s role in God’s plan. As a righteous man (Matthew 1:19), Joseph had a desire to quietly divorce Mary and not make a public spectacle of her. This demonstrates his commitment to the Mosaic Law as well as his desire not to harm Mary. However, an angel appears to him in a dream, revealing God’s plan. Joseph then takes Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:20–24). Their marriage ensures Jesus is born into a stable, God-fearing family.

Mary’s pregnancy landed her in a precarious predicament. However, her willingness to trust God, as evidenced in her response to the angel Gabriel, demonstrates her faith and courage: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38, ESV). God works through ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

Mary’s betrothal to Joseph was significant. God chose a virgin to bear the Savior of the world, and Jesus was truly the Son of God. “My soul magnifies the Lord,” sang Mary, “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:46–47, ESV).

​There are three passages of Scripture that pertain specifically to the time of Joseph and Mary’s betrothal, the consummation of their marriage, and the birth of Jesus: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-56; Luke 2:1-7. Each passage reveals something about their relationship as well as the cultural mores of that time.

In Bible times, Jewish marriage customs regarding a couple’s engagement were far different and much more stringent than those we are familiar with today, especially in the West. Marriages were arranged by the parents of the bride and groom and often without even consulting the couple to be married. A contract was prepared in which the groom’s parents paid a bride price. Such a contract was immediately deemed binding, with the couple considered married even though the actual ceremony and consummation of the marriage would not occur for as long as a year afterwards. The time between was a sort of testing of fidelity with the couple having little, if any, contact with each other.

It was during this betrothal period that the angel Gabriel visited Mary and told her of her impending pregnancy. It’s no small wonder that Mary was so inquisitive of the angel; she was still a virgin and would know no man sexually for several months, maybe as long as a year or more (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:34).

Joseph soon became aware of Mary’s pregnancy, and this no doubt was cause for consternation on his part: “Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:19). Jewish custom allowed that they be considered as husband and wife, though the marriage had not yet been consummated. The point is being made that Joseph and Mary had experienced no sexual contact with each other, as verse 18 “before they came together” points out. So, Joseph was in a quandary. Jewish law provided that his betrothed, because of her unfaithfulness, could be placed before the elders for judgment and stoned to death. But he was thinking to just put her away quietly without public knowledge. Betrothals or marriage engagements in those ancient times were binding and could only be terminated by an official divorce decree.

It was then that the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 1:20-25) and explained to him that all this was bringing about the fulfillment of prophecy that a virgin would bear a child who was to be the Savior (Isaiah 7:14), and “he [Joseph] did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”

Luke 2:1-7 also confirms the idea that Joseph and Mary, though betrothed, were considered as husband and wife by Jewish customs even though the actual marriage ceremony had not been fully effectuated. So, Joseph and Mary were actually legally married before the birth of Jesus though their marriage was not consummated physically until after His birth.
​
The “key of David,” mentioned in Revelation 3:7, is part of Jesus’ message to the church in Philadelphia: “These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”

The speaker, the Lord Jesus, identifies Himself in Revelation 1:17–18, saying, “I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” In Revelation 3:7, He further identifies Himself as the one “who is holy and true.” Only the Lord Jesus Christ can rightly describe Himself in this manner.

Jesus’ mention of the key of David immediately calls attention to the book of Isaiah. In one prophecy, God calls out “Shebna the palace administrator” (Isaiah 22:15) with a warning of judgment: “I will depose you from your office, and you will be ousted from your position” (Isaiah 22:19). God’s replacement for Shebna had already been chosen:

In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. (Isaiah 22:20–22)

For a time, Shebna bore the responsibility for overseeing David’s palace. But God promises that Shebna’s authority would be given to Eliakim (Isaiah 22:21). The symbol of that transfer of authority would be God’s placing “on [Eliakim’s] shoulder the key to the house of David.” As a result, “what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open” (Isaiah 22:22)—the wording is identical to that of Jesus’ message in Revelation 3:7.

Having the key to the king’s house was to have open access to it and control over it. Everything from the gates of the palace to the treasure chambers within fell under the oversight of the holder of the key. He could close up the palace or open it as he pleased, choosing who was admitted and who was barred. David’s royal house was on Mount Zion. In Isaiah’s day, it was the residence of King Hezekiah. To have the “key of David” was the sign of high office. The holder of the key held a position of chief authority in Hezekiah’s royal court.

In the days of Isaiah, Eliakim was God’s choice to hold the key of David, replacing the proud Shebna. Based on Revelation 3:7, we could say that Eliakim was a type of Jesus Christ, God’s ultimate choice to hold the key of David. Eliakim had authority over David’s palace in Jerusalem, but Jesus holds authority over the heavenly city of New Jerusalem. Eliakim was “a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah” (Isaiah 22:21), but Jesus is the “Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6). The government will be laid upon Jesus’ shoulders, and the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) will hold the keys to the kingdom.

The fact that Jesus holds the key of David points to the supremacy of His office. Christ opens the gates of the New Jerusalem to all who overcome (Revelation 21:7), and no one can shut what He has opened. And Christ shuts the gates against “the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars” (Revelation 21:8; cf. Revelation 22:14–15), and no one can open what He has shut. Christ alone has the authority to grant or deny access to the kingdom of heaven.

In His letter to the church in Philadelphia, Jesus encourages His people to continue in doing the Lord’s work. Jesus used His authority to provide them an opportunity for service: “See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut” (Revelation 3:8). When God is using His church for His purposes, no one can stand against it.

The church at Philadelphia was one of seven churches addressed in Revelation 2—3. The others are the churches at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea. Of the seven only Smyrna and Philadelphia are not rebuked for any shortcomings. Philadelphia is commended most strongly, and Jesus says to the church at Philadelphia, “Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut” (Revelation 3:8, ESV).

The opening to Philadelphia’s letter includes an identification of the Author as holy, true, and having the key of David. He is the One who opens and closes when no one else has that authority (Revelation 3:7). This reference is an affirmation of the Messiah’s identity, first spoken of in Isaiah 22:22, and initially referencing the authority of Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who temporarily had that power. The Messiah would possess the authority permanently. The Messiah says to the church of Philadelphia that He knows their deeds, and He has put before them an open door that no one can shut. Jesus explains why He opens that door: they had a little power, they had kept His word, and they had not denied His name. There is no explanation in the context regarding what door Jesus referenced. But there is biblical precedent for understanding what that open door referred to.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, we find Yahweh granting the authority to open doors (for example, in Isaiah 22:22 to Eliakim and in Isaiah 45:1 to Cyrus). By introducing Himself as the One who opens doors in Revelation 3:7, Jesus affirms His authority. He has the authority to provide the church of Philadelphia the opportunities He desires them to have. The specific door may be a chance for unbelievers in Philadelphia to come to the church and acknowledge that God has loved the believers in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:9). Jesus also references keeping the Philadelphians from the coming hour of testing that was coming to the whole world (Revelation 3:10). Each of these statements presents interpretive challenges, but, in any case, it is evident that the Philadelphian believers’ faithfulness resulted in their receiving some special opportunities given from the One who had the authority to bestow those privileges.

In the New Testament, God provided open doors, as well. In Acts 14:27 the churches gather at Antioch to celebrate God’s opened door of faith for the Gentiles. If the Revelation 3:8 context is related to the Antiochene reference, then perhaps the open door granted was for the proclaiming of the Word of God in Philadelphia.

While we cannot say dogmatically what it means when Jesus says, “I have set before you and open door” to the church at Philadelphia, we can have confidence that the One making the statement has the authority to make it, and that it is likely that the believers in Philadelphia understood the open door before them.

The obvious implication for the believers at Philadelphia was to make the most of the opportunity that open door would provide, and we today ought also to be alert to the stewardships and opportunities that God provides us. We should not waste the open doors that Jesus has opened. We should appreciate that they have come from the One who has authority to provide those opportunities. Because the Lord has provided them, they are important. Let’s make the most of them!

The Pool of Siloam, also called the Pool of Shiloah (Isaiah 8:6), has a rich and storied history, which involves an ancient king of Judah, a famous sermon, and one of Christ’s great miracles. The word Siloam means “Sent” (John 9:7). Several rabbinic traditions identified the Pool of Siloam as the Messiah’s Pool. It was the only source of fresh water within the walls of ancient Jerusalem.

The Pool of Siloam was built by King Hezekiah in the 8th century BC (2 Kings 20:20) in order to provide water to Jerusalem, even in the event that the city were besieged. The pool was fed by a tunnel Hezekiah cut through almost 2,000 feet of solid rock from the Gihon Spring, also called the Virgin’s Spring. The spring, which produced a flow of water about twice a day, was located on the east side of Jerusalem, outside of the wall and on a slope leading down to the Kidron Valley. Hezekiah’s Tunnel channeled the water from Gihon to the pool, located in the southeast part of the city in the Tyropoeon Valley. The original Pool of Siloam was about 53 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 19 feet deep and was made of part hewn rock and part masonry.

Jerusalem and the Pool of Siloam were destroyed by the Babylonians about 600 BC. Seventy years later, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, and part of the job was to repair the Pool of Siloam: “[Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah] also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam, by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David” (Nehemiah 3:15).

During the reign of Herod the Great, improvements were made to the Pool of Siloam. The pool itself was enlarged, and a large arcade (a set of arches) was built around the pool. Another arcade divided the pool, probably to create separate areas for men and women. During this time, the poor and sick people would often come to the Pool of Siloam to bathe.

But it is during the time of Christ that the Pool of Siloam finds its true significance. Because the pool was near the temple, its water was used for a special ceremony during the Feast of Tabernacles. Every morning during that joyful feast, a priest would take a golden vessel to the Pool of Siloam, fill it with water from the pool, and bring it back to the altar amid the shouts of the people. Then, as the crowd chanted the Hallel (Psalms 113—118), that priest poured out the water on the west side of the altar, and another priest poured a drink offering of wine on the east side of the altar. This ritual was probably to illustrate Isaiah 12:3, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

However, on the eighth and final day of the feast, the ritual was not repeated. And that is exactly when Jesus chose to make a startling announcement: “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them’” (John 7:37–38). On the one day of the feast when no water was poured, Jesus stood up and filled the gap. The “water” He offers (the Holy Spirit, verse 39) is better than the waters of Siloam. In offering the water of life, Jesus identified Himself with the rock in the wilderness that gave water to the Hebrews (see 1 Corinthians 10:4).

In John 9, Jesus meets a man born blind. To show that He is indeed the “light of the world” (John 9:5), Jesus heals the man. But it is interesting how Jesus chose to heal him: “He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ‘Go,’ he told him, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing” (John 9:6–7). So, the blind man was sent to a pool called “Sent” by the One who was Himself sent by God into the world (John 3:17; 10:36).

The site of the original Pool of Siloam has been excavated, and there is still a pool there, but it is hardly the splendid place that it once was. Still, we have the biblical record of the Pool of Siloam, a place that was used by kings and priests and by the Messiah Himself. The One sent by God to be our Savior used the Pool of “Sent” to prove that He is the Light of the World and to offer the living water available only through Him. The invitation to drink of Him is still open: “Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).

Since people in the biblical era did not have access to the products we do today, they often relied on naturally occurring resources such as plants, animal byproducts, and minerals for cleaning, cooking, food, medicine, and more. Hyssop, an herb in the mint family with cleansing, medicinal, and flavoring properties, was prolific in the Middle East and was used in a variety of ways.

The Bible mentions hyssop several times, mostly in the Old Testament. In Leviticus, God commanded His people to use hyssop in the ceremonial cleansing of people and houses. In one example, God tells the priests to use hyssop together with cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and the blood of a clean bird to sprinkle a person recently healed from a skin disease (likely leprosy). This act would ceremonially cleanse the formerly diseased person and allow him to reenter the camp (Leviticus 14:1–7). The same method was used to purify a house that had previously contained mold (Leviticus 14:33–53).

Hyssop is also used symbolically in the Bible. When the Israelites marked their doorposts with lamb’s blood in order for the angel of death to pass over them, God instructed them to use a bunch of hyssop as a “paintbrush” (Exodus 12:22). This was probably because hyssop was sturdy and could withstand the brushing, but it also likely signified that God was marking His people as “pure” and not targets of the judgment God was about to deal out to the Egyptians.

David also mentions hyssop in Psalm 51:7: “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” David does not refer to physical cleansing—rather, he is asking God to cleanse him spiritually as he confesses his sin.

Hyssop also appears at Jesus’ crucifixion, when the Roman soldiers offered Jesus a drink of wine vinegar on a sponge at the end of a stalk of hyssop (John 19:28–30). This was, in fact, Jesus’ last act before He declared His work on earth finished and gave up His spirit. While the hyssop stalk may have been used for purely practical purposes (i.e., it was long enough to reach to Jesus’ mouth as He hung on the cross), it is interesting that that particular plant was chosen. It is possible that God meant this as a picture of purification, as Jesus bought our forgiveness with His sacrifice. Just as in the Old Testament blood and hyssop purified a defiled person, so Jesus’ shed blood purifies us from the defilement of our sin.

​In Jacob’s blessings of his twelve sons, he says this about Judah: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his” (Genesis 49:10).

In ancient times a scepter was often a full-length staff—note that, in the poetry of Jacob’s prophecy, the words scepter and ruler’s staff are used in parallel. A scepter was usually made of carved wood and sometimes embellished with fine metal or gems; it symbolized a ruler’s absolute power and authority over a tribe or nation. The same Hebrew word translated “scepter” is sometimes translated as “club,” “staff,” or “rod,” all of which can be used as weapons. Scepters symbolized the irresistible civic and military power that a ruler had at his command.

When Jacob said, “The scepter will not depart from Judah,” he was giving, in part, a divine prediction concerning the children of Judah. Centuries later, when Jacob’s descendants formed a nation in the Promised Land and kings began to rule, it was the line of Judah that became the royal line. Starting with David, the line of Judah’s kings continued through Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, and many others, all the way through Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. Jacob’s prophecy came true: the tribe of Judah possessed the scepter—the kings of the Davidic dynasty were all descended from Jacob’s fourth son, Judah.

When Jacob said, “The scepter will not depart from Judah,” he was also giving a divine prediction of one Descendant in particular who would come from the line of Judah. Jacob says the tribe of Judah would possess the scepter “until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor” (Genesis 49:10, NLT). Some more literal translations, such as the KJV and the NASB, render the prophecy as “until Shiloh comes”--Shiloh being a title of the Messiah.

Later in biblical history, God tells King David, a descendant of Judah, that his throne would be established forever, confirming that the Messiah would be descended from him (2 Samuel 7:8–16). The One who fulfills this prophecy is Jesus Christ, the Son of David, whose kingdom is eternal (2 Peter 1:11). Jesus is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David” (Revelation 5:5). Because of Jesus Christ, the scepter has not departed from Judah.

Worldly authority, symbolized by the scepter, is temporary, and earthly kings often find their scepters slipping out of their grasp. But the scepter wielded by the Messiah, Jesus Christ, will never be lost, stolen, or set aside. When He establishes His kingdom on earth, it will be one of perfect justice: “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness” (Hebrews 1:8–9; cf. Psalm 45:6–7). Jesus’ reign will include a final judgment of the nations, and He “will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery” (Revelation 2:27; cf. Psalm 2:9; cf. Revelation 19:15).

Just before they crucified Jesus, Roman soldiers mocked Him, placing a crown of thorns on His head and a staff in His hand as a royal scepter. They bowed before Him in jest, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” then struck Him repeatedly with the fake scepter (Matthew 27:27–31). How supremely ironic that the scepter, a symbol of worldly authority, was used to batter the One who holds the highest authority in heaven and on earth!

A 4,000-year-old prophecy, “the scepter will not depart from Judah,” will be fully realized some day when Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, returns with His saints and angels. The Lion of the tribe of Judah will wield the scepter: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 1:14–15).

God’s being “all in all” is rooted in the truth of Jesus’ resurrection and the resultant future, when Christ returns and “the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28).

Paul begins 1 Corinthians 15 by discussing the gospel message, namely, that Jesus died, was buried, rose from the dead, and appeared to many witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:1–11). Some of the Corinthians had been claiming the resurrection was a false doctrine (1 Corinthians 15:12). Paul counters that the resurrection of Jesus and of those who believe in the gospel is crucial for the present process of becoming holy and the Christian’s future glorification. As Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:17–19, if the resurrection of Jesus is a false reality, the Christian’s future resurrection is not a reality. Without the resurrection of Christ, the Christian is “of all men most to be pitied.”

Paul makes a clear defense of the resurrection of Christ beginning in 1 Corinthians 15:20. This resurrection will lead to a future resurrection for all those who have life through faith in Him. Jesus was the first person to be raised from the dead, never to die again. His is an eternal resurrection. As Jesus has led the way, other events will follow: believers who have died before Jesus’ second coming will be resurrected when He comes (1 Corinthians 15:23), and those still living will be made incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:50–58; cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17).

After Jesus comes again, He will bind Satan, set up an earthly kingdom, and physically rule for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–6). At the end of that time, Satan will be released from imprisonment, and Satan and his followers will rebel and be destroyed (Revelation 20:5–10). Jesus will then give authority back to the Father, and He Himself will be in subjection to the Father. It’s based on these truths that Paul claims, “God may be all in all.” Ultimately, all in all is an expression of the rightful authority that God possesses. In the future, when evil has been eradicated forever, God will reign as the unchallenged Supreme over all the universe. He will be the one and only Ruler of all hearts and lives and the only desire of His creatures. When God is all in all, our redemption will be fully accomplished, and God’s glory will fill all creation (cf. Psalm 72:19).

God’s being “all in all” is expressed in the NLT as being “utterly supreme over everything, everywhere.” The full context: “All who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. For the Scriptures say, ‘God has put all things under his authority.’ . . . Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere” (1 Corinthians 15:23–28, NLT). The AMP depicts God as “manifesting His glory without any opposition, the supreme indwelling and controlling factor of life.”

It’s important to note that, in reality, God has always had complete authority over His creation, although, in this present world, His rule is not as evident due to the presence of His enemies. One day, all God’s enemies will be vanquished. Not even death can last (1 Corinthians 15:26).

According to 1 Corinthians 15:28, Jesus will practically continue in an eternal submission to God the Father. Ontologically, Jesus is equal with God as the Second Person of the Trinity (John 8:58). Just as God has absolute authority as Creator, Jesus has absolute authority as Creator (see Colossians 1:15–16; 3:11).

As Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 15, he shows the implications of God’s being all in all. Those who are to be resurrected need to lead holy lives, fulfilling the purpose of bringing God glory. For if the resurrection isn’t true, why not “eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32)? However, the resurrection is true—all of humanity will be resurrected by God, so “do not be misled . . . and stop sinning” (1 Corinthians 15:34).

Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead. He will gather His elect to Himself in the future, reign on earth, and abolish Satan and death. Upon completing these events, all enemies will be defeated. All things will be subject to God, giving all authority to God, and He will be “all in all.”

The olive tree is mentioned frequently in the Bible, from as early as the time of the flood when the dove from the ark brought an olive branch back to Noah, to Revelation 11:4, where the two witnesses are represented as two olive trees. As one of the most highly valued and useful trees known to the ancient Jews, the olive tree is significant for several reasons in the Bible. Its importance in Israel is expressed in the parable of Jotham in Judges 9:8–9: “One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’”

Rather common in the Holy Land, the olive tree is a multi-branched evergreen with a knotted trunk, smooth, ash-colored bark, and oblong, leathery leaves that are silvery green. Mature, cultivated olive trees grow to 20 or more feet in height and produce small flowers of yellow or white around the first of May. When the blooms begin to fall, olives, the fruit of the tree, start to form. At first, the fruit is green but turns to a deep, blue-black or dark green color when the olives are fully ripened and harvested in early fall.

In the ancient Near East, olive trees were an essential source of food (Nehemiah 9:25), lamp oil (Exodus 27:20), medicine (Isaiah 1:6; Luke 10:34), anointing oil (1 Samuel 10:1; 2 Kings 9:3), sacrificial oil (Leviticus 2:4; Genesis 28:18), and wood for furniture (1 Kings 6:23, 31–33).

An extremely slow-growing plant, the olive tree requires years of patient labor to reach full fruitfulness. Being well-suited to grow in the Mediterranean climate, the olive tree played a significant role in the region’s economy. The outer, fleshy part of the oval-shaped fruit is what yields the highly valuable commodity of olive oil. Still today, olive oil is considered good for health.

The olive tree and olive branch have been symbols of peace and reconciliation ever since the account of Noah’s flood. When the dove brought Noah “a plucked olive leaf in its beak,” the olive branch represented new life sprouting on the earth (Genesis 8:11). The olive tree was alive and growing. The promise of the dove’s olive branch was a new beginning for humanity, peace and reconciliation with God, renewal, and revival. The slow and hearty growth of the olive tree also implies establishment and peace. Some of the oldest olive trees in the world still grow today in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives.

The flowering olive tree is a symbol of beauty and abundance in the Bible. The tree’s fruitfulness and ability to thrive suggests the model of a righteous person (Psalm 52:8; Hosea 14:6), whose children are described as “vigorous young olive trees” (Psalm 128:3, NLT). Olive oil was also used in the anointing and coronation of kings, making it an emblem of sovereignty.

Olive tree oil is symbolic of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, as it was used as the carrier for a mixture of spices that made up the holy anointing oil. In Zechariah 4, the prophet has a vision of two olive trees standing on either side of a solid gold lampstand. The olive trees supply the oil that fuels the lamps. The two olive trees represent Zerubbabel and Joshua, the governor and high priest. The Lord encourages them not to trust in financial or military resources, but in the power of God’s Holy Spirit working through them (verse 6). As in other Old Testament analogies, God’s Holy Spirit is represented by the oil of the olive tree.

The process by which olives are beaten and crushed to produce olive oil contains spiritual significance as well. Jesus Christ was beaten and crushed on the cross so that His Holy Spirit would be poured out on the church after His ascension to heaven. In essence, Jesus Christ is God’s olive tree, and the Holy Spirit, His olive oil. It is not mere coincidence that Christ’s agonized prayer, just before His arrest, occured in Gethsemane, a place of many olive trees and whose name means “olive press.”

God uses the imagery of an olive tree in Jeremiah 11:16–17 to remind His people of the covenant relationship He has with them. God’s people (the nation of Israel) are depicted as an olive tree and God as the farmer. He planted them as a beautiful olive tree but warned He would cut them down if they disobeyed His laws and worshiped false gods. The apostle Paul makes use of this imagery to teach a lesson to Gentile believers in Romans 11:17–24. Paul chooses the cultivated olive tree to portray Israel and the wild olive tree to represent Gentile believers. The cultivated olive tree is pruned and nurtured so that it bears much fruit. The fruitless, ineffective branches are trimmed and discarded, but the root remains intact. God has preserved the holy root of Israel and pruned off the worthless branches.

The Gentiles, represented by the wild olive tree in Romans 11, have been grafted into the cultivated olive root. As a wild olive tree, their root was weak. Their branches were incapable of bearing fruit until they were grafted into the nourishing, life-sustaining root of the cultivated olive tree. Gentile believers now share in Israel’s blessings, but Paul warns, “Do not boast that you are better than those branches. But if you do boast—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you” (CSB). Paul wants Gentile believers to understand that they have not replaced Israel. God has done a beautiful thing for the Gentiles, but Israel is still God’s chosen nation and the source of the riches of salvation that the Gentiles now enjoy.



Jesus Christ,



Israel’s Messiah,


is



the root of Jesse,



 the root of


the


cultivated olive tree




From Him,



Israel and the Church



draw their life



The word hallelujah is most 




familiar


in the context of the



“Hallelujah Chorus”


from



Handel’s Messiah



Hallelujah is a Hebrew word meaning “praise ye YAH (Yahweh).” Hallelujah, as a transliteration, appears four times in the NIV and NASB (Revelation 19:1–6)—it takes the form “alleluia” in the King James Version. In modern parlance, both hallelujah and alleluia mean “praise the Lord,” a phrase that appears, in English, over fifty times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament.

The word hallelujah in Revelation 19 is used in heaven, where a great multitude has gathered before the throne in the immediate presence of God Himself. It is the wedding supper of the Lamb. The enemies of God have been overthrown, and the gospel has triumphed. In a victory celebration, all heaven renders praise, a song of thanksgiving uttered by all holy beings united. Reasons for this glorious outpouring of praise are God’s righteous victory over His enemies (Revelation 19:1–3), His sovereignty (verses 4–6), and His eternal communion with His people (verse 7). The sound of the outpouring of praise and worship is so overwhelming that the apostle John can only describe it as “like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder” 

So great is the rejoicing by God’s people at the wedding feast of the Bridegroom (Christ) and the bride (the church) that hallelujah is the only word grand enough to express it. Handel’s version of the great chorus in heaven, as glorious as that music is, is only a feeble foreshadowing of the magnificence that will be expressed by the heavenly chorus as we sing, “Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigns!”

​The imagery and symbolism of marriage is applied to Christ and the body of believers known as the church. The church is comprised of those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and have received eternal life. Christ, the Bridegroom, has sacrificially and lovingly chosen the church to be His bride (Ephesians 5:25–27). Just as there was a betrothal period in biblical times during which the bride and groom were separated until the wedding, so is the bride of Christ separate from her Bridegroom during the church age. Her responsibility during the betrothal period is to be faithful to Him (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:24). At the rapture, the church will be united with the Bridegroom and the official “wedding ceremony” will take place and, with it, the eternal union of Christ and His bride will be actualized (Revelation 19:7–9; 21:1-2).

In the eternal state, believers will have access to the heavenly city known as New Jerusalem, also called “the holy city” in Revelation 21:2 and 10. The New Jerusalem is not the church, but it takes on some of the church’s characteristics. In his vision of the end of the age, the apostle John sees the city coming down from heaven adorned “as a bride,” meaning that the city will be gloriously radiant and the inhabitants of the city, the redeemed of the Lord, will be holy and pure, wearing white garments of holiness and righteousness. Some have misinterpreted verse 9 to mean the holy city is the bride of Christ, but that cannot be because Christ died for His people, not for a city. The city is called the bride because it encompasses all who are the bride, just as all the students of a school are sometimes called “the school.”

Believers in Jesus Christ are the bride of Christ, and we wait with great anticipation for the day when we will be united with our Bridegroom. Until then, we remain faithful to Him and say with all the redeemed of the Lord

 (Revelation 22:20)


Being commissioned directly by Jesus, the apostle John writes to seven churches in Asia Minor (Revelation 1:11). The seventh of those churches is Laodicea, and the message to that church is troubling. The churches in Ephesus (Revelation 2:1–7), Pergamum (Revelation 2:12–17), Thyatira (Revelation 2:18–29), and Sardis (Revelation 3:1–6) all had deficiencies they needed to resolve. Smyrna (Revelation 2:8–11) and Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7–13) were only commended and encouraged. Laodicea (Revelation 3:14–22), on the other hand, was warned that their situation was dire, and, among other things, they were told to buy white garments from Jesus (Revelation 3:18).

The deeds of the Laodiceans were lukewarm—neither hot nor cold, and because of this Jesus was disgusted with them (Revelation 3:15–16). They were prideful, thinking they were rich, but He says that in fact they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17). Contrast this with the church at Smyrna who, even though they were in poverty, are described as rich (Revelation 2:9). To remedy the Laodiceans’ condition, Jesus advises them to buy from Him refined gold in order to become rich, white garments for clothing so they would not be naked and ashamed, and eye salve so that they would be able to see (Revelation 3:18).

Because of the sorry state of affairs in Laodicea, some have assumed this to be a false church. But Jesus characterizes them as “the church in Laodicea” (Revelation 3:14), and there are no references in the New Testament to any such thing as a false church, so there is no biblical precedent for a group that is called “the church” to not actually be part of the church. Also, God never requires that people “buy” salvation or anything related to salvation—it is always by grace through faith (e.g., Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4; Ephesians 2:8–9). The metaphor Jesus uses—that He would spit them out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16)—speaks to the level of disgust Jesus has with them, not to any impending loss of position in Christ or loss of personal salvation of the members there. Still, it is a serious matter that Jesus exhorts the Laodiceans to buy gold, white garments, and eye salve. There is nothing else mentioned of the eye salve, other than in this context. It was apparent that the Laodiceans needed to be able to see from God’s perspective rather than their own, as they did not prioritize what God prioritized. They needed to be able to see the value of His gold and His white garments.

Peter characterizes the proof of believers’ faith as more precious than gold tested by fire (1 Peter 1:7). That proof is faith put into action. The action isn’t the faith itself, but it demonstrates the faith. Peter encourages his readers that, even though they were encountering trials and distress, they loved Jesus and believed in Him, and they could rejoice greatly (1 Peter 1:8). In Revelation 3, Jesus prescribes a transaction wherein the Laodicean believers would trade Him something for that gold—perhaps the cost was similar to what Paul prescribed in Romans 12:1 when he challenged believers to present their bodies as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God. That was their reasonable service of worship.

Jesus also prescribes that the Laodiceans should purchase white garments to clothe the shame of their nakedness. White garments are prominent in Revelation, and they are illustrative of an important idea. Earlier, in the letter to Sardis, Jesus commended a few there who had white garments (Revelation 3:4), and He added that those who overcome will be clothed in white garments (Revelation 3:5). Later, we see that the twenty-four elders around the throne are clothed in white garments (Revelation 4:4). At the end of the tribulation, when the armies in heaven—including believers from all the previous eras—come to earth with Jesus, they are clothed in white and clean linen (Revelation 19:14). The bride of Christ is clothed in fine, bright, clean linen, and that linen is described as “the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:8). If the Laodiceans were to “buy” righteous acts from Jesus, then it would seem a similar prescription to buying gold refined with fire. The Laodiceans should trade in their own selfish pursuits, giving themselves to God in order to gain not positional righteousness (they already had that) but righteous deeds, for which there would be great reward.

In his vision in Revelation 19:7–10, John saw and heard the heavenly multitudes praising God because the wedding feast of the Lamb—literally, the “marriage supper”—was about to begin. The concept of the marriage supper is better understood in light of the wedding customs in the time of Christ.

These wedding customs had three major parts. First, a marriage contract was signed by the parents of the bride and the bridegroom, and the parents of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself would pay a dowry to the bride or her parents. This began what was called the betrothal period—what we would today call the engagement. This period was the one Joseph and Mary were in when she was found to be with child (Matthew 1:18; Luke 2:5).

The second step in the process usually occurred much later, when the bridegroom, accompanied by his male friends, went to the house of the bride. If he came in the night, he and his companions would create a torchlight parade through the streets. The bride would be ready with her maidens, and when the bridegroom arrived, they would all join the parade and end up at the bridegroom’s home. This custom is the basis of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13. The third phase was the marriage supper itself, which might go on for days, as illustrated by the wedding at Cana in John 2:1–2.

What John’s vision in Revelation pictures is the wedding feast of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) and His bride (the Church) in its third phase. The implication is that the first two phases have already taken place. The first phase was completed on earth when each individual believer placed his or her faith in Christ as Savior. The dowry paid by the bridegroom’s parent (God the Father) would be the blood of Christ shed on the Bride’s behalf. The Church on earth today, then, is “betrothed” to Christ, and, like the wise virgins in the parable, all believers should be watching and waiting for the appearance of the Bridegroom (the rapture). The second phase symbolizes the rapture of the Church, when Christ comes to claim His bride and take her to the Father’s house. The marriage supper then follows as the third and final step. It is our view that the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place in heaven between the rapture and the second coming (during the tribulation on earth).

Attending the wedding feast will be not only the Church as the Bride of Christ, but others as well. The “others” include the Old Testament saints—they will not have been resurrected yet, but their souls/spirits will be in heaven with us. As the angel told John to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). The marriage supper of the Lamb is a glorious celebration of all who are in Christ!



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 primary audience for Christ’s Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1—7:29) was the twelve disciples. Others came and listened, but the Lord’s principal intent was to teach His closest followers—the twelve men who were set apart for leadership in God’s kingdom (see Matthew 19:28; Revelation 21:14). These apostles would be the ones to experience the fiercest persecution. To address this concern, Jesus concluded His opening Beatitudes with this wonderful assurance: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11–12, ESV).

The disciples were about to undergo unprecedented persecution under the cruel Roman Empire. Indeed, throughout history, faithful followers of Christ have faced intense oppression and persecution (2 Timothy 3:12; Philippians 1:29). The Lord knew that His kingdom leaders and faithful servants would need to maintain an eternal perspective. The Beatitudes provide this hope—they assure us that, no matter how much suffering and hardship we endure for Christ’s sake, we can be confident that our reward in heaven will be great.

Honor, blessing, and recompense in heaven are not promised simply as payment for injustices suffered in this life but specifically for “those who are persecuted because of righteousness” (Matthew 5:10). God has a special prize set aside for believers who are insulted, mocked, punished, and treated unfairly because of their stand and testimony for Jesus Christ. These are Christians who eagerly practice kingdom righteousness and suffer for it.

Such kingdom servants are like the prophets of the Old Testament who “were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground” (Hebrews 11:32–38, NLT; cf. Hebrews 11:26; see also Acts 7:51–53; James 5:10). For all who suffer abuses similar to those of the prophets of old, Jesus promises indescribable rewards in heaven.

Jesus isn’t just encouraging His most loyal “movers and shakers” to endure persecution but to “rejoice and be glad” in it. Despite their temporal hardships, these servants possess the most distinguishing qualities of kingdom servants. They have the radical courage to let their “light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). They are brave enough to endure suffering at the hands of their King’s enemies and still rejoice (see Acts 5:41; Romans 5:3, 2 Corinthians 12:10; Hebrews 10:34; James 1:2; 1 Peter 4:13). In fact, they are willing to lose everything, even their very lives, to gain the kingdom of heaven (Revelation 12:11).

The apostle Paul’s lifestyle exemplified that of a kingdom servant. He considered everything of value in this temporal life as worthless compared to the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:7–11).

As Christians, we should expect the world to hate us (Mark 13:13; 1 John 3:12). But if we live as devoted kingdom servants, partaking in Christ’s suffering because of our identification with Jesus, our reward in heaven is great: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). The apostle Peter affirmed, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12–13). Our present suffering is not even worth comparing with the glories of heaven (Romans 8:18).

The Bible is abundantly clear that God rewards our faithfulness to Him (Genesis 15:1; Ruth 2:12; Proverbs 13:13; Psalm 18:20; Luke 6:35; Colossians 3:24).

Jesus Himself promises the “victor’s crown” for those who suffer persecution (Revelation 2:10). Our reward in heaven is great when our desire to live righteously is intense and determined—when our testimony for Christ shines so brightly that the enemies of God’s kingdom are driven to extinguish its brilliance.

In Jesus’ parable of the talents, the Lord tells of two faithful servants who used what they had been given to increase the master’s wealth.

When the master returned from a long absence, he rewarded his two faithful servants and said to each of them, “Well done, good and faithful servant!

You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

(Matthew 25:21, 23).


Every Christian longs

to hear

those words from


Jesus’ lips someday

in heaven


We are saved by grace through faith

(Ephesians 2:8–9),


but we are saved “to do good works”

(Ephesians 2:10)


Jesus spoke of laying up treasures in heaven

(Matthew 6:20),



and His

parable of the talents

hints at


various rewards

for those who


faithfully

serve Him in this world.



To hear those words,


“Well done, good and faithful

servant,”



from Jesus,

first make sure you are saved.


The unbelieving will never hear those words,

for

“without faith it is impossible to please God”

(Hebrews 11:6)


And recognize that Jesus is not only your Savior; He is also your Lord

(see Luke 6:46)


“Serve the LORD with gladness!”

(Psalm 100:2, ESV)



It all comes down to this:

love God

more than anything,

and

love others sincerely


(Mark 12:30–31)


At the judgment seat of Christ, those who are faithful to the Lord who saved them will hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” No true servant of the Lord could ask for more.

One of God’s promises concerning the eternal state is that the nations of the world will have healing. The question comes up, though, as to why exactly healing is needed. Isn’t the New Jerusalem a place of perfection already?

The promise of the healing of the nations is found in Revelation 22, after the creation of the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1). John writes, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:1–5).

The healing of the nations is linked to the tree of life, as God reestablishes Eden. It is the leaves of this tree that are said to be “for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2). It is possible that the tree of life in the New Jerusalem is literal and that its leaves and various fruits will somehow enrich our existence in the eternal state. All the nations represented there will be “healed” of their divisions and strife in their equal access to the tree of life.

It is also possible that the tree of life in the New Jerusalem is symbolic and that its “healing” signifies the eternal life that all will enjoy there. The different fruits it bears could represent the unlimited variety of our existence in heaven. The clear flowing river that waters the tree could picture the spiritual life of God’s redeemed—the “living water” Jesus promised in John 4:13–14.

The healing the tree of life’s leaves provide is not the healing of the wounds of battle—warfare will have ended. The healing is not needed for combating sickness—there will be no more sickness, death, or pain (Revelation 21:4). No, the “healing” is a reference to the perpetual blessing of the new heaven and earth; never again will the world be plagued by physical disorders or spiritual malaise or corruption. There will be no more warfare, no strife, no conflicting factions. God will heal all that ails His creation, and there will be no more curse (Revelation 22:3).

In the eternal state, everything will be blessed, and the tree of life represents that blessedness. There will be perfect sinlessness, perfect government, perfect service to God, perfect communion, and perfect glory. It is impossible for us to imagine being totally separated from sin and living in a glorified state before God. But the Lord assures us that “these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 22:6).
​
The name Faithful and True expresses the total trustworthiness, reliability, and constancy of Jesus Christ. The title reveals His character and makes known His words and works.

In Revelation 19:11, John sees a vision of Jesus as the exalted King of kings leaving heaven to return to earth: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.” This picture of Christ’s second coming at the end of the age shows Jesus no longer as the peaceful, humble servant riding on a lowly donkey (John 12:12–15). Now He is the victorious King, charging forth like a conquering war general, leading His troops into battle (Revelation 19:14).

In this vivid portrayal, John identifies Jesus by four different titles, beginning with Faithful and True. It is the first and only time this name of Jesus appears in Scripture. The second title is unknown to us (Revelation 19:12); the third is the Word of God (verse 13); the fourth is King of kings and Lord of lords (verse 16).

The word for “Faithful” in the original language means “characterized by steadfast affection or allegiance,” and the word translated “True” means “truthful or characterized by expressing the truth.” The nature of Jesus Christ—His whole being—exudes faithfulness and truth. Earlier, in Revelation 3:14, Jesus called Himself the “faithful and true witness” in His letter to the church in Laodicea. Faithful and True is who Jesus Christ is.

In His first coming to earth, Jesus proved Himself to be faithful to the mission and will of God His Father: “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4; see also John 5:30; Hebrews 3:6; Luke 4:43). Never once did the Lord give in to the temptation to sin (Hebrews 4:15–16), from the time Satan tempted Him in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–13) until His death on the cross (Matthew 16:21–23; 26:36–44; Mark 8:31–33; 14:32–42; Luke 22:40–46).

From the day Isaiah foretold His coming, Christ’s faithfulness was known (Isaiah 11:5; 42:3). As a young man (Luke 2:49) and throughout His ministry, Jesus was a faithful and obedient servant to His Father God (John 4:34; 6:38; 8:29; 12:27; 14:31). Jesus is consistently the same “yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Others will wear out, change, or perish, but Jesus Christ remains the same for all eternity (Hebrews 1:11–12).

Jesus, who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life,” is the very embodiment of truth (John 14:6). He came from His Father “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And His promise of eternal life is true: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24, ESV; see also John 6:47).

Because of the fidelity inherent in His character, Jesus is faithful toward His followers in every circumstance. “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself,” declares 2 Timothy 2:13 (see also Matthew 28:20; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 10:23).

Faithful and True is a fitting title for Jesus Christ our King, and He calls His followers to emulate His faithfulness and truth (Revelation 14:12; Hebrews 10:23). The entire book of Revelation conveys a message to the church of Jesus Christ to be faithful and true, just as He is Faithful and True.

King David loved being in the presence of the Lord. In Psalm 23, David celebrated the intimate relationship he shared with God. The passage begins with a metaphor of the Shepherd (the Lord) leading His lamb (David), illustrating God’s close attention, guidance, and protection. The imagery deepens as David portrays himself as an honored guest and permanent resident in God’s house: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:5–6).

An ancient custom of hospitality and respect shown to esteemed dinner guests was for the host to anoint his invitee’s head with oil. The oil was mixed with fragrant perfumes to refresh and soothe weary travelers (see Jesus’ rebuke of a dinner host in Luke 7:46). Since the custom and its significance are unknown today, some modern translations replace the phrase with “you welcome me as an honored guest by rubbing my head with oil” (TEV) and “you honor me by anointing my head with oil” (NLT).

In Psalm 23:5, David said to the Lord, “You anoint my head with oil” because he regarded himself as the Lord’s special guest. David had been invited to dine now and forever at the Lord’s table and to receive His favorable anointing.

David recognized that his standing was not merely that of a short-term visitor who would be entertained once and then sent on his way. Nor would he be invited to return for a meal only occasionally. David rejoiced that he had been granted the high honor of a perpetual place setting at the Lord’s supper table.

The statement “You anoint my head with oil” also symbolized David’s gladness of heart. Oil is elsewhere associated in the Bible with joy (Isaiah 61:3; Hebrews 1:9). David felt so blessed by his Host’s gracious abundance, always providing more than he needed, that his cup of joy was at the spilling point. Another psalmist expressed similar satisfaction in the Lord’s favor: “God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy” (Psalm 45:7).

You anoint my head with oil speaks of the Lord’s ministry to refresh David’s heart, particularly in light of the immediate threat of enemies. David imagines himself sitting at the Lord’s banquet table while his adversaries gather all around. Being in God’s presence rejuvenated David, giving him the strength to face all the challenges and pressures of life. His enemies could snarl and roar all they wanted, but in the shelter of God’s presence, David would feast and be refreshed.

With his head anointed and his cup overflowing, David spoke what might be the equivalent to the apostle Paul’s declaration in Romans 8:31–39: “If God is for us, who can be against us? . . . Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? . . . Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life . . . neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

As Christians, we enjoy an intimate relationship with the Lord. We, too, can delight in the comfort of His presence, protection, and care (John 14:23). God has invited us to be honored guests in His eternal home with a permanent place at His banquet table (Isaiah 25; Matthew 22:1–14; Luke 13:29–30; Revelation 19:9; 21:2–4). Like David, we can say, “You anoint my head with oil” because Jesus Christ fills us with joy overflowing, and His joy is the strength of our lives (John 15:11; Psalm 16:11; Nehemiah 8:10).

In Revelation 19:11, when John sees the gates of heaven open, the One who has been Faithful and True from ages past appears at the end of time to wage His final battle. Jesus Christ comes with justice to judge and wage war, and He will triumph over the enemies of God! The outcome is sure because He is Faithful and True. He will do what He has promised to do. He shall defeat the devil once and for all. He will destroy the power of death, wiping away every sorrow, tear, and pain from the hearts of His devoted followers (Isaiah 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:54; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:14).

The Lion of the tribe of Judah is a symbol found in Genesis and Revelation. In Genesis, Jacob blesses his son Judah, referring to him and his future tribe as a lion’s cub and a lion (Genesis 49:9). In Revelation, this symbol is seen again when the Lion of the tribe of Judah is declared to have triumphed and is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals (Revelation 5:5). Jesus is the One who is worthy to open the scroll (see John 5:22). Therefore, Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

In Genesis, as Jacob blesses his children, he promises Judah that his brothers will praise him and that they will bow down to him. Jacob also tells Judah, “You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?” (Genesis 49:9). Jacob says that in the future the scepter and ruler’s staff will not depart from Judah “until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be His” (Genesis 49:10). This messianic prophecy points forward to the second coming of the Lord Jesus, the descendant of Judah who will rule the earth (Revelation 19:11–16).

Based on Jacob’s blessing, the lion is a symbol of the tribe of Judah, which is known as the kingly tribe (King David was of the tribe of Judah). Lions symbolize power, fierceness, and majesty. Lions are the king of the beasts, and the Lion of the tribe of Judah is the king of everything. In the Old Testament, God is sometimes described as being like a lion. In Isaiah 31:4, just “as a lion growls, a great lion over its prey—and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts . . . so the LORD Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.” The Lord is not afraid of His enemies. He protects His people and does not allow them to be conquered. In Hosea, God is angry at Israel because they became proud and forgot Him. God says, “I will be like a lion to them. . . . like a lion I will devour them. . . . You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your helper” (Hosea 13:7–9). It is better to experience the help and protection of the Lion than to deny His kingship and face His fierceness.

In Revelation 5, Jesus is the long-awaited Lion of the tribe of Judah. John weeps because no one was found worthy to open the scroll of God’s judgment or even to look inside it. Then one of the elders says to John, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals” (Revelation 5:4–5). Both of the genealogies in Matthew and Luke record that Jesus is a descendant of the tribe of Judah. When Jesus is revealed as the promised Lion of the tribe of Judah, it reveals His deity. He is the true king and the One to whom belongs the long-awaited obedience of nations. Yet it is not His fierceness or the force of His power that makes Him worthy. The Lion has triumphed because He became a Lamb (Revelation 5:6–10; cf. John 1:29). Jesus Christ is worthy because He lived a perfect, sinless life and in shedding His blood defeated sin and death. His death and resurrection have resulted in a protection for His people and an eternal kingdom that will honor and worship God. Ruling this kingdom will be Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

In Revelation 21:1, John sees something spectacular: “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” This new earth and new heaven are sometimes referred to as the “eternal state.” As seen in Revelation chapters 21—22, the new earth will be the eternal dwelling place of believers in Jesus Christ. Scripture gives us a few details of the new heaven and new earth.


The current heaven and earth have long been subject to God’s curse because of mankind’s sin. All creation “has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth” (Romans 8:22) as it awaits the fulfillment of God’s plan and “the children of God to be revealed” (verse 19). Heaven and earth will pass away (Mark 13:31), and they will be replaced by the new heaven and the new earth. At that time, the Lord, seated on His throne, says, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5). In the new creation, sin will be totally eradicated, and “there shall be no more curse” (Revelation 22:3, NKJV).

The new heaven and new earth are also mentioned in Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; and 2 Peter 3:13. Peter says that the new heaven and new earth will be “where righteousness dwells.” Isaiah says that “the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” Things will be completely new, and the old order of things, with the accompanying sorrow and tragedy, will be gone.



The new earth

will be free from sin, evil, sickness,

suffering, and death.


It will be earth as God originally

intended it to be,

prior to the

curse of sin. It will be Eden restored.


A major feature of the new earth

will be


the New Jerusalem.


John calls it

“the Holy City . . . coming

down

out of heaven from God,


prepared as a bride

beautifully

dressed for her husband”


(Revelation 21:2).


This glorious city, with its streets of gold and pearly gates,

is situated on a new, glorious earth.

The tree of life will be there


(Revelation 22:2).


This city represents the

final state

of redeemed mankind,

forever in fellowship

with God:


“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. . . .


His servants will serve him.


They will see his face”


(Revelation 21:3; 22:3–4).



In the

new heaven and new earth,

Scripture says,


there are seven things

notable for their

absence—seven things that are “no more”:


• no more sea (Revelation 21:1)

• no more death (Revelation 21:4)

• no more mourning (Revelation 21:4)

• no more weeping (Revelation 21:4)

• no more pain (Revelation 21:4)

• no more curse (Revelation 22:3)

• no more night (Revelation 22:5)


The creation of the new heaven and new earth brings the promise that God “will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4). This event comes after the tribulation, after the Lord’s second coming, after the millennial kingdom, after the final rebellion, after the final judgment of Satan, and after the great white throne judgment. The brief description of the new heaven and new earth is the last glimpse into eternity that the Bible gives.
​
Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” There is no reason not to take this literally, that God’s new earth will not contain vast areas of salt water spanning the globe. Of course, bodies of fresh water, such as the river in Revelation 22:1, could still exist in abundance in the new earth.

Prophetic passages about Jesus’ first coming were fulfilled literally. Non-prophetic passages in the Bible are also largely literal. If a certain passage is not meant to be interpreted literally, there will be obvious contextual clues: e.g., an inanimate object will be used to describe a living thing (Jesus is the bread), life will be attributed to an inanimate object (the trees clap their hands), or an expression will be out of character with the thing described (Herod is a fox). Revelation 21:1 has no such clues; therefore, there is no good reason to interpret as figurative the revelation that the new earth will be absent a sea.

Since Revelation 21 reads like a factual description of the new heaven and new earth, and since Scripture provides no other explanation, verse 1 most likely means simply what it says: in the new earth there will no longer be any sea.

While this may be disturbing to some who love the sea, we cannot create an alternative meaning just to suit our preferences or biases. We may also find Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:30 about there being no marriage in heaven to be a little disconcerting; however, we cannot twist any verse’s meaning just to make ourselves feel more comfortable. We have to accept by faith that whatever God, in His perfect wisdom, has planned is the best possible reality.

Having taken the side of literalism, we acknowledge that there are other interpretations of the statement there was no longer any sea. Some believe that the “sea” in Revelation 21:1 refers only to the Mediterranean Sea. When John peers into the future, he sees that the Mediterranean is gone. Elsewhere in Scripture, the Mediterranean Sea is simply referred to as “the sea” (e.g., Joshua 17:10).

Others believe that the statement there was no longer any sea is a figurative reference to there being no more divisions among humanity. In our current world, the oceans provide natural barriers between nations and people groups. According to this interpretation, John’s vision predicts that, in the new earth, humanity will be not be separated by any means.

Another view is that the statement there was no longer any sea refers to the absence of anything that is perilous, unpredictable, or tumultuous. The sea in John’s time was often viewed as place of danger and changeableness. Jesus spoke of “the roaring and tossing of the sea” as part of the tribulation of the end times (Luke 21:25). Psalm 46 speaks of the need to trust God, although the sea’s “waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (verse 3). According to this interpretation, God’s promise is that the new earth will not be a place of turmoil or fear.

Earlier in Revelation, the “sea” was the source of the satanically empowered beast (Revelation 13:1). This has led some to interpret the statement there was no longer any sea in Revelation 21:1 to mean that the source of evil in the world is gone. No longer will there be opportunity for rebellion in God’s creation.

John’s statement that there will be no more sea in the new earth is the first of seven things that are “no more.” The other six promises are that the new order of things will have no more death, mourning, weeping, pain (Revelation 21:4), curse (Revelation 22:3), and night (Revelation 21:25; 22:5).

Revelation 21:1 and the statement there was no longer any sea is part of a description of the re-creation of the whole universe, after the tribulation, after the millennium, after the final rebellion. Things will obviously be very different on the new earth from what they are now. The current earth is mostly covered by water, but the new earth will have a different geography and therefore a different climate.

In the end, the key is that God will make everything beautiful in His time. Whatever He has planned for us, it will be for the best. Eye has not seen nor ear heard the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9).

In his vision in Revelation 19:7–10, John saw and heard the heavenly multitudes praising God because the wedding feast of the Lamb—literally, the “marriage supper”—was about to begin. The concept of the marriage supper is better understood in light of the wedding customs in the time of Christ.

These wedding customs had three major parts. First, a marriage contract was signed by the parents of the bride and the bridegroom, and the parents of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself would pay a dowry to the bride or her parents. This began what was called the betrothal period—what we would today call the engagement. This period was the one Joseph and Mary were in when she was found to be with child (Matthew 1:18; Luke 2:5).

The second step in the process usually occurred much later, when the bridegroom, accompanied by his male friends, went to the house of the bride. If he came in the night, he and his companions would create a torchlight parade through the streets. The bride would be ready with her maidens, and when the bridegroom arrived, they would all join the parade and end up at the bridegroom’s home. This custom is the basis of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13. The third phase was the marriage supper itself, which might go on for days, as illustrated by the wedding at Cana in John 2:1–2.

What John’s vision in Revelation pictures is the wedding feast of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) and His bride (the Church) in its third phase. The implication is that the first two phases have already taken place. The first phase was completed on earth when each individual believer placed his or her faith in Christ as Savior. The dowry paid by the bridegroom’s parent (God the Father) would be the blood of Christ shed on the Bride’s behalf. The Church on earth today, then, is “betrothed” to Christ, and, like the wise virgins in the parable, all believers should be watching and waiting for the appearance of the Bridegroom (the rapture). The second phase symbolizes the rapture of the Church, when Christ comes to claim His bride and take her to the Father’s house. The marriage supper then follows as the third and final step. It is our view that the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place in heaven between the rapture and the second coming (during the tribulation on earth).

Attending the wedding feast will be not only the Church as the Bride of Christ, but others as well. The “others” include the Old Testament saints—they will not have been resurrected yet, but their souls/spirits will be in heaven with us. As the angel told John to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). The marriage supper of the Lamb is a glorious celebration of all who are in Christ!

These 144,000 Jews are “sealed,” which means they have the special protection of God. They are kept safe from the divine judgments and from the wrath of the Antichrist. They can freely perform their mission during the tribulation. It had been previously prophesied that Israel would repent and turn back to God (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25–27), and the 144,000 Jews seem to be a sort of “first fruits” (Revelation 14:4) of that redeemed Israel. Their mission seems to be to evangelize the post-rapture world and proclaim the gospel during the tribulation period. As a result of their ministry, millions—“a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9)—will come to faith in Christ.


 John’s visions are visions, spiritual representations of a reality that is past, present and future. 


a new heaven and a new earth God is changing the whole of the cosmos, beginning with Jesus in the resurrection (heck, might as well say beginning with the Incarnation, when the human is joined to the divine).


the sea was no more Chaos is gone. At least, the kind of chaos that destroys. I still like fractals, so I am hoping they are still around.


the holy city, the new Jerusalem In the Hebrew Bible Jerusalem is the designated dwelling place of God. This is still the case, only instead of it being a city made by humans, this is a city given to us to be with God. It is the reverse of Babel, the city human beings tried to build in order to be gods. It is a reimagining of the Garden of Eden, but it is not the same as the Garden, for humanity cannot exactly go back to where it began, there’s been too much water under the bridge – but, like the Garden of Eden, it is a gift from God.

coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband The other time in Revelation that John uses marriage imagery is in chapter 19:9: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. The New Jerusalem in 20:9 is described as the bride. So, while John does not describe eating at the feast as such, we are looking at a vision of the bride at a marriage, and the feast will come, and we are the guests. There are allusions here to The Song of Songs, which is a book of erotic love poetry that was included in the canon of the Hebrew Bible because the love of the man and woman in it was read by the Rabbis as the love of God for Israel; Christians, building on this passage, have read it as the love of Christ for his followers. Ecclesiastics in subsequent centuries read it as Christ’s love for the institution of the Church. That would make the New Jerusalem the Church, then. The closest we can get to the New Jerusalem is the Church.

“See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them” How does God dwell with us? Arguably in several ways (as Rowan Williams suggests in a recent book). One of those ways in in the Incarnation – God is with us in the person of Jesus Christ. That presence is made real among us in the Incarnation. And by the power of the Holy Spirit Christ dwells among us, and transforms us.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more.” In his own death and resurrection Christ defeated death. This victory over death is made present to us and memorialized at every celebration of the Holy Eucharist. It is a foretaste of what we hope for: that what Christ is, we will become.

“the holy city Jerusalem . . . has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal.” Here is another clue that this cannot be taken literally – jasper is not clear, but opaque, typically red, although it is also yellow, brown, green, and occasionally blue. The point is the simile, in that it radiates God’s glory.

“on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites . . . the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” The city is a place for the twelve tribes of Israel. John the Divine does not address the issue of gentile Christians being followers of Jesus, which was the calling of Paul, but he does not exclude them either. As Christianity and Judaism had not yet really emerged from the varieties of Fisrt Century Judaisms, he probably sees them all as one, where Gentile Christians are grafted onto the vine of Israel.

“The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubit” Even by modern standards the city is huge. Why so large? As I have suggested before, to accommodate the large numbers redeemed by the Lamb. God’s redemption is inclusive.


“And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as glass.” Again, suggestions not to read the description literally, as it is not clear how a pearl can be a gate (think of the size of the oyster!), nor how gold can be transparent. These images speak to the wondrous glory of the city, and should not be read literally.​

“I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.” By the time John wrote his visions the Temple in Jerusalem may well have been destroyed, and the city itself devastated. By describing the New Jerusalem John suggests that God would be/has been/is the one to act by giving the new city from heaven as a gift, and the human inclination to rebuild a temple is unnecessary.

“And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.” I do not think that John says there is no sun or moon, only that their light is unnecessary, because God and the Lamb are the light. The nations and those nation’s kings come to it, in an echo of Isaiah 2, and again we have the notion of an inclusive establishment. Perhaps this is one of those few places where John refers to Gentile followers of Christ.

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city.” The river is an image John took from the New Jerusalem described in Ezekiel 47: Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. 2 Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and the water was coming out on the south side.

3 Going on eastward with a cord in his hand, the man measured one thousand cubits, and then led me through the water; and it was ankle-deep. 4 Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was knee-deep. Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was up to the waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. 6 He said to me, “Mortal, have you seen this? Ezekiel 47.1-6

The waters represent a refreshing of Judea, a reversal of the judgement upon Sodom and Gomorrah. The water flows from God, and transforms the land, and thus, the people. In Revelation this is God’s transforming power which “to the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.” (Revelation 21.6b).

“On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” The tree of life is last seen in Genesis in the garden of Eden. There are two trees described in Genesis 3 – one is the tree of life, which presumably keeps one alive. It is a symbol for eternal life, that is, life with God. The other is the tree of the knowledge of good and eveil, which, of course, is forbidden to the primordial humans, Adam and Eve. This tree is no longer present, for the the inhabitants of the city presumably already know more than enough about good and evil. The leaves are for healing, for the people of God’s city are wounded, from the oppressions which they have suffered.


“they will reign forever and ever”


The tradition that Christ’s disciples would reign with him predates Revelation, and can be found in some of the gospels. The martyred Christians in heaven reign with Christ in the thousand years, and this seems to pick up on a more eternal reign – or perhaps John is just using “reign” as a word that suggests participation in the Christ who reigns. Having parsed and deconstructed the description of God’s new creation in these two chapters I trust it is obvious that a) this is a vision that is not to be taken literally and b) that it refers to a reality that is variously past, present, and future. A Christian lives in time and out of it, both in the present and eternally, transformed by the past victory accomplished by Jesus Christ and looking forward to a full transformation in the future.​


In our own time, Jerusalem has been the focal point for bitterly-contested claims about land. On a high point in the city, the sacred Jewish site of Mount Zion, on a base which formed the foundation for the Temple built two millennia ago, sits the gleaming gold dome of a Muslim holy building. It has been contested territory for decades, ever since the modern state of Israel was established. Today, both Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims claim Jerusalem as the capital city of their contested territory.

Jerusalem has significance in Jewish tradition as the place where Abraham was said to have been tested by a command to sacrifice his son, Isaac (Gen 22), where David based his kingdom over a united Judah and Israel (2 Sam 5), where Solomon built a temple to the Lord God (1 Ki 3:1; 8:1–9:25), and where the returning exiles came to focus their rebuilding of religion and society after their years in Babylon (Ezra 1—3; Neh 7—8). The more highly conservative of Jews today anticipate that, when the Messiah comes, he will oversee the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem also has significance in Islam, as the last place visited by the Prophet Mohammed before he ascended into the heavens (Quran 17:1), as well as being a key place in the events to take place at the end of the world. The city is called Al-Quds, meaning “the noble, sacred place”. It is reported that Mohammed instructed faithful people to make pilgrimages to three places: Mecca, Medinah, and Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock, with its golden-topped mosque, is a stunning reminder of the importance of the city to Muslims.

And Jerusalem has gained central significance in Christianity because it was the place where Jesus was arrested, tried, crucified, and buried (Mark 14—15 and parallels); where, in some traditions, his earliest disciples laid claim to having seen him alive (Luke 24:33–53; John 20:19–29); and where, according to Luke’s orderly narrative, the first gathering of “apostles and elders” made decisions about “what God had done … among the Gentiles” (Acts 15:6–29).

So the passage for this coming Sunday (2 Sam 5:1–10) touches on a deeply symbolic element of the story, not only of ancient Israelite religion and modern Judaism, but also of contemporary Christian and Muslim sensitivities about Jerusalem.

The history-like narratives that form the books in the extended series of Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, 1–2 Samuel, and 1–2 Kings tell the story, mythologised and valorised, of the development of Israel from its early days. These narratives most likely originated as oral stories, told and retold over the years, coming into written form many centuries after they were first told. We have access to these stories only through the written compilation that we have in Hebrew Scripture, most likely finalised in the time leading up to or during the exiles of the people of Israel and Judah from the 7th and 6th centuries BCE.

The lectionary selection this Sunday (2 Sam 5:1–10) tells of the taking of Jerusalem by the army of King David, soon after the elders of Israel had anointed him as king (2 Sam 5:3). His rule, we are told, would last for another 33 years; coming after the seven years that he had already ruled Judah, this would make for forty years as king (2 Sam 5:4-5). And in these biblical narratives, “forty years” is the way of describing “a long, long time”. The dominance of David over his kingdom is signalled in this claim.

In listening to this passage, we need to remember that we are not dealing with a precise and accurate historical account of David’s taking control of the city of Jerusalem; not that such an objective factual account could ever exist, for all “history” is told from a specific perspective, and other perspectives on the same events are equally possible and valid. So this is an account from a later time, told to explain and justify the place that Jerusalem has held amongst “the house of David”, the people of Israel.

The city forms a stronghold for David, as he consolidates his power. This is but one in a number of battles that David engaged in, beginning with his his centre-stage role in the ongoing war against the Philistines, when he slew the giant Goliath (1 Sam 17). David held power through years of wrangling with Saul, before his dominance was secured. His earlier years as ruler of the united kingdom continued to be unsettled. The narrator cites a song that was later sung about these two kings, as their troops battled each other, as well as mutual enemies: “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Sam 21:11).

After fighting the Philistines, Saul has 85 priests of Nob slaughtered (22:1–19); David leads his men in “raids on the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites … leaving neither man nor woman alive” (27:8–11). He did battle once again with the Philistines (29:1–11); the narrator then provides a list of the many towns “where David and his men had roamed” (30:27–31). Presumably in those places they had murdered and pillaged as well.
2 Sam 8–12 lists ongoing battles in which David features: attacking the Philistines yet again (8:1), then the Moabites (8:2), the Syrians under Hadadezer of Zobah (8:3–8), the Edomites (8:13–14), the Ammonites (10:14) and the Arameans (10:15–19), and then the Ammonites once again (12:26–31). The conquest of Jerusalem from the Jebusites that features in the passage we read this coming Sunday (2 Sam 5:1–10) is but one of many armed conflicts that David leads.

It is ironic that the name of the city, Jerusalem, most likely means “city of peace”; the word combines two Semitic roots, yry, meaning “foundation”, and shlm, meaning “peace”. The name signifies that the city provides the foundation for peace. Yet the city was (and sadly, today, continues to be) anything but a city of peace. Even in his day, David used the site as a means to his own political ends; he takes the city from its Jebusite inhabitants and builds a foundation where God’s holiness could be reinforced and celebrated.

The Jebusites had long been the inhabitants of the city named in scripture as Jerusalem. This people appear with regularity in the list of peoples who were “the inhabitants of the land” that was initially, so the story goes, promised to Abraham and his descendants: “to your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites” (Gen 15:18–21)
.
In the book of Exodus, the Lord God declares of the Israelites in Egypt, “I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites” (Exod 3:7–8; see also 3:17; 13:5; 23:23; 33:2; 34:11).

Numbers 32 then purports to give a detailed account, in advance, of the various kingdoms and their cities that will be conquered and divided up amongst the twelve tribes of Israel, as they capture them, dispossess the people (see v.39), and rename the towns and villages. The command to “dispossess” the people of their land runs through Moses’s long speech that is reported in Deuteronomy (see Deut 7:17; 9:1–3; 11:1–3; 12:29; 31:3).

Deuteronomy 9:1–3The instructions are clear: “You must demolish completely all the places where the nations whom you are about to dispossess served their gods, on the mountain heights, on the hills, and under every leafy tree. Break down their altars, smash their pillars, burn their sacred poles with fire, and hew down the idols of their gods, and thus blot out their name from their places. You shall not worship the Lord your God in such ways.” (Deut 12:2–4).

Before this speech, as they stand on the threshold of the land of Canaan, the people were hesitant about entering; it was reported, “the people [in Canaan] are stronger and taller than we; the cities are large and fortified up to heaven” (Deut 1:28). The Lord God chastens them and insists they press ahead to enter the land, where they will find “a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant” (Deut 6:10–11). For will give this all to them.

The book of Joshua then recounts the forceful invasion of the tribes of Israel into the land of Canaan, when list of the peoples whom “the living God who without fail will drive out from before you” includes “the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites” (3:10; see also 12:8; 24:11). The violence perpetrated in this invasion and conquest is made clear by incident after incident in this book and then in the following book of Judges. It was a violent time indeed.

The Jebusites are amongst the peoples identified in the genealogical lists of Genesis as the descendants of Canaan (Gen 10:15–18); in Numbers, we learn that “the Amalekites live in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea, and along the Jordan” (Num 13:29).

At one point in the narrative relating to Joshua, the Israelites engaged in battle with the king of Jerusalem and four other kings (Josh 10:1–5); they were put to death (Josh 10:23–27) and the boundary if the land of the people of Judah was said to have gone “up by the valley of the son of Hinnom at the southern slope of the Jebusites (that is, Jerusalem)” (Josh 5:8). However, the account of the towns of Judah concludes with the note that “the people of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so the Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this day” (Josh 15:63).

Then, when the book of Judges was compiled, a similar note was included to the effect that “the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country … [but] the Benjaminites did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived in Jerusalem among the Benjaminites to this day” (Judg 1:19, 21).
As an explanation as to how “the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, forgetting the Lord their God, and worshiping the Baals and the Asherahs” (Judg 3:7), the author of this narrative explains that “the Israelites lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and they took their daughters as wives for themselves, and their own daughters they gave to their sons; and they worshiped their gods” (Judg 3:5–6).

So when David comes to the city, the narrative preserved in the scriptures of the Israelites clearly records that he led his army into the city to take “the stronghold of Zion” and to proclaim that it “is now the city of David” (2 Sam 5:7). Hebrew Scripture makes it abundantly clear that the Israelites took over control of this remaining Canaanite settlement by force, just as earlier generations of Israelites had invaded and conquered the people of the wider territory of Canaan, and then waged war against the Philistines.


The narrative had earlier

reported

that the youthful David,

after he

had fought and killed

the

Philistine giant, Goliath,


had taken

Goliath’s head in triumph into Jerusalem

(1 Sam 17:54)


However, at this point the narrative had not recorded the transfer of power in Jerusalem from the Jebusites to the Israelites. So this claim is a somewhat anachronistic note, most likely influenced by the understanding that Jerusalem would become the central location of importance for David’s kingdom. 



​

The "Root of Jesse"

is a

messianic title for


The Anointed Messiah 


 It fulfills prophecies that the Savior

would be born into

the royal lineage of King David,

whose father was Jesse. 


Exploring this biblical connection reveals

several

important theological answers:



​

ROOT



Jesse was the father of King David. In the Bible, Jesse's family tree was prophesied to be the source of a new, righteous king (Isaiah 11:1).





The


"Root" and "Branch"


In Isaiah 11:1, the Messiah is called a "shoot from the stump of Jesse." This indicates that even though Israel's royal line would face judgment and appear spiritually dead, the Messiah would miraculously sprout and bring salvation.





Jesus as Both Descendant and Creator


In Revelation 22:16, Jesus calls Himself both the "Root and the Offspring of David". As a human, He is the descendant (Offspring) of David. As the Son of God, He is the Creator (Root) who existed before David and established the entire lineage.





"Son of David"


Calling Jesus the "Son of David" is more than a statement of his family tree; it is a Messianic title. It acknowledges Him as the promised King who would sit on David's throne forever​


Root of Jesse is a metaphor found in Isaiah 11:10: “In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.” The term root of Jesse figuratively stands for the Messiah.

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The “root” of a family is its progenitor. Jesse was King David’s father. We know from the genealogical records (Matthew 1:1–17 and Luke 3:23–38) that Jesus was descended from the line of Jesse and his son David. In Isaiah 11:10, the Hebrew word used for “root” (sheresh) implies a root that remains alive and sends up a shoot or branch; thus, the root of Jesse was a root from which more descendants could come.

When Isaiah began to prophesy, there was a current hope among the people that a glorious earthly king—the Messiah—would assume the throne of David. Through the prophet Nathan, God had promised David that his offspring would establish an eternal kingdom: “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. . . . Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–16). The messianic title “Son of David” traces back to this prophecy.

Isaiah’s use of root of Jesse expresses the promise of a messianic king who would be born of David’s family line and focuses Judah’s expectation of survival on a sparse, leaderless remnant. The prophet uses a similar metaphor—“a shoot from the stump of Jesse”—in Isaiah 11:1 to describe their future hope. This “stump” signifies the remnant of Jesse’s family that would barely survive. God’s judgment was coming on Judah, and the nation would be left with nothing but a seemingly lifeless “stump,” but there would be life yet. God promised to retain a remnant to carry on His work and the bloodline of King David. What seemed to be a dead, decaying stump would bring forth new life in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Seventeen verses in the New Testament describe Jesus as the “son of David.” But the question arises, how could Jesus be the son of David if David lived approximately 1,000 years before Jesus? The answer is that Christ (the Messiah) was the fulfillment of the prophecy of the seed of David (2 Samuel 7:12–16). Jesus is the promised Messiah, which means He had to be of the lineage of David. Matthew 1 gives the genealogical proof that Jesus, in His humanity, was a direct descendant of Abraham and David through Joseph, Jesus’ legal father. The genealogy in Luke 3 traces Jesus’ lineage through His mother, Mary. Jesus is a descendant of David by adoption through Joseph and by blood through Mary. “As to his earthly life [Christ Jesus] was a descendant of David” (Romans 1:3).

Primarily, the title “Son of David” is more than a statement of physical genealogy. It is a Messianic title. When people referred to Jesus as the Son of David, they meant that He was the long-awaited Deliverer, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.

Jesus was addressed as “Lord, thou son of David” several times by people who, by faith, were seeking mercy or healing. The woman whose daughter was being tormented by a demon (Matthew 15:22) and the two blind men by the wayside (Matthew 20:30) all cried out to the Son of David for help. The titles of honor they gave Him declared their faith in Him. Calling Him “Lord” expressed their sense of His deity, dominion, and power, and calling Him “Son of David,” expressed their faith that He was the Messiah.

The Pharisees understood exactly what the people meant when they called Jesus “Son of David.” But, unlike those who cried out in faith, the Pharisees were so blinded by their own pride that they couldn’t see what the blind beggars could see—that here was the Messiah they had supposedly been waiting for all their lives. They hated Jesus because He wouldn’t give them the honor they thought they deserved, so when they heard the people hailing Jesus as the Savior, they became enraged (Matthew 21:15) and plotted to destroy Him (Luke 19:47).

Jesus further confounded the scribes and Pharisees by asking them to explain the meaning of this very title: how could it be that the Messiah is the son of David when David himself refers to Him as “my Lord” (Mark 12:35–37; cf. Psalm 110:1)? The teachers of the Law couldn’t answer the question. Jesus thereby exposed the Jewish leaders’ ineptitude as teachers and their ignorance of what the Old Testament taught as to the true nature of the Messiah, further alienating them from Him.

Jesus’ point in asking the question of Mark 12:35 was that the Messiah is more than the physical son of David. If He is David’s Lord, He must be greater than David. As Jesus says in Revelation 22:16, “I am the Root and the Offspring of David.” That is, He is both the Creator of David and the Descendant of David. Only the Son of God made flesh could say that.

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​​HISTORY


Ninety-five years after the first Sacrament of Confirmation and dedication of the church, Sacred Heart parish can look back over a rich history. For a few years in the early 1860's a few Catholic families and the Catholic servant girls employed in the village households were attended by the resident pastor of nearby Grafton. Oberlin was attached to Elyria as a Station. After the first OFFICIAL Mass on June 1,1880 Mass was held in private homes for twenty-five years. Steady growth required additional clergy and added Masses; social and educational programs realized corresponding expansion.
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A handsome red brick and stone Romanesque church was built on the corner of Pleasant and Groveland Streets. The Oberlin newspaper for Saturday, September 6, 1890 reports that "fully fifteen hundred people gathered to witness the ceremonies connected with the laying of the corner stone of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the new chapel which the adherents of the Catholic church are erecting... Trains from the east and west brought hundreds of people desirous to be present at the first services connected with the new chapel." For fifteen years the mission parish was serviced by priests from neighboring towns until January 1906 when the Rev. Father Peter E. Dietz was assigned. The "residence" or rectory which was built under Father Dietz's direction beside the church still stands today on the corner, even though the church is no longer there. It was sold with the stipulation that the church building which held so many memories and had resulted from so many sacrifices of parishioners would be torn down lest it ever be used for an ignoble purpose. In 1909 the first Social Service Institute in the United States under Catholic auspices was organized in Oberlin by Father Dietz, a pioneer in the field of Catholic Social Action. New industrial development in Lorain County increased the number of Catholic families; to keep up with the expansion, a ten-acre plot on West Lorain Street was purchased. Between 1959 and 1963 until the new multi-purpose building on West Lorain Street was completed church events took place at both locations. Sacred Heart has played an increasingly active role in the religious life of Oberlin; in November 1995 the sanctuary was the site for an all-community Thanksgiving Service during which a new pipe organ was dedicated. This one-manual organ is unusually designed so that the keyboard can be divided to bring two ranks of pipes into play.




MUSIC,


​
AND


THE PRESENT CONGREGATION



The present priest is


Father William Padavick.


Music Director is John Metzger.


Hymns


with accompaniment are

sung

​from Missalettes in the pews.


Some favorite hymns


are


"Eagle's Wings"; "Gentle Woman";

and



"Let there be peace on earth".

​

​The word “jubilee”—literally,


“the blast of a horn”


in Hebrew—is defined in

Leviticus 25:9

as


the sabbatical year

after


seven cycles of seven years


(49 years).




The fiftieth year


was to be a time of

celebration and rejoicing for the


Israelites.



The ram’s horn was blown

on the

tenth day

of the seventh month

to start

the fiftieth year

of universal redemption.

The Year of the Jubilee involved a year of release from indebtedness (Leviticus 25:23-38) and all types of bondage (vv. 39-55). All prisoners and captives were set free, all slaves were released, all debts were forgiven, and all property was returned to its original owners. In addition, all labor was to cease for one year, and those bound by labor contracts were released from them. One of the benefits of the Jubilee was that both the land and the people were able to rest.

The Jubilee presents a beautiful picture of the New Testament themes of redemption and forgiveness. Christ is the Redeemer who came to set free those who are slaves and prisoners to sin (Romans 8:2; Galatians 5:1; 3:22). The debt of sin we owe to God was paid on the cross as Jesus died on our behalf (Colossians 2:13-14), and we are forgiven the debt forever. We are no longer in bondage, no longer slaves to sin, having been freed by Christ, and we can truly enter the rest God provides as we cease laboring to make ourselves acceptable to God by our own works (Hebrews 4:9-10).

Hosanna is often thought of as a declaration of praise, similar to hallelujah, but it is actually a plea for salvation. The Hebrew root words are found in Psalm 118:25, which says, “Save us, we pray, O LORD!” (ESV). The Hebrew words yasha (“deliver, save”) and anna (“beg, beseech”) combine to form the word that, in English, is “hosanna.” Literally, hosanna means “I beg you to save!” or “please deliver us!”

So, as Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, the crowds were perfectly right to shout “Hosanna!” They were acknowledging Jesus as their Messiah, as shown in their address “Son of David.” Theirs was a cry for salvation and a recognition that Jesus is able to save.

Later that day, Jesus was in the temple, and the children present were again shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:15). The chief priests and the teachers of the Law were displeased: “‘Do you hear what these children are saying?’ they asked him. ‘Yes,’ replied Jesus, ‘have you never read, “From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise”’?” (Matthew 21:16). In saying, “Hosanna!” the people were crying out for salvation, and that’s exactly why Jesus had come. Within a week Jesus would be hanging on a cross.


In Philippians 2:9–11 we read that Jesus has the name above all names: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” What did Paul mean when he said that God gave Jesus the name that is above every name?

In this passage, the apostle appeals to believers to cultivate an attitude of humility. He gives them an example to emulate, namely, Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate model of humility. He says in verses 6–9 that Jesus, who is God and who has always been God, did not hold tightly to His position of equality with God. Instead, Jesus emptied Himself or made Himself nothing. He left His high rank in heaven to become a humble, human servant. He set aside His rights and privileges as God to live a life of humble service and obedience, even to the point of dying a horrible death on the cross for sinners.

As a result of Jesus Christ’s self-emptying and self-humiliation, God exalted Him to the highest place of honor. Jesus, who stooped down low, was raised by the Father to His glorious position in heaven. The name that is above all names is the supreme name—the divine name Lord. This name acknowledges Jesus Christ’s absolute lordship as divine King of the universe, and it brings with it the right to be worshiped.

It was humbling for the Son of God to become a man. Taking on the character of a servant was even more humbling. But Jesus went a step beyond. He was willing to die one of the most disgraceful forms of execution as a condemned criminal on a cross. Following His humiliation and obedience, God elevated Jesus to His rightful place of glory. After Christ’s victorious resurrection from the dead, God bestowed honor upon His humble, obedient Son: “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne” (Hebrews 12:2, NLT).

When Paul said, “At the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:10, CSB), the emphasis was on every creature in the universe acknowledging Jesus as Lord over all creation. When he stated, “Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (verse 11, CSB), he meant that every living thing, both in heaven and on earth, will honor Christ. Heavenly forces and demonic powers, people who reject Christ and His faithful in the church—all will bow before Him (Isaiah 45:23–24). Every tongue will acknowledge Jesus for who He is—the Sovereign Lord of the universe.

The verses stating that all creation will honor Jesus Christ do not mean that everyone will be saved. Instead, they point to the time when every being acknowledges His authority. The exalted Christ, who sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand (Colossians 3:1) is Lord over all (Acts 10:36; Romans 10:12). He has the supreme Name; He is Lord of lords and King of kings (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). He is the one Lord, “Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live” (1 Corinthians 8:6, NLT). Jesus is Lord of both the dead and the living (Romans 14:9). He is the Lord upon whom the church calls (1 Corinthians 1:2). Jesus is our Mediator (Hebrews 3:1–6; 8:6; 9:15; 12:24), Intercessor (Hebrews 7:24–25; Romans. 8:34),

Reconciler (Ephesians 2:12–17; Romans 5:1), and the One who gives us entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven


(Hebrews 4:1, 11; 6:19–20).


Jesus has the name above all names because


Jesus Christ is Lord!


This name,

given to Him by the Father,

affirms


His divinity and supreme authority.



The phrase “every knee shall bow” comes from the Old Testament book of Isaiah. In the last half of the book (chapters 40—66), God prophesies through Isaiah the coming comfort to His people, Israel, who are in exile in Babylon for their covenant unfaithfulness. The phrase in question is found in Isaiah 45:23, which reads, “By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.”

The main thrust of the overall passage is that God is the only one who can save His people, as opposed to the idols that are worshiped by the nations. God is God and there is no other (Isaiah 45:5–6, 18, 22). Those who turn from their idols will be saved. Those who do not will be ashamed. The bottom line is that, before God, every knee shall bow and every tongue swear allegiance to God.

The apostle Paul quotes this passage twice in his writings, once in Romans 14:11 and again in Philippians 2:10–11. In the Romans context, Paul is writing about Christian liberty. The Christian is not to pass judgment on his brother or sister in Christ over non-essential issues—the examples given in the text are dietary habits and religious days of observance. In these things to which the Lord gave no specific command, we should not stand in judgment of our brothers or sisters in Christ.

The other quote, Philippians 2:10–11, comes in that wonderful Christological passage, the overall context of which is the call to Christian humility and how we should not consider ourselves better than others. Rather, we should look out for the interests of others above our own. In vv. 5–11, Paul uses Christ as the ultimate example of humility that we should follow. It was Christ who, being in the very form of God, emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant. In doing so, He became obedient to God to the point of death. This He did for the sake of His people. It is important to note the overarching theme of this passage—the humiliation and exaltation of Christ. Christ first humbles Himself and then submits Himself in complete obedience to the Father. Afterwards, the Father highly exalts Him above all things. Paul cites Isaiah 45:23 to say that at the feet of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father.

In both of Paul’s citations of Isaiah 45:23, he is echoing the truth that there will come a time when “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess” to the glory of God. In the Philippians citation, Paul is declaring the divinity of Jesus when he says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Him as Lord. This is a clear indication of what will occur at the Second Coming of Christ. During the first advent, Christ came in humiliation and died a humiliating death on the cross for the sins of the world. In His second advent, Christ will come with power as the Conquering King. When that happens, it will be as our Lord Himself predicted in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 25:31–46) and as the vision the apostle John received in Revelation 20:11–15. When the King of kings and the Lord of lords returns to this earth, then will come true what the prophet Isaiah foretold all those years ago: “Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear allegiance.”

The lesson for those living in the “here and now” is that we must heed the warning of the writer of Hebrews who said: “So, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, “Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.” So I declared on oath in my anger, “They shall never enter my rest”’” (Hebrews 3:7–11, citing Psalm 95:7–11).

If we have heard and responded to the gospel, then we must live each day in light of its truth, shining the light of Christ into a dark world. Those who have not responded to the gospel are exhorted to respond today and not harden the heart. It is appointed for each of us to die once and then to face the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Those who have responded to the gospel with faith and repentance will do so gladly and willingly. Those who have hardened their hearts to the call of the gospel will do so with great fear and trembling.


In Genesis 3 God metes out various judgments against those who brought sin into His perfect world. Adam, Eve, and the serpent all hear of the consequences of their rebellion. To the serpent God says, in part, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15, KJV).


Even in this judgment, there is mercy. God’s curse on the serpent, in particular, was laced with words of hope. The woman mentioned in Genesis 3:15 is Eve. The serpent, addressed directly, is the animal that Satan used to deceive the woman. Some of the curse was directed at the animal (verse 14); at the same time, the curse of God falls upon Satan, who had taken the serpent’s form or body in Eden (cf. the dragon in Revelation 12:9).

As part of the curse, enmity—mutual hatred and ill will—will exist between the woman and the serpent. Later, the same enmity will continue between the woman’s seed or offspring (mankind in general, since Eve is the “mother of all living,” Genesis 3:20) and the serpent’s seed. Their offspring will remain enemies throughout all generations. The serpent’s (metaphorical) offspring are demonic forces and also those people who follow the devil and accomplish his will. Jesus called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers” in Matthew 12:34 and said they belonged to their “father, the devil” in John 8:44. In short, God says that Satan will always be the enemy of mankind. It follows that people who side with Satan will be at perpetual war with God’s elect and that we are engaged in a very real battle between good and evil (Ephesians 6:12).

Genesis 3:15 is a remarkable verse, often called the protoevangelium (literally, “first gospel”), because it is the Bible’s first prediction of a Savior. The second half of the verse gives two messianic prophecies concerning that Savior:


The first messianic prophecy


in Genesis 3:15

is that

“he will crush your head.”


That is, the seed of the woman will crush the serpent’s head. The Amplified Bible makes it clear that “the woman’s seed” is more than mankind in general; it is an individual representing all mankind:


“And I will put enmity (open hostility)
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed (offspring) and her Seed;
He shall [fatally] bruise your head.”


The second messianic prophecy in Genesis 3:15 is that “you will strike his heel.” That is, the serpent will bite the heel of “the woman’s seed.” The heel-bite is set in contrast to the head-crush, as the Amplified Bible brings out: “And you shall [only] bruise His heel.”

This passage points to the promise of Jesus’ birth, His redemption, and His victory over Satan. The woman’s offspring is Jesus. Being virgin-born, He is literally the offspring of a woman (Matthew 1:25; Galatians 4:4; cf. Isaiah 7:14). Being the Son of Man, He is the perfect representative of humankind. The devil’s offspring were the evil men and demonic forces who, like a snake, lay in wait for the Savior and struck at Him. Their venomous conspiracy condemned Jesus to be crucified.

But the serpent’s strike did not spell the end of the Offspring of the woman. Jesus rose the third day, breaking the power of death and winning the ultimate victory. With the cross, Jesus “crushed” the devil’s head, defeating him forever. So, in Genesis 3:15, the crushing of the serpent’s head was a picture of Jesus’ triumph over sin and Satan at the cross (cf. John 12:31). The striking of the Messiah’s heel was a picture of the wounding and death of Jesus on the cross. Satan bruised Jesus’ “heel,” but Jesus showed complete dominance over Satan by bruising his “head.”

Satan, although still active in this world, is a defeated foe. His doom is sure: “And the devil . . . was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur” (Revelation 20:10). Until that time, there remains enmity between Satan and God’s children.

The protoevangelium shows us that God always had the plan of salvation in mind and informed us of His plan as soon as sin entered the world. Satan formulated a plan involving the serpent in Eden, but God was way ahead of him, having already ordained the Serpent-crusher. Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled God’s mission: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8).

Exodus 17:15–16 tells us, “Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, ‘Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.’” “The Lord is my Banner” is the translation of the Hebrew Yahweh-Nissi.

Earlier in Exodus 17, we read of the Amalekites attacking the Israelites at Rephidim. Joshua and the Israelites fought against the Amalekites while Moses stood on top of a hill with the staff of God in his hands. When Moses’ hands were lifted, the Israelites were winning; when his hands were lowered, the Amalekites were winning. Understandably, Moses grew tired, so he sat on a stone, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands. The children of Israel gained the victory (verse 13). God then instructed Moses to write the account of the battle on a scroll so that it would be remembered (verse 14). It was then that Moses built the altar he named “The Lord is my Banner.” That name proclaims God’s leadership and the protection of His people.

A banner is something that identifies and unifies a particular group of people. For example, a military flag or standard is sometimes called a banner. The Israelites’ saying, “The Lord is my Banner,” was a way of identifying themselves as the unified followers of the Lord God. A banner also functions as a rallying point for troops in a battle. The altar Moses built in Exodus 17 marked the place where God intervened on behalf of His people and promised to utterly defeat His enemies.

Psalm 20:5 says, “May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God.” In verses 6–8 we read, “Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” God’s people continue to say, “The Lord is my Banner,” because it is in His power that the enemies are vanquished (see also Psalm 60:4–5). The Lord is our Banner in that He is the One under whom we unite. He is our Savior. We are rescued by Him and identified in Him.


An enemy is one who dislikes or hates another and seeks to harm, contradict, and fight the one he is set against. Thus, an enemy of God is one who opposes the presence and purposes of God in this world.

The Bible identifies Satan, the devil, as the specific enemy of God (1 Timothy 5:14–15). Throughout history, as God’s enemy, Satan has sought to thwart God’s plan, harm humans, and lead them away from God.

Besides Satan, Scripture names many other enemies of God and His people. Other words used for an enemy of God in the Bible are adversary and foe. Any person who disobeys the Lord’s commands is declared to be God’s enemy. Sin sets us against God: “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior” (Colossians 1:21). The apostle Paul referred to unsaved sinners as enemies of God: “For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son” (Romans 5:10, NLT).

All through Israel’s history, the people of God contended with enemies committed to their destruction. The Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Philistines, and the Babylonians are just a few of the many cruel and oppressive enemy nations featured in the Old Testament. Those nations, in opposing God’s people, were counted God’s enemies, and God fought on Israel’s behalf (see 2 Kings 19).

Throughout His life, Jesus Christ was opposed by human and spiritual enemies as foretold in Genesis 3:15. Herod the Great tried but failed to have the infant Jesus killed (Matthew 2:13, 16–20). Satan tempted Christ in the wilderness (Mark 1:12–13). At times Satan opposed the Lord through His friends and followers (Matthew 16:22–23; 26:14–16; Luke 22:3; John 13:21–27). As predicted in Old Testament Scripture (Psalm 2:2; Isaiah 53:3), the Jewish leaders plotted to kill Jesus (Matthew 12:14; 27:1; Mark 3:6; John 5:18; 7:1, 19; 11:53).

Christ’s enemies succeeded in executing Him (Matthew 27:22; Acts 2:23) but were unsuccessful in thwarting God’s plan. Jesus overcame every enemy, including death, so that His followers might be set free by His victory (Matthew 22:44; Philippians 2:9–11).

Jesus Christ made it clear that Christians would face many enemies because of their faith in Him: “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12; see also John 15:18–19; 17:14).

Christ also provided an example for Christians to follow whenever they face enemies of God and their threats: “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed’” (1 Peter 2:21–24).

The Bible instructs believers to be cautious yet courageous when dealing with the enemies of God: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, ESV).

The enemies of God are fighting a losing battle: “Surely your enemies, Lord, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered” (Psalm 92:9). The final enemy of God to be eradicated is death: “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:25–26; see also 2 Timothy 1:10; Revelation 21:4).
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Isaiah 55 is descriptive of God calling the people of Israel to come to Him. God’s words at the beginning of chapter 55 use the metaphors of water, wine, milk, and bread. The action that God desires is for the people of Israel to “come to the waters.” Specifically, God wants the people of Israel to come and receive that which they have not earned and cannot pay for (Isaiah 55:1b). God is offering a free gift.

Isaiah then records God explicitly calling Israel to come to Him (55:3). Israel is to come and listen with the purpose of having life. This same sentiment is seen in Isaiah 55:6, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” The basic idea of the chapter is summed up in Isaiah 55:7b, “Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”

The book of Isaiah was written to the southern kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC. Judah was quickly following in the footsteps of their brothers to the north (Isaiah 1:2). Isaiah begins the book by declaring that the nation of Judah was a rebellious people who did not know their master. Considering the nature of Judah’s relationship with God, Isaiah 55 presents a shocking message—come to God and receive mercy; come to God and receive that which you do not deserve.

Isaiah 55:1 begins by appealing to a need: “Come, all you who are thirsty.” The people of Judah had a need for mercy and grace from God as they did not do the things God required. Judah was in a covenant relationship with God. They had agreed to follow the laws of God but had not kept them. The result of disobedience to God is a need for mercy and forgiveness (Ephesians 2:1–10). Judah had that need.

Isaiah continues with the solution: “Come to the waters.” As the context describes, God is calling the people of Judah, who need mercy, to come to God to receive the mercy that only God can provide. In the metaphor, the people are thirsty. The obvious solution to the thirst is water. So, what does it mean to “come to the waters”? In this context, it means to return to God, dependent on His mercy.

Jesus uses a similar metaphor in John 4 in His conversation with the Samaritan woman. The Samaritans were half Jewish and half Gentile. Because of this, the Jewish people looked down on the Samaritans. As Jesus purposefully passes through the land of Samaria, He addresses a Samaritan woman at a well in John 4:7–38.

The woman finds Jesus at a well where she draws water. Through conversation, Jesus offers the woman “living water,” which will quench the thirst of the woman forever. Jesus uses this metaphor of water to point to that which leads to eternal life (John 4:14). Jesus was inviting the women to come to the waters and receive what she needed—the grace of God that leads to eternal life.

The Samaritan woman was an unrighteous, rebellious woman in God’s eyes (John 4:17–18), but Jesus offered her living water that would provide for her spiritual needs. In the same way, God had offered the people of Judah the water that He would freely give them (Isaiah 55:1). The same invitation for forgiveness and restoration is extended today: “Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).

​The book of Psalms contains many encouraging verses, including Psalm 18:2, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” There is a lot to unpack in this verse, but our focus will be on the first phrase, the Lord is my rock.

Being a poetic book, Psalms employs figurative language extensively. The “rock” in this verse is metaphorical, and the repetition emphasizes its importance to the psalmist. King David most likely penned these words after he was established as king in Israel. Prior to this, he had faced numerous enemies, including King Saul. David’s life was often in jeopardy, and he was compelled to live outside the bounds of a normal community. This helps us better appreciate his looking to the Lord as his rock.

A literal rock is solid, stable, and strong. It requires force to break through, and in ancient times people sought refuge in caves and rocky terrains for safety (Exodus 33:22; 1 Kings 19:9–13; Judges 6:2; Revelation 6:15–16). A rock can be life-sustaining in more ways than one, as Moses brought forth water from a rock to quench the thirst of the Israelites (Exodus 17:1–7).

David’s use of a “rock” as a metaphor first highlights trust. In times of danger, David acknowledges that he can trust God just as someone hiding in a rocky cave would trust it for shelter. This psalmist had numerous personal experiences with caves and likely drew inspiration from them (1 Samuel 22:1–2; 24:1–6). Trusting God in times of trial can be challenging, so we need occasional reminders. In situations that surpass human understanding, God remains sovereign.

Another significance of the rock is its strength. Many Bible verses depict God as the source of strength (Isaiah 40:29; Psalm 73:26; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 6:10), and we have the testimony of David, who experienced the benefits of relying on God for strength. Difficult times can leave one weak, confused, and in despair. In the valleys of life, God strengthens us through His Word, prayer, and the comfort of other believers.

We can also understand the rock as a place of safety. The psalmist realizes that—beyond trusting and gaining strength—he is also safest with God. David understands that God is the only One who can protect him from his enemies. Trials can lead to doubts and desperation, but struggling Christians should realize that true safety lies in God’s hands. If God doesn’t deliver us from a situation, then He desires to be with us through it. Either way, we are in good hands. Even if we lose our lives, we await a new world without tears, pain, and suffering (Revelation 21:4).

Other metaphors in the verse point to God’s trustworthiness as a source of strength and place of safety. In addition to being called a “rock,” God is a fortress, a shield, a deliverer, a stronghold, and the horn of David’s salvation.

God’s function as a “rock” extends beyond times of trials. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus compares obedience to His teachings to building a house on a rock (Matthew 7:24–25). Jesus Himself became our rock and fortress when He delivered us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). Our trust, strength, and safety come from Him in this wicked world. Paul confirms that Christ is our Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4).

In all circumstances, may we join King David in saying, “The Lord is my rock!”

Job 19:25–26 says, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (KJV).

Upon a quick reading, this verse seems to refer to God as redeemer, to His coming to earth (possibly in incarnation or possibly in victory), to the resurrection of the body, and even to the hope of eternal life.

The problem with this interpretation is that it rests upon an understanding of the full revelation of Christian truth. A basic rule of hermeneutics says interpretation starts with what a text meant to its original audience. Suggesting meaning beyond that, such as a prophecy, often requires affirmation from the New Testament, like when Jesus quotes Psalm 22:1 in Matthew 27:46. If this verse is a full summary of Christian truth as later taught in the New Testament, then it is quite remarkable, and it would seem that Job had knowledge far beyond his contemporaries and even later prophets. Of course, some would see these verses as evidence that some Old Testament believers, such as Job, had a quite thorough knowledge of what was to come.

The fact the Job seemed to know some things that are hardly, if ever, alluded to even by later prophets should make us question the standard interpretation of his words in Job 19:25. Either the progressive nature of biblical revelation has been upended, or the translation of Job 19:25 has some problems based on difficult words within the passage. While most modern versions retain wording similar to the KJV translation, they also add footnotes that give alternative meanings.

Using the footnotes provided by the ESV, Job 19:25–26 could read this way: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the dust. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet without my flesh I shall see God.”

Using the NIV footnotes, the verse could be read like this: “I know that my vindicator lives, and that in the end he will stand on my grave. And after I awake, though this body has been destroyed, apart from my flesh I will see God.”

Simply substituting words into a translation based on footnotes is not sound methodology, but the exercise serves to illustrate the difficulties found in translating these particular verses.

At this juncture in the book of Job, Job’s friends have been accusing him of some great sin that has caused God to turn against him. Job expresses his confidence that a “kinsman-redeemer” (the word is the same used for Boaz in the book of Ruth) will come to his aid. The identity of this kinsman-redeemer is not specified; however, it seems unlikely that Job could have anyone in mind other than God Himself. God will be a witness for Job against his accusing friends. So the idea here of a “redeemer” does not have full Christian theology embedded in it, although Christians looking back can certainly see the seeds of that theology in Job.

Furthermore, Job expresses confidence that God will come and vindicate him and stand “on the dust” or “on the earth” or “on the grave.” The Hebrew term here can mean any of the three, depending on the context. If the word is translated “grave,” then Job expects vindication after death. If “dust” is preferred, then it may mean in this life, i.e., that God will appear before him on the very dust heap upon which he is lying in agony.

The next difficult term is translated “destroy” by the KJV. The Hebrew word does not necessarily indicate death. If “total destruction” is on Job’s mind, then the term would be referring to death. If he has “marring” or “damaging” in mind, it could simply mean that Job expects to be vindicated after the physical agony he is going though has done its worst. There is nothing in the term that specifies either life or death. An accurate translation could go either way.

The next difficult phrase is “in my flesh” (KJV). Literally, it’s “from my flesh” (YLT) and can mean “apart from my flesh” or “from within my flesh.” In other words, viable translations can mean almost the opposite of each other. However, there is no indication in this particular passage (or the book, for that matter) that Job expects a bodily resurrection. “I will see God” is Job’s hope whether in his body (in this life) or apart from his body (in the hereafter).

In summary, in verse 25, Job is confident that God will appear and vindicate him from the charges of his friends who are accusing him. In verse 26, Job is confident that he will see God, and he elaborates further on that hope in verse 27. Indeed, Job both sees God and is vindicated at the end of the book.

The way Job 19:25–26 has been used by many Christians is a classic case of teaching the right doctrines from the wrong verses. The full meaning of God as our kinsman-redeemer is New Testament revelation, as is the promise of ultimate vindication after death and the resurrection body (see Romans 8:18–39 and 1 Corinthians 15:42–58).

The statement “God is the Rock of my salvation” occurs several times in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 32:15; 2 Samuel 22:47; Psalm 89:26; 95:1). In each case, the expression evokes vivid imagery and a sense of security. God is a trustworthy, rock-solid Savior.

High cliffs and crags abound in biblical lands, and the Israelites often found themselves hiding in caves and mountain crevices from the enemy (see 1 Samuel 13:6). Considering the many battles fought in Israel, rocky areas were also ideal locations for strong, protective city fortresses. Thus, the phrase Rock of my salvation undoubtedly resonated deeply with God’s people.

The psalms are thick with declarations similar to “God is the Rock of my salvation,” and for good reason. Caves and rocky crevices were often David’s refuge when running from Saul, who sought to kill him (see 1 Samuel 24:3), yet David’s language reveals where he truly placed his hope—not in mountains or great city fortresses, but in God, Creator of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1–3). David declares, “Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God: he is my mighty rock, my refuge” (Psalm 62:6–7). David knew that, ultimately, it was up to the God of the cosmos to hide him from danger, material objects being the avenue by which He chose to provide such protection.

During the Old Testament period, specific knowledge about the Messiah had not yet been realized, so saying, “God is the Rock of my salvation,” was not an overt reference to salvation through Christ’s blood. So what might the idea that God is the Rock of salvation have meant in an Old Testament context? The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary explains, “In the OT, salvation refers both to everyday, regular types of deliverance—as from enemies, disease, and danger . . . and to those major deliverances that are specifically interpreted as being a definite part of God’s unique and special involvement in human history as well as special revelations of his character and will” (entry for “Salvation,” definition 1, p. 1272). Salvation’s emphasis in the New Testament is predominantly spiritual, but in the Old Testament salvation speaks much more about liberation within the physical realm. For instance, when Hannah prays in triumph, “I rejoice in your salvation. . . . There is no rock like our God” (1 Sam. 2:1–2, ESV), she rejoices over God’s deliverance from her barrenness as well as His granting that her husband’s name would continue on to many generations.

The meaning of God is the Rock of my salvation enlarges as the biblical narrative progresses. Isaiah 28:16 prophesies, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic” (cf. Psalm 118:21–23; Zechariah 10:4). The God who had delivered His people throughout history gradually provided more vivid glimpses, through His prophets, of just how far His salvation would reach. Isaiah’s prophecy clearly points to the hope of the Messiah, yet the truth that God, the Rock of salvation, would become flesh in Jesus Christ was not yet revealed.

In the New Testament as Jesus begins His ministry, His disciples and others still do not understand that He is the climactic saving act of the God of the Israelites. But after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, all doubt is removed (John 20:26–29). The spiritual Rock they had always worshiped had now become physical. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples’ bold preaching demonstrates their certainty that Jesus truly was this same Rock. Peter preaches, “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone’” (Acts 4:11; see also 1 Peter 2:4–8). The canvas had now been filled with color, the painting now containing details that were once just faint ideas.

Its meaning greatly enlarged, Rock of salvation now resonates even more deeply in our hearts, as it relates not only to God’s deliverance within the physical realm but also to the ultimate spiritual deliverance He provides His people through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Rock of our salvation, a sure and eternal refuge, the foundation on which rests the hope of heaven. “The one who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:6).

​Psalm 40 begins with a song of thanksgiving and transitions into a cry for help. David declares his trust in God to deliver him out of his trouble just as the Lord has done in the past: “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure” (Psalm 40:2, ESV).

David’s situation had been so dire and dangerous that he describes it as a “pit of destruction,” “the slimy pit” (NIV), or “the pit of despair” (NLT). He was stuck so deep in the “miry bog” (ESV), or “mud and mire” (NLT) that, on his own, David was powerless to get free. But when he called on the Lord for help, God intervened, rescuing David. He pulled David up out of the desolate pit of engulfing quicksand and set his feet upon a rock.

In contrast to slippery, inescapable mud and mire, a rock is solid ground, firm and unmovable. With his feet set upon a rock, David stood in a place of safety, stability, and security. In Psalm 18:2–3, David depicts the Lord Himself as “my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies” (ESV).

David’s imagery in Psalm 40:2 is a picture of our salvation in Jesus Christ, who is the “Cornerstone,” the “sure foundation,” and “Rock of Salvation” for all who put their faith and trust in Him (Isaiah 28:16–17; Psalm 118:21–23; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:4–8). Before salvation, we are like David in the pit, bound by sin in a prison of despair and headed for death and destruction in hell (Isaiah 61:1; Galatians 3:22–23; John 8:34). But after salvation, we are like David with his feet set upon a rock. We can declare with David, “You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death” (Psalm 30:3, NLT).

The Bible portrays sinful living as a slippery slope that leads to disaster and eventual death. Caught in spiritual mud and mire, we live “in this world without God and without hope” (Ephesians 2:12, NLT). We cannot free ourselves from the pit of sin (Romans 3:10–18; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8–9). Thankfully, God, in His great love and mercy, chose to reach down into the slimy cesspit “while we were still sinners” and send His Son to die for us (Romans 5:8; see also John 3:16).

When we call upon the name of the Lord, Jesus saves us (Romans 10:13; Acts 2:21). He frees “captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons (Isaiah 42:7, NLT; see also Isaiah 61:1; Galatians 5:1; Ephesians 4:8). He delivers us from our muddy, sin-filled past and transforms us into shining new creations in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). His life becomes the solid bedrock upon which we build our new lives (Matthew 7:24–29; 16:13–20). He “makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him” (Psalm 37:23) and “safeguards the steps of his faithful ones” (1 Samuel 2:9, GW).

When God sets our feet on the rock of Jesus Christ, He promises us, “When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble” (Proverbs 4:12, NLT). Our lives and futures are secure in Him (Romans 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6). God, our Father, takes hold of us for all eternity, keeping us safe and secure in His grip (John 10:28–29).

In Psalm 23:5, King David says to the Lord, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies,” portraying his close relationship to God as an honored dinner guest of a generous and capable host. As a gracious host, the Lord attends to David’s every need, showering him with personal care, abundant goodness, protection from his enemies, and eternal blessings.

David had many adversaries, but in the presence of the Lord, seated at His table, they posed no threat because David had guest-rights with the Lord. In the ancient East, a host was obligated to safeguard his visitors from all enemies at all costs.

Psalm 23 begins, “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” The psalm’s central theme—that David lacks nothing—is reinforced through every line. The word my underscores the intimacy of David’s up-close relationship with God. David acknowledges that God is always with Him, looking out for his good, even in the darkest “valley of the shadow of death” (verse 4). Even in the most challenging circumstances—“in the presence of my enemies” (verse 5)—David lacks nothing because His God is with him, supplying his every need and looking out for his welfare.

David’s assertion, “You prepare a table before me,” is equivalent to Paul’s declaration, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). This theme of God’s constant provision and protection echoes in Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians: “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (Ephesians 3:16–19, NLT).

When we are invited to someone’s house for dinner, we cannot open the host’s refrigerator and grab whatever we want to eat. We depend on the host to place dinner on the table for us. We wait to be offered food and drink. Thus, the statement, “You prepare a table before me,” highlights David’s dependence on God.

The same God who “spread a table in the wilderness” for the children of Israel by providing daily manna for them to eat (Exodus 16:15; cf. Psalm 78:19) would supply all the provisions and help King David would need. David’s confidence in God dovetails with the encouragement in Hebrews 4:16: “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (NLT).

God (the Host) welcomes His guest (David) to a feast already prepared and spread out for him on the table. As it was for David, it is for all believers who accept the invitation to dine at the Lord’s table (Isaiah 25:6–9; Matthew 22:1–14; Luke 13:29–30; Revelation 19:9; 21:2–4). Like David, we depend on God to provide our material and physical needs (Psalm 104:27); we lean on Him for understanding and direction in life (Proverbs 3:5–6); we rest in Him through prayer (Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7); and, most importantly, we depend on God for our salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9).

You prepare a table before me means God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3). Yet it’s not only in this life that God meets our needs. God is our gracious and bountiful benefactor for both our bodies and souls for all time and eternity.

Jesus uses the phrase living water in two instances in the Bible. The first is in John 4. Jesus and His disciples had traveled into Samaria. Jesus was tired and sat at a well while His disciples went into a nearby town to buy food. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus asked her for a drink (verse 7). The Samaritan woman was quite shocked because Jesus was a Jew, and Jews and Samaritans had a long history of mutual animosity. She naturally asked Him why He was speaking to her, since He was Jewish.


Jesus ignored the question and went right to the point: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10). Notice that He does not say that He is the living water, but that He would give living water to her. It would be His gift to her, and when she received it, she would never thirst again. Of course, Jesus was speaking of a spiritual truth, whereas the woman’s thoughts were fixed on physical water, the type that could only be procured with a bucket down a well. But, as the conversation progressed, the woman began to understand what Jesus was saying to her about the living water.

The other passage of Scripture where Jesus speaks of “living water” is in John 7. In that context, Jesus is in the temple for the Feast of Booths (or Feast of Tabernacles). One feature of that feast was the pouring out of water at the base of the altar for seven days. On the eighth day, the ritual was suspended—no water was poured. It was then that Jesus made a very public, very dramatic offer:
On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.) (John 7:37–39, NLT).

Psalm 110:1 reads, “Of David. A psalm. The LORD says to my lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’” But who is this “lord” the LORD speaks to? Is this meant to pertain to us?

Verses must be read in their context. Psalm 110:1 tells us that this psalm was written by David. In it, David describes the actions of “the LORD,” which is how we render the Hebrew name of God, YHWH, into English. YHWH, or Yahweh, then speaks to “my lord” (Hebrew Adonai), telling this person, this Adonai, to sit at His right hand. This same person has a worldwide rule (Psalm 110:6) and is called “a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (verse 4).

David says that Yahweh tells this king and priest whom David calls “my lord” to sit at His right hand. It is important to note that the Lord does not tell David to sit at His right hand; this place is reserved for another.

This person, who isn’t David, is someone whom David as king still considers “Adonai,” an address of honor for someone more notable than the speaker. Who, besides Yahweh, would be more notable than the king?

Jesus claims this title for Himself. The New Testament records Jesus’ references to this passage in multiple places (Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:35–37; Luke 20:42–43). In each passage, Jesus proves that the Messiah, the Christ, is David’s Lord and the One who will sit at Yahweh’s right hand.

The Lord God Almighty, then, will put all of Jesus’ enemies under Jesus’ feet. Hebrews 1, while establishing Jesus’ superiority over the angels, says, “To which of the angels did God ever say, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?” (Hebrews 1:13).

Psalm 110 predicts the victory of Jesus Christ over all His enemies and the glory He will receive. The apostle John caught a glimpse of this victory, and he wrote, “Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. . . . He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. . . . And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (Revelation 19:11–15). Any victory we attain and any glory we share will be the result of our being in Christ.

Since the promise of Psalm 110 is not for us, we must look at how we as believers are to relate to our enemies:

In Luke 6:27–28, Jesus says, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

Romans 12:19 adds, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

We are promised to overcome, by faith (1 John 5:4). The punishment of our enemies will come in God’s time and in God’s way. Anyone who sins is ultimately sinning against God, and the enemies of God will be placed under the feet of Jesus.

The sons of Korah knew where their victory came from:“You are my King and my God,
who decrees victories for Jacob.
Through you we push back our enemies;
through your name we trample our foes.
I put no trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.
In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever” (Psalm 44:4–8).



John’s


note that


Jesus

“was speaking of the Spirit”


(John 7:39)


is key to understanding the meaning of the


“living water.”





The living water is the

Holy Spirit.


Jesus extended the offer to everyone (“anyone” in John 7:37 and “whoever” in verse 38).


The requirement for salvation was faith in Christ (verses 38 and 39). The result of salvation would be the gift of the Holy Spirit (verse 39), likened unto “rivers of living water” (verse 38). Jesus repeats the promise of the Spirit to His disciples in John 16:7–15. The Spirit is always involved in salvation (John 3:5–8), but the time of the permanent indwelling of the Spirit would have to wait until “later,” when Jesus had ascended back to glory (John 7:39).


The picture of the


Spirit as

“living water”


leads us to the following 

• The Spirit gives life. Just as water refreshes and revitalizes a thirsty person, so the Spirit gives life to the believer, enabling God to produce fruit in his or her life. Just as, in Moses’ time, the water in the desert kept the Israelites alive, so the Spirit enlivens the followers of Christ (and, according to 1 Corinthians 10:4, the rock providing the water was a picture of Christ).

• The Spirit is active. He is living water, as opposed to still, standing, or stagnant water. He is an artesian well, “a spring of water welling up to eternal life,” in John 4:14. He is a flowing river of water in John 7:38.

• Believers are channels for the Spirit’s work. At the well in Samaria, Jesus said the water would be “in them” to well up and overflow (John 4:14). During the Feast of Booths, Jesus said the water would “flow from within them” (John 7:38). The Spirit gives gifts, and the believer “shall receive spiritual blessings, or communications of divine grace, in so great an abundance, that he shall not only be refreshed and comforted himself, but shall be instrumental in refreshing and comforting others” (Benson, J., Benson Commentary on the Old and New Testaments, 1857). This is exactly what we see in John 4, as the Samaritan woman, “leaving her water jar, . . . went back to the town” and told everyone about Jesus the Messiah (verse 28).




Long ago,


God told His people,

Israel,



not to fear,

giving


them this promise:



“For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants”

(Isaiah 44:3).


The Spirit, whom the Father likens unto water, was indeed poured out on all of those who put their faith in the Son. It’s just one of the many promises of God that are “yes” and “amen” in Christ

(2 Corinthians 1:20).

accomplish (1), accomplished (1), amply supplied (1),


approaching (1), complete (1),


completed (3), completing (1), elapsed (1),


fill (3), 

filled (16), fills (1), finished (1),


fulfill (20), fulfilled (20), fully carry (1),



fully come (1),


fully preached (1),


increasing (1), made complete (2), made full (5),

​
make...full (1), make...complete (1),


passed (2), supply (1).




Matthew 1:22 


γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν



took place to fulfill 

that

it might be fulfilled


which

 came to pass


that

might be fulfilled


that

having been spoken

​
​

The phrase


“sign of Jonah”



was used by Jesus as a typological metaphor for His future crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Jesus answered with this expression when asked by the Pharisees for miraculous proof that He was indeed the Messiah. The Pharisees remained unconvinced of Jesus’ claims about Himself, despite His having just cured a demon-possessed man who was both blind and mute. Shortly after the Pharisees accused Jesus of driving out demons by the power of Satan, they said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here”

(Matthew 12:38–41).

To fully appreciate the answer that Jesus gave, we must go to the Old Testament book of Jonah. In its first chapter, we read that God commanded the prophet Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and warn its people that He was going to destroy it for its wickedness. Jonah disobediently ran from the Lord and headed for the city of Tarshish by boat. The Lord then sent a severe storm that caused the crew of the ship to fear for their lives.


Jonah was soon thrown overboard

and swallowed

by a great fish where he

remained for


“three days and three nights”


(Jonah 1:15–17)


After the three-day period, the Lord caused the great fish to vomit Jonah out onto dry land


(Jonah 2:10).


It is this three days that Jesus was referring to when He spoke of the sign of Jonah. Jesus had already been producing miracles that were witnessed by many. Jesus had just performed a great sign in the Pharisees’ presence by healing a deaf man who was possessed of a demon. Rather than believe, they accused Jesus of doing this by the power of Satan. Jesus recognized their hardness of heart and refused to give them further proof of His identity. However, He did say that there would be one further sign forthcoming, His resurrection from the dead. This would be their final opportunity to be convinced.

Jesus’ paralleling of the Pharisees with the people of Nineveh is telling. The people of Nineveh repented of their evil ways (Jonah 3:4–10) after hearing Jonah’s call for repentance, while the Pharisees continued in their unbelief despite being eyewitnesses to the miracles of Jesus. Jesus was telling the Pharisees that they were culpable for their unbelief, given the conversion of the people of Nineveh, sinners who had received far less evidence than the Pharisees themselves had witnessed. Interestingly, from the time of Jonah’s preaching, the people of Nineveh had 40 days to repent, and they did, sparing their city from destruction. From the time of Jesus’ preaching, the people of Jerusalem had 40 years, but they did not repent, and Jerusalem was destroyed.

But what are we to make of the phrase “three days and three nights”? Was Jesus saying that He would be dead for three full 24-hour periods before He would rise from the dead? It does not appear so. The phrase “three days and three nights” need not refer to a literal 72-hour period. Rather, according to the Hebrew reckoning of time, the days could refer to three days in part or in whole. Jesus was probably crucified on a Friday (Mark 15:42). According to the standard reckoning, Jesus died at about 3:00 PM (Matthew 27:46) on Friday (day 1). He remained dead for all of Saturday (day 2) and rose from the dead early on Sunday morning (day 3). Attempts to place Jesus’ death on Wednesday to accommodate a literal 72-hour period are probably unnecessary once we take into account the Hebrew method of reckoning of each day as beginning at sundown. So it seems that the expression “three days and three nights” was used as a figure of speech meant to signify any part of three days.

God would often use signs (or miracles) in the Bible to authenticate His chosen messenger. The Lord provided Moses with several miraculous signs in order to prove to others that he was appointed by God (Exodus 4:5–9; 7:8–10;19-20). God sent down fire on Elijah’s altar during Elijah’s contest with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:36–39). He performed this miracle to prove that the God of Israel was the one true God. Jesus Himself would perform many miracles (or “signs”) to demonstrate His power over nature (Matthew 4:23; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 8:22–24; John 6:16–24). The “sign of Jonah” would turn out to be Jesus’ greatest miracle of all. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead would be God’s chief sign that Jesus was Israel’s long-awaited Messiah (Acts 2:23–32) and establish Christ’s claims to deity (Romans 1:3–4).

After Jesus cleanses the temple, declaring it to be a “house of prayer” (Mark 11:17), He briefly teaches on the relationship between faith and prayer: “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:23–24).

Jesus explains that faith in God can move mountains, but doubt can hinder our prayers (Mark 11:22–23). Next, He tells His disciples that they can pray for anything, “and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours” (Mark 11:24, NLT). The verb believe here means “to put one’s trust in something.” It is the opposite of doubt or mistrust. Jesus is emphasizing the importance of placing our constant trust in God and relying on Him for the response to our requests. We must learn to entrust our prayers to a heavenly Father who “knows exactly what [we] need even before [we] ask him!” (Matthew 6:8, NLT).

To believe that you have received it is to have confidence in the fulfillment of a prayer before it actually happens. We can only do this when we depend wholly on God, the one who has the power to hear and answer prayer.

It is important to understand that when Jesus said, “Believe that you have received it, and it will be yours,” He was not giving us a blank check to have whatever we want. Since this was not Christ’s only teaching on prayer, we must weigh it against everything God’s Word reveals on the subject. For instance, in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray for God’s will to be done (see Matthew 6:10). The apostle John urges us to conform our desires and requests to the will of God: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14–15).

Prayer is more than an emergency response in times of crisis. It should reflect our abiding connection with the Father, as we remain in His love and obey His commands (see John 15:7–14). Genuine prayer involves our continual communion with God and our worship of Him.

To believe that you have received it is the prayer posture of a soul surrendered to God’s will (Matthew 26:42; Romans 12:2), His Word (1 John 3:22), and His Spirit (Romans 8:26–27). It is through our fellowship with the Lord in prayer that our faith develops. Andrew Murray writes, “It is in prayer that we hold up our desire to the light of God’s Holy Will, that our motives are tested, and proof given whether we ask indeed in the name of Jesus, and only for the glory of God. It is in prayer that we wait for the leading of the Spirit to show us whether we are asking the right thing and in the right spirit. It is in prayer that we become conscious of our want of faith, that we are led on to say to the Father that we do believe, and that we prove the reality of our faith by the confidence with which we persevere” (With Christ in the School of Prayer; Thoughts on Our Training for the Ministry of Intercession, The Rodgers Company, n.d., p. 87–88).

To believe that you have received it involves a confident expectation that God hears and responds to our prayers even before we see any physical evidence of an answer. It is a call to trust in God’s promises (see Matthew 7:7; John 14:13–14; 15:16) and His character (Isaiah 26:3–4; Psalm 9:10). Rather than relying on visible proof, we rest in God’s faithfulness. We know we can count on Him to do what is best for us (see Romans 8:28). Believing our requests are in God’s hands brings peace and dispels anxiety. As we shift from a mindset of doubt and uncertainty to faith and gratitude, we thank God for the answers even before they manifest (Philippians 4:6–7).

The expression God is the God of the hills and valleys originates from the narrative of two battles in the book of 1 Kings. Essentially, saying that God is the God of the hills and valleys means that God’s sovereign power is not limited or confined to any one location or sphere of influence. The Lord Almighty rules and reigns supreme over every place on earth—every hill, every valley.

It was common in ancient pagan nations to perceive each god or goddess as having a particular domain or sphere of power on the earth. Baal, for example, was the god of fertility and weather. The god Baal Peor was a local deity whose range seems to have been confined to a certain geographical area. There were additional gods for the forests, the crops, the mountains, the seas, and the rivers. In this cultural framework, monotheism was unique, and the idea that any god was supreme in all areas was unheard of.

First Kings 20 opens with King Ben-Hadad, ruler of Aram, attacking the city of Samaria in Israel. Ben-Hadad demands that King Ahab surrender his wealth, wives, and children to him. Initially, Ahab agrees, but when Ben-Hadad adds the condition that he be given anything that his servants lay their hands on, Ahab refuses. His refusal infuriates Ben-Hadad such that he threatens to destroy the city so thoroughly that not even enough dust would remain for each of his soldiers to take a handful.

An unnamed prophet announces to Ahab that God will grant Israel victory so that “you will know that I am the LORD” (1 Kings 20:13). In this instance, King Ahab obeys God. True to God’s promise, the Arameans are driven back, and the siege is brought to an end.

Because Samaria is in the hill country of Israel, the Arameans mistakenly believe that the God of Israel is only the god of the hills and not of the valleys or anywhere else. Thinking Israel’s ability to triumph was limited to higher terrain, they regroup and begin to strengthen their forces for an attack on the lower plains.

Once more, the anonymous prophet warns King Ahab that Ben-Hadad’s army will strike again in the spring: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the LORD’” (1 Kings 20:28).

Not only did the Arameans discover that Israel’s sovereign God knows no limitations, but Ahab and all of Israel did as well. The one true God proved that He rules everywhere. Ben-Hadad’s forces were defeated so thoroughly in the second battle at Aphek that the king surrendered to Ahab while pleading for his life to be spared.

God gave Israel victory both at Samaria in the hills and at Aphek in the valleys to show that, unlike the ineffective and finite gods of Canaan, God is sovereign over all territories and regions. It is a mistake to think of God as only a “hill god” or a “valley god.” He is the God of both the hills and the valleys. In fact, He is the all-powerful, infinite Ruler of the whole earth. “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1).

God is a God of miracles: “You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples” (Psalm 77:14). Who can study the universe and doubt His power in creation? Who can study the history of Israel and fail to see His providential arrangement of events? In contrast to the handiwork of the God of miracles, the work of man is puny and trifling. God does marvelous things, and He does them all with His own power, with no help from others.

The Bible uses three main words to refer to a miracle: sign, wonder, and power. These three words help us better understand what the phrase God of miracles means. Basically, a miracle is an act of God beyond human understanding that displays God’s power, inspires wonder in humans, and acts as a sign that God is at work in the world.

From a human perspective, a miracle of God is an extraordinary or unnatural event (a wonder) that reveals or confirms a specific message (a sign) through a mighty work (power). From the God of miracle’s vantage point, a miracle is nothing extraordinary or unnatural. It is simply a divine display of His might (power) that attracts the attention of humans (a wonder) to His Word or His purposes (a sign).

The God of miracles uses supernatural power to reveal Himself to people on earth. The Greek word translated “miracle” is dunamis (the root of our word dynamite) and means “power.” God’s miracles often defy or overpower the laws of nature, but not always. God can also work within nature to perform a miracle. When God parted the Red Sea, He used a powerful wind: “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided” (Exodus 14:21). God does not use miracles merely as a means of authenticating Himself to people, but to reveal Himself to people who have eyes of faith to see.

The God of miracles works extraordinary wonders to capture people’s attention. The unusual, unnatural dimension of God’s miracles commands our attention. When the Lord caused a bush to burn but not be consumed, Moses took notice: “The angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.’ When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am’” (Exodus 3:2–4). The wonder of it all piqued Moses’ interest and moved him to the place where he was ready to receive God’s message.

The God of miracles uses signs to convey a message or reveal truth. People who seek signs often want to be entertained like Herod in Luke 23:8. But God never uses miracles to amuse us; they always serve a purpose. Their overall objective is to glorify God. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He confirmed this purpose: “Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me’” (John 11:40–42). Then Jesus called Lazarus back from the dead to life. Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary saw this astounding miracle. As a result, they put their faith in Christ and believed that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus showed the disciples, and the world, that He has power over death (verses 43–45).

The power reveals the source of the miracle: God. The wonder reveals the nature of the miracle: wonderful, awe-inspiring, worthy of attention. The sign reveals the purpose of the miracle: to confirm a message or convey a truth.

The Bible portrays God as a God of miracles, a God who has revealed His power to us and is worthy of praise: “Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds” (Psalm 72:18). His miracles declare His absolute control over nature, events, people, and powers. His miracles reveal who God is and awaken humans to His presence and the presence of His Kingdom. God works through miracles to reveal His glory, confirm His message, and convey His purposes and truths to those who see Him with eyes of faith. His greatest miracle is that He gave His one and only Son to become a man who, through His sacrificial death on the cross, overcame the power of death through resurrection. Jesus paid the ultimate price, the penalty for our sin, and accomplished the miracle of salvation.

In order to correctly interpret a passage such as Matthew 17:20, we first look at the overall context of the passage. Jesus, along with Peter, James and John, had just come down from the “mount of transfiguration,” and they encounter a man with a demon-possessed child. The man tells Jesus that he brought his son to Jesus’ disciples, but they couldn’t cast the demon out (recall that Jesus earlier, in Matthew 10:1, gave His disciples the authority to cast out evil spirits). Jesus then chastises them for their lack of faith and then casts the demon out of the boy. When His disciples inquire as to why the demon didn’t obey their command, Jesus replies with the statement in Matthew 17:20. Their faith, He says, is small and weak. If it were the size of even the smallest of the seeds, the mustard bush, they would be able to “move mountains.”

The first thing that needs to be considered is the Bible’s use of literary techniques. The Bible is first and foremost God’s revealed Word; we want to be clear on this point (2 Timothy 3:16). While the Bible is God’s revealed Word, it is revealed to us by way of language. God condescended—He lowered Himself—to speak to us in ways in which we would understand. Consider a father trying to communicate with his young child. The father has to condescend in order to be understood by the limited intellect and understanding of the child. This is analogous (though not identical) to the way in which God speaks to us.

The Bible employs many forms, or genres, of literature. There is historical narrative, poetry, prophecy, apocalyptic writing, and epistolary literature (to name a few). Among these various literary genres, several literary techniques are used—metaphor, simile, imagery, parable, allusion, irony, personification, paradox, and hyperbole. As readers of the Bible, we must recognize when these techniques are being used so we can properly interpret the meaning. For example, in John 10:7, Jesus says, “I am the door of the sheep.” How are we to interpret this verse? If we are too literal, we might start looking for a doorknob hidden somewhere on His body. However, if we understand this to be a metaphor, then we can begin to understand His meaning (Jesus is the way of access to eternal life, much like a door is the way of access into a room).

Another thing to consider in biblical interpretation is the context of the passage. More often than not, when we take a single verse out of its native context, we end up misinterpreting the verse. In the context of Matthew 17, Jesus rebukes the disciples for their weak faith and says that even if they had mustard seed-sized faith, they could command the mountain to move. 

Psalm 27, a psalm written by David, is an example of Hebrew poetry. One element of Hebrew poetry prominent in this psalm is a grammatical structure known as synonymous parallelism. For example, in the first verse of Psalm 27, the main idea and structure of the first line are synonymous with the idea and structure of the second, as shown below:


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).

After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to the disciples on a number of occasions. John 21 records the third of those instances and includes the notable mention of 153 fish. Peter and the others had just witnessed another miracle of Jesus involving a large catch of fish, and “Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn” (John 21:11).

On this occasion Jesus appeared to His disciples on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius, as they were in their boat returning from an unsuccessful night of fishing (John 21:1–3). Jesus, whom they had not yet recognized, called to the disciples from the shore, asking them whether they had caught any fish (John 21:4–5). After the disciples responded that they had not, Jesus instructed them to cast their nets on the right (starboard) side of the boat. They did, and they caught so many fish in the net that they couldn’t bring the nets in (John 21:6). John quickly realized the man on the shore was Jesus, and he told Peter. Peter jumped in the water—presumably to swim to shore to see Jesus (John 21:7). The other disciples, meanwhile, came in the boat, being only about 200 cubits (or 100 yards) from the shore (John 21:8). When they arrived at shore, Peter went back into the boat to help them collect the fish, and they counted 153 fish—and large fish, at that. While there were so many fish, the net did not break (John 21:11).

The meaning of the 153 fish in John 21:11 is evident from the context. As career fisherman, the disciples would not have been strangers to the process of tallying their catch. These were apparently big enough fish to put strain on the fishermen and the nets (though, miraculously, the nets were not torn). That John mentions the number of 153 fish emphasizes the fact that something extraordinary had happened, because Someone extraordinary was there. The 153 fish provided further evidence to the disciples that the resurrected Jesus had power over nature just as He had demonstrated before His crucifixion. Earlier, John had recorded that Jesus turned the water into wine (John 2), healed an official’s son (John 4), healed a lame man (John 5), fed 5,000 people from five loaves of bread and two fish (John 6), walked on water (John 6), healed a man who had been born blind (John 9), raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11), and rose from the dead Himself (John 20). The 153 fish in John 21:11 might seem insignificant compared to these magnificent signs, but to an audience of fisherman who had failed to catch even one fish during an entire night of work, this remarkable catch provided more evidence that their belief in Jesus was well placed.

Just a few verses before John records the catching of the 153 fish, John explains that his purpose in writing was so that people would believe in Jesus and have life in His name (John 20:30–31). There were many signs and works of Jesus that John could have recorded, but he chose to record those included in the Gospel of John so his readers could have confidence that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31), and that He is indeed equal with God (John 5:18).





https://www.ladderofjacob.com/post/153-fish


​

The Catholic Church:

153 Fish, 1 Net and 4 Marks


Jesus said to them,

“Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn."


Q. Why does John say that the apostles caught

153 fish?

What is the significance of that

number?

Also why does he add that the net

was not torn?


A. This curious detail John records concerning the number of fishes (153)

that were caught in the net

thrown over the right side of Peter’s boat is not random.


According to the church fathers it means something significant. 


It was St.Jerome who is

known for saying,


“Ignorance of Scriptures is ignorance


of Christ”


This 4th century church father and saint was also known for his translation of the Bible into Latin, what the Church calls the Vulgate. He, more than any other fourth century figure, really knew the Bible.


In fact,

he wrote commentaries on

the whole Bible.


So based on his own maxim,

he knew

Christ very well.


He also has answers to the questions posed

above. 



In his commentary on

Ezekiel 47:6-12
​

he wrote that Oppian's Halieutica


lists 153 types of fish in the known

world.


Oppian was a second century

Greco-Roman poet

​who wrote a lengthy epic on fishing.


He was seen by

Jerome and others as the

authority in all

matters related to fish and

fishing. 


Saint Jerome used Oppiian’s fishing knowledge

to apply to today’s


Gospel reading about the


miraculous


catch of 153 fish. 




Catholic:

Jerome made the point that this total of 153 represents all the nations from which God will gather the fish, symbolizing that believers will be gathered from all the nations in the world into the boat of Peter, the Church. The Church is catholic from the Greek, kata-holos meaning throughout the whole or universal. 



One:

What’s more, the net signifies the evangelization effort and missionary effort of the 'fishers of men' aided by God’s grace. The wholeness of the net which John points out ‘was not torn’ in spite of the enormous catch, signifies the unity of the Church. John's gospel was written in Greek. In John 21:11, the word used when it says that the net did not tear is the word 'schizo'. This is where we get our English word 'schism'. What Jesus wants us to know is that he intends his Church to be universal but at the same time one, catholic but with no schisms.


​
Holy:

Jesus, as the founder and cornerstone of the Church, is the source of its holiness.  Jesus gives specific instructions, 'throw the net over the right side of the boat'. When the Church listens to Christ and obeys miracles become a sign of its holiness. The Church is holy. 




Apostolic:

The 12 Apostles were to be the original ‘fishers of men’ speading the gospel message to the whole world. Entrusted with the deposit of faith as guardians and guides. The Church is apostolic.
The Church indeed is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. 

A cubit


is an ancient

unit

of measurement based on

the length of

the


forearm from the elbow


to the



middle finger,



roughly translating to 18 inches


(or about 45 centimeters).



In biblical measurements,


it is frequently used to


define


the height or depth


of


sacred structures. 






Noah’s Ark


300 cubits (length) by 50 cubits (width) by 30 cubits (height). (About 450 ft long, 75 ft wide, 45 ft high).





Goliath's Height


Described as 6 cubits and a span. (Approximately 9 feet 9 inches tall).





The Altar of Burnt Offering

5 cubits long, 5 cubits wide, and 3 cubits high.






The Ark of the Covenant


2.5 cubits (length) by 1.5 cubits (width) by 1.5 cubits


(height/depth)




Heaven and earth


will pass away,


but my words will


not


pass away



This well-known verse is found in

Matthew 24:35


(and echoed in Mark 13:31 and Luke 21:33).


It means that



the physical world


is temporary,



but


God's promises and teachings

are


eternal and permanent. 




pléroó:



SUM


To fill, to make full, to complete,


to fulfill



Original Word: πληρόω



accomplish, X after, (be) complete,


end, expire, fill (up),


fulfil, (be, make) full (come),


fully

preach, perfect, supply



fulfill,


fulfilled, filled, made full,


completed,


fill, made complete



Word Origin: [from G4134 (πλήρης - full)]



1. to fully, completely fill


2. (literally) to cram (a net), level up


(a hollow)


3. (figuratively) to


fully supply, satisfy, execute (an office),


finish (a period or task),


verify


(or coincide with a prediction), etc.


accomplish, complete, fulfill


From pleres; to make replete, i.e. (literally) to cram (a net),


level up (a hollow), or (figuratively)


to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office),


finish (a period or task),


verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc. -- accomplish,


X after, (be)


complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make)


full (come),


fully preach, perfect, supply.


see GREEK pleres


​
Cognate: 4137


plēróō (from plērēs, "be full," see 4130 /plḗthō) –

properly, fill to individual capacity,

i.e. to the extent it is "meet" (appropriate).

See 4130 (plēthō).






The Lord’s Prayer,


recorded in Matthew 6,

begins with,


“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name”


(Matthew 6:9).


To hallow something is to

make it holy

or separate it or sanctify it.


Jesus taught


His followers to pray that

God the Father


would “hallow” His name.



Significantly, this request comes first.


It is of primary importance for God to


hallow His name.



In what way do we want God to

hallow His name?


In what way is His name to be set apart

or made holy?


One writer explains it this way:


“When Jesus petitions God to

hallow his name,


he is asking that God act in such a way


that he visibly


demonstrates his holiness and


his glory”


God demonstrates His holiness in the world

by creating a

holy people who will call on His name,


proclaim the gospel, and accomplish good works


(Ephesians 2:10).



No one likes to have his or her name forgotten, misspelled, or mispronounced. Our names are part of our identity and individual worth. We value having a “good name,” that is, a blameless reputation. In a similar way, God’s name speaks of His identity, His character, and His actions. When David says, “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake,” he is referring to God’s action of hallowing His name in the way He guides us (Psalm 23:3; cf. Isaiah 48:9–11 and Ezekiel 20:14). God’s name—His character and reputation—must be set apart as holy in this world, and that is what Jesus teaches us to pray for.

The request “hallowed be your name” comes first in the Lord’s Prayer. Right away, Jesus removes the focus from us and turns our attention to God. It’s about Him, His holiness, and His work in the world. Jesus taught us to begin our prayers by recognizing the God to whom we pray. He is a loving Father who invites us into His presence. He genuinely cares for us. God is holy and worthy of all honor, and our first priority is to pray that the world would see how holy and glorious He is.

On a different occasion, Jesus prayed for His followers: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified” (John 17:15–19). The word sanctify in Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer is a translation of the same Greek word translated “hallowed” in Matthew 6:9. Jesus prayed this specifically for His disciples, but also for those who would believe in Him through their message—meaning all who have put their faith in Jesus Christ (John 17:20).



As children of God


(John 1:12),



we are called to be holy as


He is holy


(1 Peter 1:16).


First Peter 3:15 tells us to


“in your hearts revere


Christ as Lord.”



Revere in this verse


is another

translation of the Greek word for



“hallowed.”


One of the ways in

which


we hallow God’s name is to

recognize Jesus as Lord

and live

our lives to honor God.


We incline our hearts toward Him,


put our

hope in Him, obey Him,


and share

about Him with others.




May we


follow Jesus’ model


prayer,


and may


“hallowed be your name”


be the true


desire of our hearts.



People are plagued with

phobias.

Fear of death is a big one.


We worry about the future and the cares of this life. Some people suffer from an extreme fear of heights, while others are terrified of deep, dark, confined spaces such as tunnels. In Romans 8:31–39, the apostle Paul identifies a range of desperately troubling circumstances and almost every human fear imaginable. He then pronounces one of the most comforting reassurances in all the Bible: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (verses 37–39, ESV).

Height and depth are terms used in Scripture to express the extreme nature of God and His great love (see Job 11:7–8; Romans 11:11). In Ephesians 3:16–19, Paul prayed for the Ephesians to grasp the width, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love. The perfect love of God in Jesus Christ is not just a comforting thought but a powerful force that can cast out all our fears (1 John 4:18). The born-again child of God is not just known in advance but chosen by the Father in love to be conformed into the image of His Son and to be justified and glorified (Romans 8:29–30). God’s love is so all-encompassing that absolutely nothing and no one, neither in this life nor in the life to come, neither angels nor demons, nor height nor depth, can harm the one who is kept in His loving presence.

The original Greek word Paul used (hypsōma), translated as “height” in Romans 8:39, means “that which is lifted up.” In this context, the word refers to the inhabitants of heaven, understood as occupying the transcendent heights. Thus, height here represents everything in the world above. Similarly, depth (bathos in Greek) refers to everything in the world below, in the transcendent depths. The wording “nor height nor depth” becomes “no power in the sky above or in the earth below” in the New Living Translation.

No matter how high we climb or how low we descend, nothing can separate us from Christ’s love. The psalmist affirms, “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (Psalm 139:8). As believers, we are constantly enveloped in God’s loving care. We are safe, secure, and protected, no matter where we go, because nothing in all the universe can separate us from His love.

Paul’s list of potential fear-inducing situations represents the full spectrum of human horrors. Death and life are on opposite ends of the spectrum, as are angels and demons, the present and the future, and height and depth. Anything and everything that could cause us to fear, whether tangible or intangible, is powerless to break the bond of God’s love for His children. Anything we feel might barricade us from the Lord’s presence is dealt with under God’s sovereign control (Ephesians 1:22; 1 Corinthians 15:27–28; Hebrews 2:8).

God does not always spare us from life’s steep uphill climb or from traversing the depths of sorrow and pain. Sometimes, we need the difficulties to stretch us and cause us to grow spiritually (Romans 5:3–5; James 1:2–3; 1 Peter 1:6–7). But God does promise to walk beside us on the mountain and in the valley with His mighty, loving presence to dispel our fears (Psalm 23:4).

In both the heights and depths of our walk with God, in the joyous moments and the dark nights of the soul, we can trust and “know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). He allows these challenges for our good and His glory (Hebrews 12:10–11; 1 Peter 1:6–9; 4:13).

The sufficiency of Christ is a theological concept emphasizing the utter completeness and adequacy of Christ’s work of salvation. This belief is grounded in steadfast, immovable faith in the saving grace and redeeming work of atonement Jesus Christ accomplished for believers on the cross.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Only Jesus Christ is sufficient to save, redeem, and restore us to a right relationship with God the Father (Romans 5:1). Believing in the sufficiency of Christ means trusting that our every physical, spiritual, and emotional need is fulfilled in Him (see Psalm 68:19; Isaiah 46:4; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 4:13).

The apostle Paul dedicates almost the entire letter to the Colossians to the sufficiency of Christ. He knows that the Colossians, in their spiritual immaturity, were in danger of believing an altered gospel message. They had not yet fully apprehended the nature of Christ and His atoning sacrifice. They were turning to empty philosophies and false teachings rather than depending solely on Jesus Christ for salvation.

In Colossians 1:15–23, Paul sets forth the core of his theological argument for Christ’s sufficiency in all things, especially for salvation. (Similar passages on the sufficiency of Christ are Hebrews 1:2–4 and John 1:1–14.) First, Paul states that Christ is supreme “over all creation” (Colossians 1:15–17) and over the church, His new creation (verse 18). Christ’s sufficiency is revealed in His personhood as God the Son: “For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ” (Colossians 1:19, NLT; see also John 3:35; Hebrews 1:1–14).

The sufficiency of Christ relates to who He is—Jesus is fully God (John 1:1)—and what He had done—His work of redemption: “Through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross” (Colossians 1:20, NLT). Because Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, He can do what no other human could ever do—reconcile lost sinners to a holy God. His blood shed on the cross is the only thing that can pay the price for our sins (1 Peter 2:24).

Paul tells the Colossians that Christ’s work of redemption “includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault” (Colossians 1:21–22, NLT).

To believe in the sufficiency of Christ is to accept that Christ alone is enough—He is everything we need for salvation, spiritual wholeness, and healing. No other source, power, method, or teaching is necessary to bring us God’s complete and unalterable salvation. Only Jesus is sufficient to redeem us and bring us into God’s presence. “Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (Romans 5:11, NLT). He alone is the perfect Savior (Acts 4:12; Luke 19:10; Hebrews 7:25).

The Colossians were being persuaded to think that knowing Christ wasn’t enough—that they needed something more than faith in Jesus to be spiritually whole. Instead of trusting the truth of the gospel, they were becoming captivated by Satan’s lies (see Colossians 2:8; 1 Timothy 6:20; Ephesians 5:6).

We don’t grasp the sufficiency of Christ through human effort but through accepting the truth of God’s Word. Jesus Christ is completely God, and through our spiritual union with Him, we are complete (Colossians 2:9–10). Paul writes, “God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin” (1 Corinthians 1:30, NLT). We are blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ” (Ephesians 1:3, NLT). Through our union with Jesus, we have everything. Without Him, we have nothing at all.

When we talk about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as being “Persons,” we do not mean they are human beings or that they are like mankind in any way. In our everyday language, though, that is how the word person is often used, so it is understandable that some confusion surrounds references to the three “Persons” of the Trinity.

When we talk about God, we are using the word Person to show that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have personhood or personality. The personhood of the Father, Son, and Spirit can be seen in the distinct roles they have in relation to each other and the relationships that exist among them.

Each Person of the Trinity had a unique role in the salvation of mankind. Ephesians 1 says that the Father chose us (Ephesians 1:4), the Son redeemed us (Ephesians 1:7), and the Holy Spirit sealed us (Ephesians 1:13). The Holy Spirit is a Person unique from the Father or the Son: the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 15:26). The Father and the Son are also unique Persons: when Jesus prayed to the Father, He was not praying to Himself (see Luke 23:34). Each Person of the Trinity shares the same divine nature but has a distinct role. Using the word person is one of the only ways our language has to describe this concept.

All three Persons of the Trinity comprise the one, perfectly unified God. They share the same nature and essence—they are one being. They differ only in role and relationship—each Person of the Godhead is “an eternal and distinct personal expression of that one undivided divine nature” (Ware, B., “The Trinity of Persons,” 1/31/05, www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-trinity-of-persons, accessed 2/4/26).

The fact that God exists in three Persons is important for several reasons. For instance, God is love (1 John 4:8). But, in eternity past, before God created any other being, how could He have truly been love? That is, can love exist where there is no one to be loved? Because God exists in three co-equal, co-eternal Persons, love exists eternally, too. Eternal love has been expressed eternally among the Persons of the Godhead. The Father, Son, and Spirit have always loved each other; therefore, love is eternal.

God existing in three Persons is ultimately beyond our comprehension, but Scripture provides the clues that lead us to that conclusion. The triune nature of God is a biblical truth that we accept by faith.

The meaning of perfection in the Bible relates to a state of completeness or absolute wholeness. Biblical perfection involves freedom from fault, defect, or shortcoming. In the New Testament, a Greek term for “perfection” can also mean “maturity.” The Bible expresses perfection in at least three different contexts: the perfection of God, the perfection of Christ, and the perfection of humans.

Absolute perfection is a quality that belongs to God alone. Yet only in Matthew 5:48 does the Bible explicitly state that God is by nature perfect: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” As God is the perfect being, all that He does is perfect: “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4). His knowledge is perfect (Job 37:16). His way is perfect, and His Word is flawless: “As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30). God’s laws are also perfect (Psalm 19:7; James 1:25). The apostle Paul describes God’s will as perfect: “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” (Romans 12:2).

In Hebrews 2:10, Scripture says that Jesus was made perfect through suffering: “God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation” (NLT).

As God incarnate, Jesus was already morally perfect. Christ’s suffering and death made Him “perfect” in the sense of qualifying to serve as the faultless high priest for God’s people (Hebrews 7:28). Only through suffering on the cross was Christ able to accomplish the work of redemption and become the perfect, complete, effective Savior of His people (Hebrews 5:9). Jesus was the perfect example of what it means to live in obedience to the Father’s will.

As we read in Matthew 5:48, God’s children are called to be perfect. This does not mean that humans can obtain the same holy perfection as God, for He alone is set apart in holiness (Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 99:9; Exodus 15:11). The call to be perfect is what the apostle Paul meant when he said, “Be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1, ESV). As children tend to imitate their parents, God’s children ought to imitate their Lord and reflect His perfection in the way they live.

The idea of spiritual maturity relates closely to the word perfection in the Bible. Humans are not perfect, but followers of Christ are encouraged to seek perfection: “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:4, ESV). Paul said that he had not yet obtained perfection but had made it his goal: “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” (Philippians 3:12, NLT). Paul knew that perfection for believers would only be realized in the life to come (verses 13–21).

Perfection is a gift that humans receive through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ: “For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:10–14, NLT).

Another verse that is key to understanding perfection as it relates to the Christian life is 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.’” Through the grace God offers in Jesus Christ, Christians are perfected in weakness; through participating in the sufferings of Jesus Christ, they are conformed to His image (Matthew 5:10–12; 1 Peter 2:19–25; 3:14; 4:12–19).




Love


1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body,a but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. 6Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be restrained; where there is knowledge, it will be dismissed. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away.

11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways. 12Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.



But when


the time of perfection comes,

these partial

things will become useless.


but

when the perfect comes






The Sermon on the Mount


When Jesus saw the crowds,

He went up

on the

mountain and sat down.

His disciples came to Him,

and He began

to teach them, saying:




The Beatitudes

(Psalm 1:1–6; Luke 6:20–23)

3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.a
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.


11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.




Salt and Light

(Mark 9:49–50; Luke 14:34–35; Philippians 2:12–18)

13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14You are the light of the world. A city on a hillb cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.




The Fulfillment of the Law

17Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. 18For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

19So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.




Anger and Reconciliation
​
(Luke 12:57–59)

21You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’c and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brotherd will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’e will be subject to the Sanhedrin.f But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

23So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

25Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.h




Adultery

(Leviticus 18:1–30)

27You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’i 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.j 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.




Divorce

(Deuteronomy 24:1–5; Luke 16:18)

31It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’k 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her.l And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.





Oaths and Vows

(Numbers 30:1–16)

33Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’m 34But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.





Love Your Enemies

(Leviticus 24:17–23; Luke 6:27–36)

38You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’o 39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; 41and if someone forces you to go one mile,p go with him two miles.q 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
43You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’r and ‘Hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,s 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?


Be perfect, therefore,

as your

heavenly Father

is perfect


 when the perfect comes


Or Blessed are those

who

exercise strength under control,

for they

will inherit the land;

 Psalm 37:11.


A city lying on a hill


21 c Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17
22 d BYZ and TR include without cause.
22 e Raca is an Aramaic expression of contempt.
22 f Or the Council
22 g Or the hell of fire; Greek the Gehenna of fire
26 h Greek kodrantēn; that is, a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius
27 i Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18
29 j Greek Gehenna; also in verse 30
31 k Deuteronomy 24:1
32 l Or causes her to commit adultery
33 m Numbers 30:2
37 n Or from evil
38 o Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21
41 p Greek one milion; that is, a Roman mile, approximately 4,855 feet or 1,480 meters
41 q Literally go with him two.
43 r Leviticus 19:18


 love your enemies, bless those who curse you,

do good to those who hate you,

and pray for

those who spitefully accuse you and persecute you;
​

 Luke 6:27–28.




1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

Ephesians 4:13
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

James 1:25
But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.

​the partial passes away.

Hebrews 8:13
By speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

2 Corinthians 3:11
For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Colossians 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.

Hebrews 6:1
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God,

Romans 8:24-25
For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? / But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.

2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight.

James 1:4
Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

1 Peter 1:9
now that you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

John 16:13
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.

1 John 4:12
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.

1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Isaiah 24:23
Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

Isaiah 60:19,20
The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory…


​

​


Isaiah 55:10–11 says,



“As the rain


cometh down, and the snow


from heaven, . . .


So shall my word be that goeth forth


out of my mouth:


it shall not return unto me void”


(KJV).




The word void means

“empty.”


​The remainder of verse 11 explains

what it means to “not return void,”

saying that




God’s Word


“will accomplish


what I desire and

achieve

the purpose for which


I sent it.”


Rain and snow are part of a cyclical water process. Precipitation comes upon the earth, drains into the land, and produces great benefit in the growth of crops, the refreshment of souls, and the sustaining of life. Rain and snow come from above and do not return back above without accomplishing their purpose. God compares His Word to the rain and snow because, like the precipitation, God’s Word always fulfills His good purposes.

When God says that His Word will not return to Him void, we can know that He has an intention for His Word. God’s Word is from above. He “breathed out” His words to us, and they were recorded in the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). Every word He gave humanity is purposeful and was given for a reason. Like the rain and snow, God’s words bring forth life (John 6:63) and produce good fruit in our lives. Through His Word, we know that God loves us and that Jesus died to free us from sin and death; we also learn how to live in light of those truths.

When God says that His Word will not return to Him void, we are encouraged to abide in His Word, allowing it to absorb into our lives, soaking it up as the ground soaks up the rain and snow. The truth will not return void as our hearts are changed. God’s Word rebukes us and corrects us when we are wrong, and it trains us in godly living (2 Timothy 3:16–17). His Word is a light guiding us in this dark world (Psalm 119:105). It is relevant to every pressing and practical problem. God’s Word will always accomplish what He desires, whether it is teaching, correcting, training, leading us to Him, revealing our sin, or some other good and profitable end.

When God says that His Word will not return to Him void, we understand that God is sovereign. The promise is that God’s Word will accomplish what He wants it to, not necessarily what we want it to. We may share the Word with the purpose of changing someone’s mind—and the person’s mind doesn’t change. Was God’s Word void? No, but our personal goals may have been different from God’s. Like the wind that “blows wherever it pleases,” the Holy Spirit moves in mysterious ways (John 3:8). And God may use His Word in surprising ways, at surprising times, and in surprising people. We can’t predict exactly how God will use His Word any more than meteorologists can predict with certitude the rainfall and snowfall.

God’s Word will not return void. It is too powerful. When God said, “Let there be light,” the immediate result was that “there was light” (Genesis 1:3). When Jesus said, “Peace! Be still!” the wind ceased and the sea calmed (Mark 4:39). God’s Word will always prosper; God will succeed, and those who receive His Word will be overcomers as well (1 John 5:4).




​Leviticus 15:29-30

​
On the eighth day she is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. / The priest is to sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her before the LORD for her unclean discharge.


1 Samuel 1:24
Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.



1 Samuel 1:22
but Hannah did not go. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.”


1 Samuel 1:28
I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.


Malachi 3:1
“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.


Leviticus 12:2,6-8
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean…


​2 Corinthians 8:9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.


Matthew 2:11
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.


Matthew 5:17
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them





David says,


“Lord, you alone are my portion

and my cup;

you make my lot secure”


(Psalm 16:5)




Other passages that refer to God as


“my portion”


include


Psalm 73:26, Psalm 142:5, and Lamentations 3:24.



The Hebrew word for



“portion”



has to do with

a ration


or a part of something


divided



The New Living Translation renders the


Hebrew word for


“portion” as “inheritance”


in Psalm 16:5



portion to inheritance:



“The Lord is the portion

of


my inheritance.”



The “inheritance”


is a


reference to the allotment

of


land given to Israel


when they


entered the Promised Land


(Numbers 26:52–56; Joshua 14:1–5)




A family inheritance was of great importance in Hebrew society. The land was given by God to His children, the people of Israel, and the Mosaic Law specified that a family’s portion of land must remain in the family (Numbers 36:7). The law also directed that only the sons of a legal wife had the right of inheritance. If there were no sons, the property went to the daughters (Numbers 27:8), on the condition that they did not marry out of their tribe (Numbers 36:6ff). If a widow was left without children, the nearest of kin on her husband’s side had the right of marrying her, and, if he refused, the next of kin could marry her (see Ruth 3:12–13). If no one married the widow, the inheritance remained with her until her death and then reverted to the next of kin

(Numbers 27:9–11).



All the tribes of Israel,

except for one,


received a portion of the


Promised Land


The priestly tribe of Levi did not receive a land inheritance: “Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, just as the Lord your God promised him” (Deuteronomy 10:9, NKJV). The Levites had no portion of the land, but God promised to be their portion. He would take care of their needs.

Inheritance, as used in Scripture, can refer to more than inherited property. It also has a theological significance. The Israelites came to learn that God Himself was the portion or inheritance of His people (Jeremiah 10:16). In the New Testament, the concept of inheritance is prominent as well, being connected with the person and work of Christ. Christ is the heir by virtue of being God the Son (Mark 12:7; Hebrews 1:2). Through Christ’s redemptive work, believers are children of God by adoption and fellow-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7). As a guarantee of this “eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15), Christ has given us the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:14).

The portion or inheritance is given to all believers, both Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 3:6). The inheritance includes the kingdom of God with all its blessings (Matthew 25:34), both presently and in the future (Romans 8:17–23; 1 Corinthians 15:50; Titus 3:7; 1 Peter 1:3–4). It is wholly the gift of God’s sovereign grace. “Our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5, ESV). The Son of God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In other words, God is our portion.

When a biblical writer says, “God is my portion,” he means that God is the source of his happiness and blessing. He is content with all that the Lord is and provides. He has the best inheritance imaginable and does not seek any possession or comfort outside of God. Riches, honor, friends and fame—nothing is as valuable as the promises of God. “My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26, NASB). If God is our portion, we need nothing else.

A comforting promise in Scripture is that God will never leave those who are His. Hebrews 13:5 says, in part, “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (NKJV). In a world that is constantly changing and where people are constantly leaving, whether in a family, relationship, or in death, God’s promise of never leaving is encouraging.

The promise “I will never leave you nor forsake you” was first given to Israel and Joshua before entering the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 31:6). Encouragingly, Moses reminded Joshua that, as the succeeding leader, “the Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Joshua’s task of taking the Promised Land seemed impossible, but with the Lord the task was possible, for He would not forsake Joshua.


Many other verses in the Old Testament include similar statements from God to individuals with the promise to never leave them. These individuals include



• Jacob (Genesis 28:15)

• Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:8; Joshua 1:5, 9)

• Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:20)

• The poor and needy (Isaiah 41:17)



In the New Testament, quoting from Deuteronomy 31:6, the author of Hebrews restates the promise of God’s eternal presence with believers (Hebrews 13:5). The promise is preceded by a command: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.” Instead of trusting in riches or material goods, which will ultimately fail, believers should place their hope in God, who promises, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you” (NET). Riches and other resources can depart in a moment, but the Lord is with His children forever. One’s faith and trust, therefore, should be in Him alone.

Never will I leave you. At salvation, Christians are permanently indwelt with the Holy Spirit, who is God Himself (Acts 5:3–4). Christ affirmed that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, would be with His followers always (John 14:16). Also, Jesus told His disciples that He would be with them “to the very end of the age”—a promise that has to include present-day believers (Matthew 28:20). The God who promised to never leave Joshua is the same Lord who says He will never leave believers today.

Never will I forsake you. Some versions translate Hebrews 13:5 as God’s promise not to “abandon” (CSB) or “desert” (CEV) us. Within the meaning of the Greek word enkatalipō is the idea of being completely abandoned or left alone (Strong’s Concordance 1459). Believers have the wonderful promise that God will never forsake them. Jesus felt utterly forsaken by the Father when He took the sins of the world upon Himself on the cross, and now those who trust in Him will not be abandoned in their sinful state (Matthew 27:46). He became a “curse” to free people from their slavery to sin in order that those who place faith in His death and resurrection would receive forgiveness and eternal life (see 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13–14). A 1999 worship song written by Billy James Foote, called “You Are My King (Amazing Love),” describes this concept well: “I’m forgiven because you were forsaken” (from Hymnary.org, accessed 11/12/20).

God’s eternal promise that He will never leave or forsake believers is not only comforting, but also provides courage to followers of Christ. Because God will never leave or forsake His children, they can live unafraid. Hebrews 13:6 follows God’s promise with the statement, “Hence we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?’” (ISV). Essentially, this is a quote from Psalm 118:6–7, which portrays God as the Helper who protects His chosen people. Like Joshua being encouraged to complete his appointed task, Christians can also be emboldened and strengthened by the promise that the Lord will never leave or forsake them.




Brotherly Love


1Continue in brotherly love. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them, and those who are mistreated as if you were suffering with them.


Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.




Christ’s Unchanging Nature


Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said:


“Never will I leave you, never will

I forsake you.”


So we say with confidence:


“The Lord is my helper;


I will not be afraid.


What can man do to me?”


Remember your leaders who


spoke the

word of God to you.


Consider the


outcome of their way of life

and


imitate their faith.



Jesus Christ


is the same yesterday

and


today and forever


Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.


Although the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp.

And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood.

Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.

For here we do not have a permanent city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.




Sacrifice, Obedience, and Prayer

15Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name. 16And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.
18Pray for us; we are convinced that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19And I especially urge you to pray that I may be restored to you soon.



Benediction and Farewell

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 every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.


I urge you, brothers, to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have only written to you briefly.

Be aware that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.



Greet all your leaders and all the saints.

Those from Italy send you greetings.

Grace be with all of you.



In the Bible, pigeons and doves are symbolic of purity, innocence, and peace. Most importantly, they served as accessible, affordable sacrifices for the poor in the Mosaic Law. In the New Testament, they are notably tied to Mary and Joseph’s humble offering at the Temple. 




Sacrificial Offerings

Under the Mosaic Law, pigeons and young pigeons were commonly accepted as burnt or sin offerings.



The Provision for the Poor

While wealthy individuals might sacrifice sheep or bulls, God allowed poorer families to substitute a lamb with two turtledoves or two pigeons. This law is outlined in Leviticus 5:7 and Leviticus 12:8.



Mary and Joseph's Offering

Fulfilling the purification rites found in the Law of Moses after the birth of Jesus, his parents brought this exact offering because they were of modest means (Luke 2:24).






The Covenant with Abram

​
Pigeons were included in the sacrificial animals God commanded Abram to prepare when establishing their covenant (Genesis 15:9).

Like doves, pigeons were viewed as gentle, harmless birds. In the original Hebrew and Greek texts, the words used for these birds overlap significantly, making them virtually synonymous in biblical culture.

The imagery of birds soaring or returning home is used throughout the Old Testament to represent divine guidance, reconciliation, and renewal. ​


Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5

 Psalm 118:6 




A sin offering


was a sacrifice, made according

to the Mosaic Law,

which provided atonement for sin.


The Hebrew phrase for


“sin offering” literally means “fault offering.”


The sin offering was made

for sins committed

in ignorance, or unintentional sins.


The ritualistic method of the sin offering and the animal to be offered varied depending on the status of the sinner. For example, a high priest who sinned unintentionally would offer a young bull. A king or a prince would offer a young male goat. People in the private sector would sacrifice a young female goat or lamb, unless they were too poor, in which case they were only required to offer two turtledoves or pigeons. Full details of the sin offering and the requirements associated with it are enumerated in Leviticus 4 and Numbers 15.

Again, the sin offering was sacrificed when a person sinned unintentionally by breaking one of the Lord’s commandments and later realized his guilt (Leviticus 4:27). Sin offerings were also part of the ceremonies on the Day of Atonement, as the high priest made two sin offerings: a bull for himself and a young male goat for the congregation (Leviticus 16:11, 15). In a sin offering, the live animal was brought to the altar, and the sinner was required to lay his hand on the head of the animal (Leviticus 4:29). Then the animal was killed, at which point the priest would take some of the blood and put it on the horns of the altar (verse 30). In some cases, some of the blood was also sprinkled inside the tabernacle (verses 6 and 17). Then all the rest of the blood was poured at the base of the altar (verse 34). The fat of the sin offering was removed and burned on the altar. In some cases, the body of the animal was burned outside the camp (verse 12); in other cases, the meat of the sin offering could be eaten by the priests. “In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven” (verse 35).

The sin offering was a poignant picture of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of the world. He was a “lamb without blemish” (1 Peter 1:19; cf. Leviticus 4:32) whose precious blood was spilled after being publicly slain. Jesus was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem, just as the sin offering was to be burnt outside the camp (Hebrews 13:12; cf. Leviticus 4:12). Just as the sacrificial lamb makes atonement for unintentional sins, Jesus’ blood made atonement for the sin of any person who realizes his guilt before God and asks for that atonement to be applied to him (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:7). “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22).

Every person has broken the Law of God in one way or another, whether we realize it or not. Humanity is sinful, and we are all guilty before God (Romans 3:23). It must have been painful for sinners under the Mosaic Law to slaughter an innocent animal when they knew they were the ones who had done wrong. In the same way, it is painful for us to admit our guilt and to know that the innocent and holy Son of God took the punishment for our sin. But this salvation God has provided, and it is the only way. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Praise the Lord that sin offerings are no longer required, because we have been redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19).




Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”


Joshua 1:5
No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.


Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.


Psalm 37:25
I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread.


Psalm 118:6
The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?


1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.


Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; / in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.


2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.


Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”






The Birth and Adoption of Moses

(Acts 7:20–22; Hebrews 11:23)


Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him for three months.

But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in the basket and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.

And his sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Soon the daughter of Pharaoh went down to bathe in the Nile, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. And when she saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maidservant to retrieve it.

When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the little boy was crying.

So she had compassion on him and said,


“This is one of the Hebrew children.”


Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter,

“Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”

“Go ahead,”

Pharaoh’s daughter told her. And the girl went and called the boy’s mother.


Pharaoh’s daughter said to her,

“Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages.”

So the woman took the boy and nursed him.


When the child had grown older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses and explained, “I drew him out of the water.”




The Rejection and Flight of Moses

(Acts 7:23–29)


One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people and observed their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. After looking this way and that and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.


The next day Moses went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong,

“Why are you attacking your companion?”


But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us

 Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?


Then Moses was afraid and thought, “

This thing I have done has surely become known.”


When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses.

But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.


Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.

And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock.

When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they replied. “He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

“So where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.”

Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”




God Hears the Cry of the Israelites

After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery,

and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.

So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God saw the Israelites and took notice.



3 a The Hebrew can also mean ark; also in verse 5; see Genesis 6:14.
10 b Moses sounds like a Hebrew term that means to lift out.
11 c Or his brothers
14 d Cited in Acts 7:27 and Acts 7:35
14 e LXX Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday? Cited in Acts 7:28
18 f Reuel was also called Jethro; see Exodus 3:1.
22 g Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for foreigner.





The Birth of Jesus

(Matthew 1:18–25)


1Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.a 2This was the first census to take place whileb Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And everyone went to his own town to register.

4So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.

6While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.




The Shepherds and the Angels

8And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. 9Just then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! 12And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”



And suddenly there appeared with

the angel

a great multitude

of

the heavenly host,

praising God and saying:


“Glory to God in the highest,

and on

earth peace to men

on

whom His favor rests!”



15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. 17After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. 18And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.


​

Jesus Presented at the Temple

21When the eight days before His circumcision had passed, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived.

22And when the time of purification according to the Law of Moses was complete, His parents brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”c), 24and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”




The Prophecy of Simeon

25Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.e And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what was customary under the Law, 28Simeon took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying:


29“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised,
You now dismiss Your servant in peace.
30For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31which You have prepared in the sight of all people,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to Your people Israel.”


33The Child’s father and mother were amazed at what was spoken about Him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary:


“Behold, this Child is appointed to cause
the rise and fall of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed--
and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”



The Prophecy of Anna

36There was also a prophetess named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was well along in years. She had been married for seven years, 37and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four.f She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.

38Coming forward at that moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.




The Return to Nazareth

(Matthew 2:19–23)


39When Jesus’ parents had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

40And the Child grew and became strong.g He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.
The Boy Jesus at the Temple

41Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. 42And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Feast.

43When those days were over and they were returning home, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but His parents were unaware He had stayed. 44Assuming He was in their company, they traveled on for a day before they began to look for Him among their relatives and friends.

45When they could not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. 46Finally, after three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.

48When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”

49“Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s househ?” 50But they did not understand the statement He was making to them
.
51Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.





Jacob Meets Rachel

Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.

He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well. When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.


“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?”

“We are from Haran,” they answered.


Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked.


“We know him,” they replied.

“Is he well?”

Jacob inquired.


“Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”


“Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”

But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”

While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.

As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.

Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.

He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.


When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.”

After Jacob had stayed with him a month,

Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”


Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.

Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.

Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.


Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”

So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.

But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.

And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpa to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.

When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?”


Jacob said to Laban.


“Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”


Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.

Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”


And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.

Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.

Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.





Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah


When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”

Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon.

Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.

And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah.


Then Leah stopped having children.


​
Leviticus 12:6-7
When the days of her purification are complete, whether for a son or for a daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. / And the priest will present them before the LORD and make atonement for her; and she shall be ceremonially cleansed from her flow of blood. This is the law for a woman giving birth, whether to a male or to a female.

Leviticus 5:7
If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.

Leviticus 14:22
and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever he can afford, one to be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.



“A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

​

Psalm 23

is a beautiful poem

that uses the

image of God as shepherd


David, who penned this psalm, had been a shepherd himself and understood the parallel between the task of a shepherd caring for his sheep and of God caring for His people. Sheep are totally dependent on the shepherd for food, water, leadership, and guidance as they move from place to place, just as we are dependent upon God for all that we need. Sheep depend on the shepherd for protection from a wide range of predators and dangers, just as we look to God as our Protector and Defender. In the New Testament, Jesus reveals Himself to be the Good Shepherd of His people (John 10:11, 14), fulfilling the Old Testament prophecy that God would come to shepherd His people (Ezekiel 34:7–16, 23).

Psalm 23:4, addressing the Lord Shepherd, says, “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” David bases this description on the practices of shepherds in his day. Shepherds of the time commonly carried a rod and staff as essential to their work.

The rod mentioned in Psalm 23 is a symbol of the Lord’s strength and protection. The rod was a sturdy wooden stick used as a weapon to fight off wild animals who might have hoped to make an easy meal out of an otherwise defenseless flock of sheep. The shepherd also used the rod to help him keep count of the sheep within the flock (as alluded to in Leviticus 27:32). Young David recounted an incident to King Saul in which he probably used his shepherd’s rod: “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it” (1 Samuel 17:34–35).

The staff mentioned in Psalm 23 is a symbol of the Lord’s guidance and lovingkindness. The staff was a long, slender stick, often hooked at the tip, used primarily to direct the flock. Sheep are notorious wanderers, and once away from the shepherd’s watchful eye, they get into all sorts of trouble (Matthew 18:12–14). The shepherd used his staff to keep his sheep out of danger and close to himself. If a sheep became trapped in a precarious position, the shepherd would loop the curved end of the staff around the neck of the sheep and retrieve it back to safety.

W. Philip Keller, in his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, comments on the uniqueness of the shepherd’s staff: “In a sense, the staff, more than any other item of his personal equipment, identifies the shepherd as a shepherd. No one in any other profession carries a shepherd’s staff. It is uniquely an instrument used for the care and management of sheep—and only sheep. It will not do for cattle, horses or hogs. It is designed, shaped and adapted especially to the needs of sheep” (from chapter 8).

Together, the rod and staff of Psalm 23 paint a picture of the divine Shepherd who wields them. He is strong, competent, and trustworthy; He is present with His sheep, able to defend them and watch over them through all the dangers they face. Knowing that we have such a Shepherd who is ready to protect us from danger, keep us close, and rescue us when we go astray truly is a great comfort to us, the sheep.
​In Psalm 23, God is using the analogy of sheep and their nature to describe us. Sheep have a natural tendency to wander off and get lost. As believers, we tend to do the same thing. It’s as Isaiah has said: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). When sheep go astray, they are in danger of getting lost, being attacked, even killing themselves by drowning or falling off cliffs.

Likewise, within our own nature there is a strong tendency to go astray (Romans 7:5; 8:8), following the lusts of our flesh and eyes and pursuing the pride of life (1 John 2:16). As such, we are like sheep wandering away from the Shepherd through our own futile self-remedies and attempts at self-righteousness. It is our nature to drift away (Hebrews 2:1), to reject God, and to break His commandments. When we do this, we run the risk of getting lost, even forgetting the way back to God. Furthermore, when we turn away from the Lord, we soon find ourselves confronting one enemy after another who will attack us in numerous ways.

Sheep are basically helpless creatures who cannot survive long without a shepherd, upon whose care they are totally dependent. Likewise, like sheep, we are totally dependent upon the Lord to shepherd, protect, and care for us. Sheep are essentially dumb animals that do not learn well and are extremely difficult to train. They do not have good eyesight, nor do they hear well. They are very slow animals who cannot escape predators; they have no camouflage and no weapons for defense such as claws, sharp hooves, or powerful jaws.

Furthermore, sheep are easily frightened and become easily confused. In fact, they have been known to plunge blindly off a cliff following one after another. Shepherds in Bible times faced incredible dangers in caring for their sheep, putting their own lives at risk by battling wild animals such as wolves and lions who threatened the flock. David was just such a shepherd (1 Samuel 17:34–35). In order to be good shepherds, they had to be willing to lay down their lives for the sheep.

Jesus declared that He is our Shepherd and demonstrated it by giving His life for us. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Through His willing sacrifice, the Lord made salvation possible for all who come to Him in faith (John 3:16). In proclaiming that He is the good shepherd, Jesus speaks of “laying down” His life for His sheep (John 10:15, 17–18).

Like sheep, we, too, need a shepherd. Men are spiritually blind and lost in their sin. This is why Jesus spoke of the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:4–6). He is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us. He searches for us when we’re lost, to save us and to show us the way to eternal life (Luke 19:10). We tend to be like sheep, consumed with worry and fear, following after one another. By not following or listening to the Shepherd’s voice (John 10:27), we can be easily led astray by others to our own destruction. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, warns those who do not believe and listen to Him: “I did tell you, but you do not believe . . . you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:25–28).

Psalm 23:1–3 tells us that the shepherd meets the sheep’s every need: food, water, rest, safety, and direction. When we as believers follow our Shepherd, we, too, know that we will have all we need. We will not lack the necessities of life, for He knows exactly what we need (Luke 12:22–30).

Sheep will not lie down when they are hungry, nor will they drink from fast-flowing streams. Sometimes the shepherd will temporarily dam up a stream so the sheep can quench their thirst. Psalm 23:2 speaks of leading the sheep “beside the quiet [stilled] waters.” The shepherd must lead his sheep because they cannot be driven. Instead, the sheep hear the voice of their shepherd and follow him—just as we listen to our Shepherd, Jesus Christ—in His Word and follow Him (John 10:3–5, 16, 27). And if a sheep does wander off, the shepherd will leave the flock in charge of his helpers and search for the lost animal (Matthew 9:36; 18:12–14; Luke 15:3–7).

In Psalm 23:3, the Hebrew word translated “paths” means “well-worn paths or ruts.” In other words, when sheep wander onto a new path, they start to explore it, which invariably leads them into trouble. This passage is closely akin to the warning in Hebrews 13:9: “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.” The apostle Paul also alludes to this idea in Ephesians 4:14.

Finally, the shepherd cares for the sheep because he loves them and wants to maintain his own good reputation as a faithful shepherd. As we’ve seen in Psalm 23, the analogy of the Lord as the Good Shepherd was also applied by Jesus in John chapter 10. In declaring that He is the shepherd of the sheep, Jesus is confirming that He is God. The Eternal God is our Shepherd. And we would not want it any other way.

In one of the most consoling passages of the Bible, we discover this confident claim: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). The psalmist, King David, has learned that God’s presence with him overcomes even the very worst things he can face in life.

Psalm 23 introduces us to the Lord as a faithful, loving, and compassionate Shepherd, an image that’s familiar throughout both the Old and New Testaments. As we get to know God as our Shepherd, we begin to see how He guides us, cares for us individually, and protects us. We realize that we lack nothing because our Shepherd is with us, directing our path and looking out for our every need. Even if He leads us into a dark valley we, like David, can say, “I will fear no evil.”

The word translated “evil” in the original Hebrew language means “that which causes harm, misfortune, trouble, danger, destruction, or injury of any kind.” Even in the most challenging times, David says he would not fear any harm. We don’t have to be afraid because the Lord our Shepherd walks with us through the dark valleys of life. He is with us in times of loss, illness, injury, and grief. Even in the blackest seasons of life, we don’t have to fear harm because God is with us.

God has repeatedly given this reassurance to His faithful followers throughout the Bible. To the patriarchs, God said, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Genesis 26:24, ESV; see also Genesis 15:1). To the armies of Israel, the Lord promised, “When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you” (Deuteronomy 20:1).

As Joshua and the people of Israel prepared for battle against enemy nations in the Promised Land, God said through Moses, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6; see also 31:8). Through the prophet Isaiah, God proclaimed, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand (Isaiah 41:10, NLT; see also 41:13; 43:5). The writer of Hebrews reminds us of God’s promise, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

Fearing evil and trusting God don’t mix. When we are confident in God’s goodness, we can say with the psalmist, “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?” (Psalm 27:1). If we believe that God is on our side, we acknowledge, “The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Psalm 118:6, NLT). When we start to experience fear, we know it’s time to put our trust in God (Psalm 56:3). As we turn to Him in prayer, He will free us from fear and fill us with His supernatural peace (Psalm 34:4; Philippians 4:6).

In our darkest, most trying times, we must remember that God is near (Psalm 34:18). He is our Shepherd, and we are in His constant care. Throughout our lives and even in death, His goodness and love will never fail us (Psalm 23:6). Only when we are secure in the knowledge that our Good Shepherd is with us can we confidently say, “I will fear no evil.”

​
Psalm 103 opens with this rousing exhortation: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!” (verse 1, ESV). The same command to “bless the Lord, O my soul!” is repeated in the next verse (Psalm 103:2, NKJV), at the end of the psalm (verse 22), and twice again in Psalm 104, verses 1 and 35. Psalm 103 begins with an individual blessing the Lord with his soul, and it ends with the angels and all of creation joining in (verses 20–22).

The phrase O my soul refers to the author’s total being—his inner self. The New Living Translation renders the meaning of soul here in Psalm 103:1 more transparently: “Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.” When we bless the Lord with our soul, we are praising Him with our whole hearts—with all that we are and everything we have within us.

In addition to “soul,” the Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon gives several English meanings for the original Hebrew word (nephesh), including “heart,” “myself,” “self,” “the breathing substance,” “living being,” “inner being of a person,” “the man himself.”

To “bless” the Lord is to praise Him. The author of Psalm 103 reminds himself and the people of God always to remember to praise the Lord with wholehearted concentration for His love, goodness, compassion, forgiveness, and salvation: “Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” (Psalm 103:2–5, NLT).

We bless the Lord with our soul when we shake off apathy, absentmindedness, and any negativity that may have crept into our lives. As we use our minds to remember all that God has done for us, we stir up a passionate response of praise and worship that bubbles up from our innermost being.

When the people of Israel recognized that the Lord had not dealt with them according to their sins, they praised Him enthusiastically for His unfailing love: “He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:7–12, NLT). In the same way, when we wholeheartedly give voice to our thankfulness for God’s mercy and grace toward us as sinners, we bless the Lord with our soul.

Psalm 103 is profoundly evangelical and a favored anthem of sinners. Similar exhortations to bless the Lord with our whole being can be observed throughout Psalms: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5; see also Psalm 42:11; 43:5; 104:1). From the people of ancient Israel to the humblest of sinners today, we bless the Lord with our soul when we think of God’s graciousness toward us and His abounding, steadfast love: “The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust” (Psalm 103:13–14, NLT).

We bless the Lord with our soul when we don’t hold anything back in our praise and worship of Him: “My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies” (Psalm 108:1–4).

​In one of the most comforting Bible passages, King David declares, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1, ESV). The word want in this case means “to have a need” or “to lack”; the psalmist’s confident assurance is that, with the Lord as his shepherd, he would never lack a thing. All his needs would be supplied.

David, who spent his boyhood tending his father’s flocks (1 Samuel 16:11, 19; 17:15), knew something about the heart of a shepherd. He compared his relationship with God to that of sheep and a shepherd. The tender imagery underlines God’s personal care, guidance, and protection. King David trusted wholly in the Lord, knowing he would not lack anything because God was with Him as his shepherd.

When sheep are left to fend for themselves, they are vulnerable and helpless animals, incapable of providing for their own needs. The shepherd leads the flock to fresh water and pasture for food. He cares for the sheep when they are injured or ill. Without a shepherd, the sheep scatter and become lost. Unless they stay near the shelter and protection of the shepherd, they have no hope of surviving attacks from wolves and other predators. But when sheep remain under the watchful eye of the shepherd, they can say, “I shall not want,” because he meets their every need.

As God’s sheep, we are precious to Him (Psalm 28:9; 77:20; 78:52; 79:13; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3). He takes full responsibility for our needs, safety, and protection, even risking His own life for us. Jesus, who is “the great Shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20), assured His disciples repeatedly that He would care for them, leading, guiding, protecting, and laying down His life for them (John 10:1–16, 26–30). Through His redeeming death on the cross, Jesus Christ paid for our sins and purchased us as His sheep. Even if, in our suffering and pain, we wander away from the Lord, we have a Good Shepherd in Jesus who is “the Guardian of [our] souls” (1 Peter 2:25, NLT). When we understand this truth, we can put our whole trust in Him and say, “I shall not want” (Psalm 34:9–10). We discover that we now lack nothing necessary to experience abundant life in Him (2 Peter 1:3; Psalm 84:11).

Jesus told His followers, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33, NLT). Our heaven-sent provision will flow from pursuing God’s kingdom first and staying in close fellowship with Him. Only then can we tap into His all-sufficient, unlimited supply of resources. We won’t have to worry about what to eat, drink, or wear because our loving Shepherd knows what we need (Matthew 6:31–32). He will never abandon us or leave us begging for bread (Psalm 37:25).

When we say, “I shall not want,” we also acknowledge our satisfaction with God and what He has given us (Hebrews 13:5; 2 Corinthians 9:8). It means we have learned the secret of contentment, like the apostle Paul, who said, “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11–13, NLT).

We may not always have everything we desire, but we can trust God to provide all we need. As He was with Israel in the wilderness, God will always be with us, blessing us in everything, watching our every step, and ensuring we lack nothing (Deuteronomy 2:7). With the Lord as our shepherd, we can confidently say, “I shall not want.”

For the soul in need of restoration, Psalm 23 is perhaps the most comforting place to turn in all the Bible. King David, who had tended his father’s flocks as a boy, had come to know God as the shepherd of his life. In Psalm 23:3, David declares of the Lord, “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (ESV).

David wrote this psalm during a time of spiritual renewal or revival. “He refreshes my soul,” says the New Living Translation; “He renews my life,” affirms the Christian Standard Bible. Like a sheep who lacks the typical animal sense of direction, David had lost his way. He had wandered off the right path.

But here, David affirms, “He leads me in the paths of righteousness.” The primary jobs of the shepherd in pasturing his flock were to lead the sheep in the right way, to food and water, and to fend off predators. The shepherd was responsible for the welfare and safety of the sheep.

The word paths in Psalm 23:3 refers to one’s “course of conduct.” The word for “righteousness” in the original language means “adhering to moral standards like honesty, justice, and uprightness.” Like a shepherd guides his sheep along the right way, God effectively leads His people on the correct path by His Word and through the Holy Spirit’s guidance (Psalm 19:7; 119:105; Isaiah 59:21; 63:11–14; Romans 8:14 ). God does all this “for his name’s sake” or, in other words, to bring honor and glory to His name.

In ancient Israel, one’s name was inseparably linked with his reputation and standing. God leads us in paths of righteousness because He is a righteous shepherd: “For you are my rock and my fortress,” David acknowledged, “and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me” (Psalm 31:3, ESV).

In Psalm 5:8, David prayed, “Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make your way straight before me.” As our life guide, the Lord assures us of faultless leading in straight paths. He is the ultimate companion for our journey. Like a professional travel guide, He stakes His name and reputation to guarantee our protection and safe arrival at the promised destination (Psalm 23:6).

The “paths of righteousness” depict the journey that leads to eternal life (Psalm 16:11). Proverbs 12:28 assures, “There is life in the path of righteousness, and in its path there is no death” (CSB). The Lord watches over those who walk on these paths (Psalm 1:6). As the proverb says, “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (Proverbs 4:18).

Believers are made righteous by faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Ephesians 2:8–9). By faith, we enter into a relationship with the one true God through Jesus Christ, His Son. Through the Holy Spirit, our Good Shepherd leads us on paths of righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:7; John 17:3; 1 John 2:25).

Sheep are known to stray from the path, and so are Christians. Yet, even if a believer falls into sin, as David did with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1—12:15), the Lord is committed to leading him back to the right path. The Good Shepherd goes after the one lost sheep (Luke 15:1–7). The Father waits for the prodigal son to return (Luke 15:11–32). The Lord shows us our wandering ways so that we can repent and have our souls refreshed and restored. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

The disciple Peter is an excellent example of a straying follower who was pursued by the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord (Luke 22:58–62). After he fell, Peter, like David, was forgiven and restored by the Lord (John 21:15–19).

According to Scripture, paths of righteousness are the safest roads to travel (Proverbs 4:11–12; 10:2, 9). These paths are ultimately avenues of safety, wisdom, justice, right living, integrity, and eternal blessings (Isaiah 42:16; Psalm 119:35; Proverbs 8:20; 11:3). They are “ways of pleasantness” and “paths of peace” (Proverbs 3:17).

King David loved being in the presence of the Lord. In Psalm 23, David celebrated the intimate relationship he shared with God. The passage begins with a metaphor of the Shepherd (the Lord) leading His lamb (David), illustrating God’s close attention, guidance, and protection. The imagery deepens as David portrays himself as an honored guest and permanent resident in God’s house: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:5–6).

An ancient custom of hospitality and respect shown to esteemed dinner guests was for the host to anoint his invitee’s head with oil. The oil was mixed with fragrant perfumes to refresh and soothe weary travelers (see Jesus’ rebuke of a dinner host in Luke 7:46). Since the custom and its significance are unknown today, some modern translations replace the phrase with “you welcome me as an honored guest by rubbing my head with oil” (TEV) and “you honor me by anointing my head with oil” (NLT).

In Psalm 23:5, David said to the Lord, “You anoint my head with oil” because he regarded himself as the Lord’s special guest. David had been invited to dine now and forever at the Lord’s table and to receive His favorable anointing.

David recognized that his standing was not merely that of a short-term visitor who would be entertained once and then sent on his way. Nor would he be invited to return for a meal only occasionally. David rejoiced that he had been granted the high honor of a perpetual place setting at the Lord’s supper table.

The statement “You anoint my head with oil” also symbolized David’s gladness of heart. Oil is elsewhere associated in the Bible with joy (Isaiah 61:3; Hebrews 1:9). David felt so blessed by his Host’s gracious abundance, always providing more than he needed, that his cup of joy was at the spilling point. Another psalmist expressed similar satisfaction in the Lord’s favor: “God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy” (Psalm 45:7).

You anoint my head with oil speaks of the Lord’s ministry to refresh David’s heart, particularly in light of the immediate threat of enemies. David imagines himself sitting at the Lord’s banquet table while his adversaries gather all around. Being in God’s presence rejuvenated David, giving him the strength to face all the challenges and pressures of life. His enemies could snarl and roar all they wanted, but in the shelter of God’s presence, David would feast and be refreshed.

With his head anointed and his cup overflowing, David spoke what might be the equivalent to the apostle Paul’s declaration in Romans 8:31–39: “If God is for us, who can be against us? . . . Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? . . . Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life . . . neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

As Christians, we enjoy an intimate relationship with the Lord. We, too, can delight in the comfort of His presence, protection, and care (John 14:23). God has invited us to be honored guests in His eternal home with a permanent place at His banquet table (Isaiah 25; Matthew 22:1–14; Luke 13:29–30; Revelation 19:9; 21:2–4). Like David, we can say, “You anoint my head with oil” because Jesus Christ fills us with joy overflowing, and His joy is the strength of our lives (John 15:11; Psalm 16:11; Nehemiah 8:10).

The phrase my cup runneth over is the King James Version’s wording of Psalm 23:5. Other versions say “my cup overflows.” A cup runs over when it cannot hold all that is being poured into it. The emphasis of Psalm 23 is the Good Shepherd’s loving care for His sheep (cf. John 10:11, 14). The Lord not only gives His people what they need (Psalm 23:1–2), but He supplies abundance in the midst of difficult times (verse 5). This abundance is not limited to material blessings under the Old Covenant, but it also includes the Holy Spirit’s future outpouring upon all who ask (Luke 11:13; Acts 2:1–4).

The Bible emphasizes the excessive love, blessing, and power that God desires to pour out on those who love Him (Malachi 3:10; Lamentations 3:22; Psalm 108:4). Jesus reflected God’s generosity when He said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Paul continues that theme in Ephesians 3:20 and describes God as the One “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Romans 8:37 promises that we are “more than conquerors through Him who loves us.” The message echoed in each passage is that of God’s excessive grace and provision for every area of our lives. He is not stingy, nor are His blessings confined to temporal things. In Christ we can have overflowing joy, overflowing love, and overflowing peace. We can bear everlasting fruit for God’s kingdom, and we can overcome impossible challenges when the Holy Spirit fills our hearts until our “cup runneth over.”

The Bible records many mighty things done when people were filled with (i.e., controlled by) the Holy Spirit (Exodus 31:2–3; Ezekiel 43:5; Luke 1:67; Acts 4:31). We are urged to be filled with the Spirit as well (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16, 25). However, as a glass cannot be filled with milk if it is already filled with mud, we cannot be filled with the Spirit when we are already filled with sin, pride, or self-will. Before we can be filled to overflowing, we must be willing to empty ourselves of everything that would hinder the Spirit’s working in our lives. It is only when our hearts are filled with God that we can accomplish all He desires to do in and through us. His grace knows no limits for those whose hearts are wholly His (2 Chronicles 16:9a). He desires to fill us with His Spirit until our cup runneth over.

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National Jubilee of Prayer,

Praise & Thanksgiving


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05/17/26
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https://www.youtube.com/live/f4W49f2QVJo?si=7iXQBNjprsqPVjbq

Isaiah 40:31



But those who wait


​upon


the LORD will renew



their strength;



they will


mount up with wings
​


like eagles;



they will run and not grow


weary,



they will walk
​


and not faint





Ephesians 3:16


I ask that out of the riches of


His glory


He may strengthen

you

with power through



His Spirit in your inner being




Philippians 3:21



who, by the

​

power that enables Him


to subject


all things to Himself,



will transform our lowly bodies


to be like



His glorious body




1 Peter 1:23

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed,

but of imperishable,

through the living and enduring word of God.



Isaiah 57:15


For thus says the One who is high


and lifted up,

who inhabits eternity,

whose name is Holy:


“I dwell in a high and holy place,

and with the

oppressed and humble in spirit,

to restore the spirit

of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
​




Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles 


The Resurrection of Christ

 is intimately tied

to the timing and theological

meaning of Passover


Together, these holy days share

deeply intertwined

historical, agricultural, and spiritual roots. 




Passover Pesach

A spring festival commemorating the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Historically, it involves the ritual Seder meal and unleavened bread. In Christianity, it is historically and theologically linked to the Passion, Last Supper, and the crucifixion of Jesus.


Pentecost (Shavuot or Feast of Weeks)

Celebrated 50 days after Passover. Agriculturally, it marks the wheat harvest. In Judaism, it commemorates the giving of the Law (Torah) at Mount Sinai. In Christianity, it marks the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, celebrated as the birthday of the Church.


Tabernacles (Sukkot or Feast of Booths)

 A joyous fall harvest festival where Jews dwell in temporary shelters (booths) for seven days. It recalls the 40 years of wilderness wandering and God's protective presence. Christians sometimes celebrate this to reflect on God "tabernacling" among humanity.





The Missing Name of God


 Esther is the only book

in the Bible

that does not explicitly mention

the name of God


Instead, it

highlights divine providence—showing God

working quietly through

human choices and ironic coincidences




"For Such a Time as This"


Mordecai famously challenges Queen Esther with this phrase when she hesitates

to approach the king

to save the Jews from Haman's wicked plot.


She chooses courage over fear, saying,


"If I perish, I perish".


For which cause we faint not; but though our

outward man perish,

yet the inward man is renewed day by day



Colossians 3:10

And have put on the new self, which

is being renewed

In knowledge in the image of


its Creator



Ephesians 4:23-24

To be renewed in the spirit of your minds;

and to put on the new self,

created to be like God

in true righteousness and holiness.



The book of Esther is surprising in several ways. One fact that may startle readers is that the book does not mention God at all. This has caused some to question its place in the biblical canon, but, in reality, the absence of God’s name fits perfectly with the theme of the book.

Here are some reasons why God’s name may not have been referenced in Esther: first, one emphasis of Esther appears to be how God works behind the scenes. The book of Esther records no miracles and no direct intervention of God at all. In Esther’s story, the Lord redeems His people through the faith and courage of one strategically placed woman and her cousin. All the while, things are happening behind the scenes to bring about the final result.

Also, it is possible God is not mentioned directly in Esther because of the circumstances of its writing. Jewish tradition claims authorship by Mordecai. If Mordecai is the author, he wrote the book in Persia while serving under King Ahasuerus (or Xerxes). Instead of directly crediting God for the victory of the Jewish people, Mordecai may have written the book to better fit the polytheistic context of Susa. This would have kept him protected from harm by the king or other enemies while still communicating the account of God’s work through Queen Esther.

Another emphasis in Esther is the theme of fasting. There are six separate feasts throughout the book, and these stand in stark contrast to Esther’s choice to fast for three days before confronting the king with the matter of saving the Jewish people. She likewise asked other Jews to join her: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do” (Esther 4:16). It is understood that fasting is done before God and to request God’s help. So, even though God’s name is not directly mentioned, Esther is involved in a religious observance meant to supplicate God’s mercy.

Finally, the book of Esther may not mention God because the emphasis is on God’s providence. Mordecai states in Esther 4:14, “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” In his rhetorical question, Mordecai alludes to divine sovereignty without calling it such. The principle is that God places people in particular places at particular times to accomplish His particular plans.

The book of Esther may not directly mention God, yet it clearly reveals God at work. His name is not written in the book, but His fingerprints, as we say, are all over it. The coincidences, the amazing reversals, and the poetic justice that led to the deliverance of the Jews in Persia all proclaim the presence of God.




​
Meribah and Massah:


Lessons on Faith


The twin names memorialize failure, yet also grace. Israel’s doubt names the site, but God’s water makes it livable. Deuteronomy 6:16 cautions: “Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah.”


Faith trusts without demanding proof;

testing means

insisting God must meet terms first



Sivan (Hebrew: סִיוָן)

is the third month of the religious year and the ninth month of the civil year on the


Hebrew calendar

It typically falls in late May and early June on the Gregorian calendar. 



The name Sivan originates from the ancient Akkadian language (simānu),


meaning



"season" or "time"



It is only mentioned once in the Hebrew Bible,

in the


Book of Esther


(8:9)


yet our inner self is being renewed day by day





2 Corinthians 3:18


And we, who with unveiled faces

all

reflect the glory of the Lord,

are being

transformed into His image

with intensifying glory,

which comes from the Lord,


who is the Spirit




Romans 12:2


Do not be conformed to this world,

but be

transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will

be able to test and approve

what is the good, pleasing, and

perfect will of God






The 

Book of Esther and Redemption


 profound lessons about

faith, providence, and salvation.

Both themes point to how

God operates

"behind the scenes" to protect and rescue His people



2 Corinthians 5:1

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled,

we have a building from God,

an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.


1 Peter 1:24-25


For,

“All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like

the flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall, 

but the word

of the Lord stands forever.”

And this is

the word that was proclaimed to you.




The Giving of the Torah

Sivan is most famously known as the month the Israelites received the Torah on Mount Sinai,

an event commemorated on the major holiday of Shavuot

Sivan represents the culmination of a journey that begins with liberation in Nisan (Passover) and spiritual refinement in Iyar. It marks the transition from mere freedom to living a life of purpose and divine instruction. 

​
 The astrological sign (mazal) for Sivan is


Gemini

(Te'omim, or "The Twins")


In Jewish tradition,

the twins symbolize harmony and the

two identical

tablets of the Ten Commandments.


It represents the bond between heaven and earth

and


unity among the Jewish people,

who arrived at Mount Sinai


"as one man with one heart"


2 Samuel 19:14

Describes the men of Judah turning their hearts to King David "even as the heart of one man."


Judges 20:1

Highlights the assembly of Israel gathering "as one man" to deal with a grave national issue.


2 Chronicles 30:12

 Details how the power of God gave Judah "one heart" to obey His commands.


Acts 4:32

Captures the unity of the early New Testament church,

stating they were
 

"of one heart and one mind." 



Do you not know that your bodies

are


Members of Christ?


Shall I then take the members of Christ

and unite

them with a prostitute?


Never!


Or don’t you know that

he who

unites himself with a prostitute

is one with her in body?


For it is said,


“The two will become one flesh.”


​

But he who

unites himself with the Lord

is one

with Him in spirit





Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.


Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.


​Luke 11:3

Give us day by day our daily bread




​Lamentations 3:22-23


Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed,

for His mercies never fail.

They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!



Romans 7:22

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:


Ephesians 3:16


That he would grant you, according to

the riches of his glory,

to be

strengthened with might by

his Spirit in the inner man;







The Temple of the Holy Spirit


(Romans 12:1–8; 1 Corinthians 3:16–23)


Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 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 glorify God with your body.






The Seventh Day

(Exodus 16:22–30; Hebrews 4:1–11)


Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work.

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.

This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD

God made them.

Now no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth, nor had any plant of the field sprouted, for the LORD God had not yet sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.

But springs welled up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.


Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.


And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, where He placed the man He had formed.

Out of the ground the LORD God gave growth to every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. And in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it branched into four headwaters:

The name of the first river is the Pishon; it winds through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
And the gold of that land is pure, and bdellium and onyx are found there.

The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the whole land of Cush.

The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Assyria.
And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
​
Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.

And the LORD God commanded him, “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden,

but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”
The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”

And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for
Adam no suitable helper was found.

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the area with flesh.

And from the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man, He made a woman and brought her to him.


And the man said:


“This is now bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called ‘woman,’

for out of man she was taken.”


For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,

and they will become one flesh.

And the man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.


Only weeks after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15) and receiving manna

(Exodus 16),


Israel still doubts God’s care. The text says,


“The people thirsted there for water and grumbled against Moses”

(17:3)



Their words reveal fear: “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt?”



Complaining replaces trust

when past

miracles fade from memory






Water from the Rock


(Numbers 20:1–13)

​

Then the whole congregation of Israel left the Desert of Sin, moving from place to place

as the LORD commanded.


They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.



So the people contended with Moses,


“Give us water to drink.”


“Why do you contend with me?”


Moses replied.


“Why do you test the LORD?”


But the people

thirsted for water there, and they grumbled

against Moses:


“Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”


Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people?


A little more and they will stone me!”


And the LORD said to Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you.

Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.


Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb.

 And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.”

So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.


He named the place Massah and Meribah

because the Israelites quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?




Acts 7:40-41

They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’ / At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.


Psalm 106:19-20

At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image.

They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox.


Hosea 8:5-6

He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?

For this thing is from Israel—a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.


2 Kings 17:16-18

They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal. / They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. / So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained


Deuteronomy 9:16

And I saw how you had sinned against the LORD your God; you had made for yourselves a molten calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD had commanded you.


Nehemiah 9:18

Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies,


​
Hope in Christ


is the confident expectation

and


assurance of eternal life

and


salvation through Jesus Christ


This hope is not merely wishful thinking but is grounded in the promises of God as revealed in Scripture. It is a living hope that sustains believers through trials and tribulations, providing a steadfast anchor for the soul.

The concept of hope in Christ is deeply rooted in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, writes, "And not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us" (Romans 5:3-5).


This passage highlights the


transformative power of


hope,



which is cultivated through


endurance and the work


of the


Holy Spirit



In 1 Peter 1:3-4, the Apostle Peter

emphasizes

the living nature of this hope:



"Blessed be the God and Father

of our


Lord Jesus Christ!


By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you" .

Here, hope is directly linked to the resurrection of Christ, underscoring its foundation in the historical and redemptive work of Jesus.



Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you


and that from infancy you have


known


the sacred writings,


which are able to make you

wise unto salvation through



​
faith in Christ Jesus





​John 15:7

If you remain in Me and My words

remain in you,

ask whatever you wish, and it will

be done for you.


Psalm 119:11

I have hidden

Your word in my heart that

I might not sin against You.


John 17:17

Sanctify them by the truth; Your word

is truth.


Psalm 12:6

The words of the LORD are flawless,

like silver refined

in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.



Your word is a lamp to my feet


And


a light to my path


​
Psalm 119


is an epic poetic composition paying

homage



To the


Word of God



The psalmist marvels at the excellencies

and

perfections of God’s Word,

including its

timeless, unlimited, and infinite nature.


In Psalm 119:89, he observes,


“Forever, O LORD,


Your word


is settled in heaven”


punctuating that



God’s Word is eternal.




In Psalm 119:152, the


psalmist testifies,


“Long ago I learned from

your statutes that

you established them to

last forever.”


Fast forward to the time

of Jesus, and the

Lord Himself bears

witness,

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away”


(Matthew 24:35).



The Word of God is eternal—it “endures forever”


(1 Peter 1:25).



“Your word is settled in heaven” 


“Your word . . . stands firm in the heavens” 


“Your word is firmly fixed in the heavens” 

and

“Your word is established in heaven forever”



The term settled means


“established, to be positioned”

and carries

the idea of absolute stability.


God’s Word is eternal,

and it is

absolutely and perpetually immutable:


“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever”


(Isaiah 40:8).


Human words may fail, but


believers can count 


on


God’s Word.


Every single word of the Lord is flawlessly accurate

and


truthful


(Proverbs 30:5).



His Word was

living,

active, and relevant

in ages past,


Still is today, and always

will be


(Isaiah 55:11; Hebrews 4:12).



By His Word, God spoke the heavens and the earth into existence (Genesis 1:1–31; Psalm 33:6; 2 Peter 3:5). God’s Word gave life and sustenance to His people in the past (Deuteronomy 8:3; 30:14–16). Moses told the Israelites that the Lord’s instructions were “not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River” (Deuteronomy 32:47, NLT).

The Word of God still gives life today (Matthew 4:4; John 6:63; Hebrews 1:3; James 1:21). Christians are made alive spiritually and eternally “through the living and enduring Word of God” (1 Peter 1:23).

Your word is settled in heaven also communicates the boundless, unlimited nature of the Word of God. The psalmist reflects, “I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your command is without limit” (Psalm 119:96, HCSB). God’s Word is not confined but reaches far and wide through space and time, penetrating earthly spheres and accessing heavenly realms. The Bible tells us that God watches over His Word to ensure that His plans are carried out (Jeremiah 1:12). His Word is so settled in heaven and stable on earth that it always accomplishes its goal (Isaiah 55:11).

“The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever,” informs the psalmist (Psalm 119:160, NLT). God’s Holy Word is settled in heaven because it is truth (John 17:17). As God’s perfect gift to us, it cannot be changed. James explains, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17, ESV). God has spoken, and God’s Word is eternal, fixed, established, and settled in heaven forever.

The Bible says that “love is of God” and “God is love” (1 John 4:7–8); in other words, love is a fundamental characteristic of who God is. Everything God does is impelled and influenced by His love. There is a distinct word for the type of love that God displays. In the Greek, this word is agape, and it refers to a benevolent and charitable love that seeks the best for the loved one.

First John 4:18 says that “perfect love casts out fear.” The whole verse says this: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” The context here is important: verse 17 says, “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.”

The “fear” that perfect loves casts out is the fear of God’s judgment. We know that Judgment Day is coming, but those who are in Christ know the love of God, which drives away fear of condemnation. The dismissal of the fear of judgment is one of the main functions of God’s love. The person without Christ is under judgment and has plenty to fear (John 3:18), but, once a person is in Christ, the fear of judgment is gone. He is reconciled to God, and “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Part of understanding the love of God is knowing that God’s judgment fell on Jesus at the cross so that we can be spared: “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus’ sacrifice propitiated (appeased) God’s justice and won His good favor (1 John 2:2, ESV). Jesus spoke often of His mission: “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). The only person who must fear judgment is the one who rejects Jesus Christ: “Whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (verse 18).

The Bible says that nothing can separate the believer from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:38–39). God’s love does not wax and wane; it is not a fickle, emotional sensation. God’s love for sinners is why Christ died on the cross. God’s love for those who trust in Christ is why He holds them in His hand and promises never to let them go (John 10:29). That divine love should take away our fear: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV). A spirit of fearfulness and timidity does not come from God. Sometimes this “spirit of fear” overcomes us, and to overcome it we need to trust in and love God more completely. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). If, as a child of God, we still fear God’s punishment, we have not yet reached the point of maturity in love. To help us be complete in love, God has liberally sprinkled encouragement against fear throughout the Bible. God tells us not to be afraid of being alone, of being too weak, of not being heard in our prayers, or of being destitute of physical necessities. These admonishments cover many different aspects of the “spirit of fear.”

The key to overcoming fear is total and complete trust in God. Trusting God is how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced the fiery furnace without fear (Daniel 3). Trusting God is how Stephen stood before his killers fearlessly (Acts 7). To trust God is to refuse to give in to fear. Even in the darkest times, we can trust in God to make things right. This trust comes from knowing God and knowing that He is good. Once we have learned to put our trust in God, we will no longer be afraid of the things that come against us. We will be like the psalmist who said with confidence, “Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you” (Psalm 5:11).

In summary, the word perfect in 1 John 4:18 means “complete” or “mature,” and the love that is referred to is God’s selfless agape love. The fear that this perfect love drives out is the fear of punishment. We have God’s promise that believers in Jesus Christ will not be judged with the world: “God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9; cf. 1 Corinthians 11:32). We can say with the psalmist, “In God I trust and am not afraid” (Psalm 56:11).

The unparalleled importance and power of God’s Word in the life of those who love, honor, and obey it is the theme of Psalm 119. In verse 11, the psalmist acknowledges, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you,” stressing the purifying quality of the Word of God to keep believers from straying into sin. Outward obedience comes from having the Scriptures buried deep within our hearts like a priceless treasure.

How can we have God’s Word hidden in our hearts? Let’s start by gaining a better understanding of what the psalmist is saying. The word for “hidden” in the original Hebrew means “to treasure, to regard as highly valued, to hide, keep, save up, store.” Translations range from “I have treasured your word in my heart” (CSB), to “I have stored up your word in my heart” (ESV), to “I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart” (The Message).

God’s Word is the agent of His Spirit used to cleanse the hearts of all who believe in Christ and are saved (Ephesians 5:25–27). And it is through keeping God’s Word securely planted in our hearts and living according to what it says that believers continue to walk in holiness (Psalm 37:31; 119:9).

The Lord commanded Israel, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 11:18–20). This passage mentions several of the ways we can hide, treasure, and store up God’s Word in our hearts. Let’s explore these in detail.

One of the first steps in hiding God’s Word in our hearts is reading the Bible. We get to know God and understand His plan for our lives through the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 119:105). Every Christian ought to pursue a consistent method of reading through the Bible.

Proverbs 2:1–5 conveys the benefits of listening to the Word of God: “My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. . . . Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God” (NLT).

Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ” (NLT). The spoken Word of Christ—the peaching of the gospel message—has the power to produce faith and reveal Christ. In Jesus Christ’s day, Scripture was read aloud in the synagogues and recited in households. When we listen to the Scriptures, either in music or read out loud, we reinforce God’s Word in our hearts.

Proverbs 7:1–3 states, “My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” Writing down our thoughts as we read and listen to the Bible will help clarify and strengthen those biblical truths in our hearts (Exodus 34:27; Deuteronomy 6:6, 8–9; Habakkuk 2:2).

The Bible urges us to study the Scriptures for greater understanding (Acts 17:11). The apostle Paul told Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Use a study Bible and other resources to help you accurately apprehend what Scripture is saying, not superficially, but historically and in the proper context.

The Bible also encourages us to “delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night” (Psalm 1:2, NLT). We are to think about God’s instructions and promises all day and night long (Psalm 119:97, 148). As we ponder God’s Word continually, treasuring, storing, and hiding it in our hearts, it will literally transform how we think and behave (Romans 12:2).



Hope in Christ


Hope in Christ is characterized by its certainty and assurance. Unlike worldly hope, which is often uncertain and contingent, Christian hope is anchored in the unchanging nature of God and His promises. Hebrews 6:19 describes this hope as "an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" . This metaphor illustrates the stabilizing effect of hope, which keeps believers steadfast amidst life's storms.

Furthermore, hope in Christ is future-oriented, focusing on the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises. Titus 2:13 speaks of "the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" 


This anticipation of



Christ's return


and the

consummation of His kingdom


fuels the believer's


perseverance and faithfulness



Hope in Christ is intrinsic
​

 of salvation.


It encompasses the assurance of


forgiveness,


reconciliation with God,


and the


promise of eternal life




In Colossians 1:27,


Paul refers to



"Christ in you, the hope of glory" ,


indicating that the


indwelling presence of Christ


is the


guarantee of future glory for believers


The Apostle Paul also connects


hope with the gospel message,


as seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:8:


"But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation" . Here, hope is depicted as a protective element in the believer's spiritual armor, safeguarding the mind and heart against doubt and despair.



Hope in Christ profoundly impacts the 

life of a believer

It inspires joy, patience, and perseverance



Romans 12:12 


 "rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction,

be persistent in prayer" 


This triad of

virtues reflects the sustaining

power of hope,


which enables Christians

to endure hardships

with a

joyful and prayerful spirit





In 1 John 3:3, it is written,



"And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself,


just as He is pure"


The anticipation of Christ's return and the realization

of eternal promises

encourage believers to pursue purity and 

Righteousness



 "God never fails"


speaks to


His absolute trustworthiness,


perfect timing,


and unchanging nature



While this doesn't mean

we will never

face hardships or human failure,

it means


God’s promises,


His redemptive purposes, and His enduring


love are infallible



 Corinthians 13:8, the Bible states that



"love never fails"


His commitment to

His children is steady, constant, and unmerited



Hope in Christ is vital to faith, offering

believers a secure

and joyful expectation of God's promises

that transforms lives,

providing

strength and encouragement in the present

while pointing to

​

The glorious future

that
​

awaits in Christ



Let the message

about


Christ, in all its richness,


fill your lives.


Teach and counsel


each other with all the wisdom


he gives


Sing psalms and hymns

and


spiritual songs


to God


with thankful hearts
​





Warnings from Israel’s Past

(Numbers 16:41–50; Numbers 25:1–5)


I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.


They all ate the

same

spiritual food and drank

the

same spiritual drink;



for they

drank from the spiritual rock

that

accompanied them, and



That Rock was Christ



Nevertheless,


God was not pleased with most of them, for they

were struck down in the wilderness.

These things took place as examples to keep us from

craving evil things as they did.


Do not be idolaters, as some of them were.



As it is written:


“The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to

indulge in revelry.”


We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did,


and in one day

twenty-three thousand of them died.



We should not test Christ,

as some of

them did, and were killed by snakes.


And do not complain,

as some of them did,

and were

killed by the destroying angel.


Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.

And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.

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.




(Exodus 20:22–26)


Therefore, my beloved, flee from


idolatry


 James 4:7 

"Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you"

It outlines a two-step process

for overcoming temptation and spiritual struggles:


Submit to God

This is the foundational first step. It requires

surrendering your will,

humbling yourself, and aligning with God's authority.

 Once you are grounded in God, you take an active,

firm stand against evil.

The original Greek word for "resist" means to actively

oppose or stand steadfast. 



The concept of "fleeing"

in the Bible

often carries the connotation of

escaping from

danger, sin, or temptation.


It is a recurring theme

throughout both the Old and New Testaments,

emphasizing

the importance of seeking safety, righteousness,

and obedience to God.



 Physical Escape from Danger

The act of fleeing is frequently depicted in the context of physical escape from immediate danger. For example, David fled from King Saul, who sought to kill him. In 1 Samuel 19:10, it is recorded, "Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but David eluded him, ran away, and escaped that night."


Fleeing from Sin and Idolatry

 The Israelites were often instructed to flee from idolatry and the sinful practices of surrounding nations. In Jeremiah 51:6, the prophet warns, "Flee from Babylon! Escape with your lives! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; He will pay her what she deserves."


Fleeing from Temptation

The New Testament frequently advises believers to flee from sin and temptation. In 1 Corinthians 6:18, Paul exhorts, "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body."


Fleeing from Idolatry

Paul also warns against idolatry in 1 Corinthians 10:14, stating, "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." This instruction underscores the need for Christians to avoid anything that might take the place of God in their lives.


Fleeing from the Love of Money

 In 1 Timothy 6:10-11,

Paul advises Timothy, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness."

The act of fleeing in the Bible is not merely about physical escape but also involves a spiritual dimension. It is a call to actively avoid situations and behaviors that lead away from God.

The Bible encourages believers to pursue righteousness and holiness, often by fleeing from the opposite.

For Christians, the concept of fleeing is a practical directive to avoid situations that could lead to sin or compromise their faith. It involves making conscious choices to turn away from harmful influences and to seek refuge in God's will and protection.

The act of fleeing is both a physical and spiritual discipline, requiring discernment and commitment to living a life that honors God.
​

I speak to reasonable people; judge for yourselves

what I say.


Is not the cup of blessing


that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ?

And is not the bread

that we break a participation in the body of Christ?


Because there is


one loaf,


we who are many


are one body;


for we all


partake of the one loaf



Consider the people of Israel:


Are not those who eat the sacrifices

fellow partakers in the altar?


Am I suggesting, then,

that food

sacrificed to an idol is anything,

or that an idol is anything?


No, but the


sacrifices of pagans are offered

to demons,


not to God.


And I do not

want you to be participants with

demons.


You cannot drink the cup


of the Lord

and the cup of demons too;


you cannot partake in

the

table of the Lord

and the

table of demons too


Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?




All to God’s Glory


(1 Peter 4:1–11)


“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial.


“Everything is permissible,”


but not everything is edifying.

No one should seek

his own good, but the good of others.


Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,

for,


“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”


If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything

set before you without raising questions of conscience.


But if someone tells you,


“This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for

the sake of the one who told you

and for the sake of conscience—the other one’s conscience,


I mean, not your own.


For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience?

If I partake in the meal

with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?



So whether you eat or drink

or

whatever you do,

do it all


to the glory of God


Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—

as I also try to please everyone in all I do.



For I am not seeking my

own good,


but the good of many,

that

they may be saved.



In Isaiah 42:8 God states,


“I am the LORD,

that is My name;


I will not give My glory to another,


Nor My praise to graven images” 


God’s glory is His honor, splendor, and dignity,

and

He will not share it with anyone.


In telling Israel of how

He was sparing them from destruction

and giving

them new prophecies, God says,


“For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.

How can I let myself be defamed?

I will not yield my glory to another”


(Isaiah 48:11).


God will not give His glory to another because all glory, honor, and praise belong to Him alone. He will not allow His works to be attributed to a false god, which is “nothing at all in the world” (1 Corinthians 8:4). Also, God will not allow humans to take credit for what He does, as if it were our own skill, wisdom, and power that deserve the praise.

God will not give His glory to another because it is immoral for someone to take credit for something he or she did not do. Whether it’s cheating on a test, plagiarizing a book, “stealing valor” by posing as a military veteran, or attempting to take credit for what God has done, it’s wrong. Most people understand that siphoning off the reputation of others or accepting accolades due to someone else is dishonest and dishonorable. For a human being to attempt to take credit for God’s actions is the height of hubris.

King Herod made the mistake of trying to appropriate God’s glory: “Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, ‘This is the voice of a god, not of a man.’ Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12:21–23).


In grasping for glory that belongs


only to God,


Herod was much like Lucifer, who said,


just before his fall,
​

“I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High”


(Isaiah 14:14)


God will not give His glory to another. He is “the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light. . . . To him be honor and might forever. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:15–16). The Lord our God is worthy “to receive glory and honor and power” (Revelation 4:11).



His glory is such that even heaven’s mightiest angels cannot look fully upon Him


(Isaiah 6:1–4).


There is no boasting in His presence


(1 Corinthians 1:28–29).



God will not give His glory to another, which makes Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer all the more astounding, because in it Jesus prayed, “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5). Three things of note here: 1) Jesus prays that the Father would give Him glory; 2) Jesus lays claim to a previous glory that was His before the time of creation; and 3) Jesus asserts that His glory was that of the Father’s. In other words, Jesus asks that the Father would give His glory to another, namely Himself; more than that,



Jesus proclaims

that

He has already shared

in that divine glory

as the

pre-existent Son of God.



What are we to make of Jesus’ prayer, in light of Scripture’s unambiguous decree that God will not give His glory to another?

Either Jesus is blaspheming, or He is indeed who He claimed: the eternal Son of God who is worthy to “sit on his glorious throne” (Matthew 25:31).


We believe that Jesus is “in very nature God”

(Philippians 2:6)


and that


“in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form”


(Colossians 2:9).


He is worthy to be praised.
​



Psalm 106:19-20

At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image.  They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox.


Exodus 20:3-5

You shall have no other gods before Me. / You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. / You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,


1 John 5:21

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.


Matthew 4:4

But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”


Exodus 32:4-5

He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” / When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before the calf and proclaimed: “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.”


Deuteronomy 9:12

And the LORD said to me, “Get up and go down from here at once, for your people, whom you brought out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! 



The Defeat of the Amalekites


After this, the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with the staff of God in my hand.”


Joshua did as Moses

had instructed him and fought against the Amalekites,

while

Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the

top of the hill.


As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.

When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it.

Then Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady

until the sun went down.

So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his army with the sword.

Then the LORD said to Moses,


“Write this on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua,

because I will utterly

blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”




And Moses built an altar and named it


The LORD Is My Banner.


“Indeed,” he said,


“a hand was lifted up toward the throne of the LORD.


The LORD will war against Amalek from generation to generation.”





The Rock that Gave Water

“Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. When you strike the rock, water will come out of it” (17:6). God’s presence “by” the rock shows He Himself is the source. Moses strikes once, not repeatedly, matching the specific command. Centuries later Paul writes, “that rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4), linking the physical provision to the living water Jesus offers (John 7:37–38).







Do Not Harden Your Hearts

(Hebrews 3:7–11)
​


Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;

let us shout to the Rock of our salvation!

Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving;

let us make a joyful noise to Him in song.

For the LORD is a great God,

a great King above all gods.

In His hand are the depths of the earth,

and the mountain peaks belong to Him.

The sea is His, for He made it,

and His hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.



For He is our God,

and we are the people of His pasture,

the sheep under His care.

Today, if you hear His voice,

do not harden your hearts

as you did at Meribah,

in the day at Massah in the wilderness,

where your fathers tested and tried Me,

though they had seen My work.


For forty years

I was angry with that generation,


and I said,


“They are a people whose hearts go astray,

and they have not known My ways.”

So I swore on oath in My anger,


“They shall never enter My rest.”




Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience, God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.
There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by

following the same pattern of disobedience.



Easter Sunday is the day

​we remember


Jesus’ miraculous resurrection from the grave


However, the Easter story couldn’t have happened without the Friday prior, when Jesus would be betrayed. So, who betrayed Jesus? Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. The twelve disciples were Jesus’ closest friends, and they were dedicated to His teachings.

We don’t know the heart behind why Judas betrayed Jesus, but we do know he was given thirty pieces of silver (about a day’s wage at the time–Matthew 26:15-16) for doing so. 
Very early Friday morning, while Jesus was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, guards showed up to arrest Jesus, led by Judas. Since it was dark, and because some of the guards might not have known what Jesus looked like, Judas identified Jesus by going up to Him and greeting Him with a kiss (Mark 14:43-45). Jesus was then arrested for claiming to be the Son of God (at the time, a punishable crime under Jewish law–Mark 14:61-64). 


What happened on Good Friday?


Now, a very similar question to “who betrayed Jesus” is “who denied Jesus?”


That Friday, while Jesus was on trial, another one of His disciples, by the name of Simon Peter (more commonly known as just Peter), denied knowing Jesus three times. Before his denials, at the Last Supper (the last meal Jesus and all twelve disciples would share together), Jesus told Peter he would deny knowing Him

(Matthew 26:31-35)


Peter then remarked, saying, “I will never disown you.” Just a few hours later, after Jesus was arrested, Peter was outside where Jesus was being questioned, and three different people approached him saying they recognized him as one who hung around with Jesus. Peter adamantly denied their claims

(Matthew 26:69-75)


Who betrayed Jesus? Judas. Who denied Jesus? Peter.

But, Judas and Peter had very different endings to their stories. After His resurrection, Jesus visited Peter and other disciples after they had been out fishing. Peter declared his love for Jesus three times, then Jesus told Peter to “feed His sheep” (meaning to go out and share the good news of His resurrection with others–John 21:15-19). After being “reinstated” by Jesus, Peter (along with the other disciples), would go on to start the most amazing movement in history: the Christian movement.
Judas had a very different end to his story. After he learned Jesus would be crucified, he felt deep pain for what he had done. He tried to return the thirty pieces of silver he had been given, but the priests who had paid him did not want their silver back. Judas, feeling extreme guilt, hung himself (Matthew 27:1-10). 

Even though Judas betrayed Jesus, it was an event that would play a critical role in Jesus overcoming the grave and beating death. Jesus died on the cross, yes, but He overcame the grave (Luke 24:1-12), and that’s what we celebrate on Easter Sunday

Denying Christ is a grievous act incurring significant spiritual consequences. According to Christian doctrine, rejecting or denying Christ can take various forms. A person can verbally deny knowing Christ, as Peter did three times (see Matthew 26:31–35, 70–75). Another type of denial is to make an intentional, informed decision not to accept Jesus Christ’s teachings or claims. For example, some rejected His teaching on the Bread of Life (see John 6:59–66). Denial can go as far as rejecting God’s grace and salvation offered through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

The Bible emphasizes the importance of acknowledging Jesus as God’s Son and humanity’s Savior (see 1 John 2:22–23). Christ Himself taught, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32–33, NLT). At first glance, this passage seems to imply that those who deny Christ may face the eternal consequence of being denied entry into the kingdom of heaven.

However, let’s consider Matthew 10:26–33 in context. Jesus was preparing His disciples for ministry, urging them to be courageous in their confession of faith and not afraid of persecution from people. He didn’t want them to succumb to faithless fear and deny Christ before other humans. If they did, Jesus would deny them their reward and reign before the Father in heaven. The apostle Paul affirmed, “This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is” (2 Timothy 2:11–13, NLT).

Denying Christ out of weakness and fear of persecution will result in losing out on certain heavenly rewards and positions (see 2 Corinthians 5:10). It will also carry the consequence of hindered or broken fellowship with God. But Peter’s denial was not a rejection of His Lord and Savior. It was a momentary lapse—a slipping back from his commitment to die for Jesus (Matthew 26:33–35). Later, Jesus lovingly restored Peter, gently leading him to reaffirm his love and devotion to Christ (John 21:15–25). While everyone is vulnerable and capable of denying Christ out of weakness and fear, God is faithful to forgive and restore us when we repent (1 John 1:9).

The person who rejects Jesus—who denies that He is the Christ and refuses to acknowledge or accept Him as Sovereign Lord and Savior—will face severe consequences, both now and for all eternity.


First, he or she misses out on the


spiritual blessings and fulfillment of

knowing God intimately

and dwelling in His presence


(Isaiah 12:3; Psalm 16:11; John 4:14; Ephesians 3:19)



Life apart from God is characterized by

emptiness and spiritual blindness


(1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Timothy 4:2)


and an increasing decline into sin and depravity


(Romans 1:18–32; Ephesians 4:17–19)



Jesus said that denying Him would eventually result in divine judgment and condemnation: “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day” (John 12:48; see also John 3:18–19; 2 Peter 2:1; Jude 1:4; Revelation 20:11–15).


Finally, the most severe and devastating consequences of denying Christ

and refusing His offer of salvation

are eternal death and everlasting separation from God


(Matthew 25:30, 41; John 8:24; Revelation 20:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:8)



Nonetheless, the Bible



promises the


hope of


eternal life in Jesus


God is loving and patient;


He doesn’t want anyone


to perish



(2 Peter 3:9)



He desires everyone to embrace the truth of the gospel and be saved

(1 Timothy 2:4).


We only have to turn from denying Christ, believe in Him, and be saved


(Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9).


Most followers of Jesus Christ


have had a

family member, friend, or acquaintance


who seemed to be a believer,

but who later renounced


Christ


Occasionally, a prominent Christian leader declares himself/herself to no longer be a Christian.

Theologically, what is occurring when someone


who claimed to be a Christian,

and

appeared to be a Christian,

departs from the faith?



 The person was, despite all appearances, never truly a Christian.

 The person is struggling with intense doubt and/or rebellion but is still a Christian.


Making matters more difficult, there are some verses in the Bible that seem to argue for the different options.
Second Timothy 2:12 says, “…if we deny Him, He also will deny us.” But then the very next verse reads, “if we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself.” There seems to be an important difference between struggling with a lack of faith and actively denying Christ.

Hebrews 6:4-6 seems to describe the possibility of believers falling away and losing salvation. In contrast, John 10:28-29 declares that no one can snatch one who has been given eternal life from God's hand. And Romans 8:38-39 states that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

In this discussion, I think 1 John 2:19 is key. It reads, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”

In context, the discussion is regarding antichrists (false teachers). The principle applies, though, to anyone who departs from the faith. Anyone who departs from the faith is proclaiming a message that is not true, and is, in fact, opposed to Christ (the essence of the term antichrist).

To paraphrase 1 John 2:19: “If anyone departs from the faith, they are demonstrating that they were never truly in the faith, for if they have been of the faith, they would not have departed. The fact that they have departed from the faith explicitly demonstrates that they were never a part of the faith.”

Since I firmly hold to eternal security, option (3) is out of consideration. Option (2) is possible if the person is only struggling with “faithlessness,” but is not actively denying Christ (see 2 Timothy 2:12-13 above). According to 1 John 2:19, option (1) is the answer for anyone who previously seemed to be a follower of Jesus Christ but is now actively opposing historical/biblical Christianity.

This is difficult to accept when the person declaring himself/herself to no longer be a Christian is someone who has impacted you spiritually. Whether it is a family member, a pastor, a teacher, an author, or a friend; it is a struggle to realize that someone who previously seemed to have faith and exhibit the love of Christ was never truly a believer. This is especially true if he/she ministered to us in a powerful way, or possibly even was used of God to lead us to faith in Christ. The key is to remember that, ultimately, it was God doing the work in you, not the person who is now denying the faith. It was God who opened your eyes, softened your heart, and drew you to faith and trust in Him. It was the Holy Spirit who illumined God’s Word to you.


Discovering that a person

who ministered to you was

not a believer


should have zero impact on your

relationship with God


We must accept the fact that only

God knows the heart


All our observations are based on incomplete information.

Christ Himself warned us that

there would be false prophets who would deceive many


(Matthew 24:11)



Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this issue is that it does not matter how a person got to the point of denying Christ. We can disagree about the validity of his/her prior faith. We can argue about the loss of salvation. But, if the person is denying Christ, what he/she needs is the gospel.

So, we need to stop arguing about the prior status of someone who is now a Christ denier. Instead, we need to pray for him/her, show him/her the love of Christ, speak the truth in love, and be ready to give an answer with gentleness and respect (Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 3:15).

​​



The Living Word
​

(2 Timothy 3:10–17)


For the word of God is living and active.


Sharper than any

double-edged sword,


it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit,

joints and marrow


It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart



Nothing in all creation is hidden from

God’s sight;


everything is uncovered and exposed

before the


eyes of Him to whom we

must give account.



Therefore, since we have a great high priest

who has


passed through the heavens,


Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold firmly to what we profess.


For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize

with our weaknesses,

but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are,

yet was without sin.


Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,

so that we may receive

mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need

​

God is all-powerful and all-knowing


(Psalm 147:5),


outside of time


(Exodus 3:14; Psalm 90:2),


and responsible for the creation of everything


(Genesis 1:1; John 1:1)


​
These divine traits set the minimum boundary for God’s sovereign control in the universe, which is to say that nothing in the universe occurs without God’s permission. God has the power and knowledge to prevent anything He chooses to prevent, so anything that does happen must, at the very least, be “allowed” by God.

At the same time, the Bible describes God as offering humanity choices (Deuteronomy 30:15–19), holding them personally responsible for their sins (Exodus 20:5), and being unhappy with some of their actions (Numbers 25:3). The fact that sin exists at all proves that not all things that occur are the direct actions of God, who is holy. The reality of human volition (and human accountability) sets the maximum boundary for God’s sovereign control over the universe, which is to say there is a point at which God chooses to allow things that He does not directly cause.



 God is sovereign 


He has the power, wisdom, and authority


to do anything


He chooses within His creation


The author of the book of Hebrews points out two critical convictions of believers.

First,


“anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists.”


Those who desire to draw near to God must have a deep-rooted belief that He is real. Such belief is not mere intellectual knowledge but a wholehearted devotion to His presence and participation in every part of one’s life.

Without a genuine conviction that God exists, it is impossible to have an intimate relationship with Him. Second, the Lord’s followers must believe “that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”


This aspect of faith trusts in the

character of God

as a good, loving, generous, gracious,

and merciful Father


(James 1:17; Psalm 84:11; Lamentations 3:22–23).


These two certainties are the

groundwork of


​Saving Faith—a Faith that Pleases God


Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because faith is the avenue by which we come to God and trust Him for our salvation.

In His infinite goodness, God provides the very thing we need to draw near to Him: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--

not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).


God gives us the faith required to please Him.


Hebrews 11:1 gives a definition, or at least a good description, of the


faith that pleases God:


“Now faith is confidence

in what

we hope for and assurance

about

what we do not see.”


“Confidence” is the translation of a Greek word that

means “foundation.”


Faith is the foundation that undergirds our hope. It is not a blind grasping in the dark, but an absolute conviction that comes from experiencing God’s love and the faithfulness of His Word. The term translated “assurance” is also translated as “evidence” or “proof.” With our natural eyes, we cannot see the realities of God’s kingdom, but by faith we receive the evidence or proof that they exist.

We’ve established that without faith it is impossible to come to God. It is also impossible to live for God—to follow and serve Him daily and persevere until the end—without faith. The entire Christian life is lived out by faith: “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (Romans 1:17; see also Habakkuk 2:4; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38).

The apostle Paul affirmed,

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”

(Galatians 2:20)


Scripture refers explicitly to Enoch’s faith as pleasing to God: “It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—‘he disappeared, because God took him.’ For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5, NLT; cf. Genesis 5:24). How did Enoch please God? Through living by faith. Enoch walked by faith in God. He obeyed the Word that had been revealed up to that point and lived in the light of its truth. Walking by faith means consistently living according to God’s Word (John 14:15).

Without faith, it is impossible to believe God’s Word and obey it.


Scripture says that it is impossible to please God through works of the flesh:

“Those who are in the flesh cannot please God”

(Romans 8:8, ESV).


We can’t earn God’s approval through good works.


Only based on what Jesus Christ has done for us can

we become holy

and able to live a life pleasing to God


(1 Corinthians 1:30)


Christ’s life in us produces the righteousness that pleases God


(2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:13; 3:9).


Without faith, it is impossible to please God; in fact, we cannot even begin to approach the Lord and experience a personal relationship with Him without it. Faith is the atmosphere in which the believer’s life is lived. We are called “believers” because we are continually putting our faith, trust, and confidence in God. By faith the Christian life begins, and by faith it perseveres until the end.

The champions of the Old Testament like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Joseph, Rahab, Gideon, and David all lived by faith. As they looked toward their future hope, they relied on God to fulfill His promises (Hebrews 11:13–16).



And they obeyed God’s Word even when they did

not understand it.


This kind of walking by faith

accepting as truth the things we cannot yet

touch, feel, or see,


and then acting on them in obedience

is the prescription for living a life that

pleases God.


We may not see ourselves

right now as God does—holy and made righteous

by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.


But when we accept the evidence in God’s Word

(Romans 10:17)


and reach out

in response to experience fellowship


with Him, then we

begin to live by faith, and that pleases God

​
In Hebrews 1:3, Jesus’ divine nature

is described in striking and colorful detail.


He is referred to as

“the radiance of God’s glory” and “the exact representation of His being.”


Then we are told that


He upholds all things “by the word of His power.”


According to this verse,


Jesus is associated with God’s divine nature by being


His glory and exact representation,

and He is

associated with God’s creation

by upholding

all things by the word of His power


Hebrews 1:3 shares similar language and imagery with Colossians 1:15–17,

which says,


“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn

over all creation.


For in Him all things were created: things in

heaven and on earth,


visible and invisible,


whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;


all things have

been

created through Him

and for Him



He is before all things,

and in Him

all things hold together”




“He upholds the universe by the word of His power,”

while the NIV says,


“Sustaining all things by His powerful word.”




Jesus, as the Very Word of God


(John 1:1–3),



Is the central life-force


by which


Everything in Creation

finds its existence



According to Genesis 1,


God created everything out of nothing

through the


Power of His word


And in the New Testament,




Jesus is



The very Word of God



Himself


(John 1:1–3).



With His word,


Jesus speaks life

and

power into all things--nothing

can exist or survive

outside of His word and power.

Imagine Jesus as the “pillars”

that hold up

the entire “house” of the universe.


Take away the pillars,

and the entire

house would crumble beneath itself.


Were Jesus not holding up

all creation,


then everything would crumble beneath itself





So, the fact that


Jesus upholds all things


​by the


word of His power


teaches us that everything in creation not only

has its

beginning in Jesus,


but also

its continued existence.


For

Jesus, as the eternal Word of God, has no beginning or end

(John 1:1–2).


 God is the one who sustains all things

(Hebrews 1:3)


To sustain something means to give it

strength, protection, encouragement, and comfort


God’s sustainment is a holding together

with a power

that surpasses that of any human


When a person accepts the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, he or she becomes a child of God as one adopted into His family (Romans 8:15).


God sustains His children through difficult times,


as Psalm 54:4 says,

“Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” He strengthens, protects, encourages, and comforts.

Our strength will eventually fail us, and God is the only one who can shore up our strength to endure

(Psalm 18:39).

Humans are finite, meaning we only have so much strength and energy on our own.


God is without limit, infinite

(Psalm 90:2),

and that means

His strength is also without end

(1 Corinthians 1:25).


Many psalmists recorded their dependency on God.


They expressed a need for God to sustain them, often in times of weariness or distress.


For example,

in Psalm 63:1 David writes of his enemies trying to kill him


“in a dry and parched land where there is no water,”

but he finds that the Lord sustains him:


“I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (verse 8).


See also Psalm 18:35, Psalm 41:12, and Psalm 89:21.


We may try to gain strength from things in this world, but these things will always disappoint and leave us emptier and wearier than we started. Nothing created can sustain itself, let alone the rest of creation.


Only the Creator can do that: “In [Christ] all things hold together”

(Colossians 1:17)


When we feel we are falling apart or have nothing left to give, we must turn to the only source of unending, sustaining strength. God is the sustainer, and He wants us to come to Him for help (Psalm 55:22).

God does not give begrudgingly but lavishly (Ephesians 1:18–19).

Not only does God sustain us as individuals in times of distress, but He also sustains all things in the universe

(Hebrews 1:3).

The physical laws that hold matter together, keep planets in their positions, and bind people to the earth are all sustained in and through Jesus (Colossians 1:17).

The same God who keeps the planets aligned also holds you in His hands.

When life is too much for you to take on by yourself, trust in the Lord.

We are part of His creation,

which means God knows exactly how to hold us together, too.

Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians to help them understand better the greatness of Christ, their new position in Christ, and the expectations God has for them. Paul summarizes much about Christ in the statement that

in Christ all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily

(Colossians 1:19).

For believers to truly understand the riches they have in Christ, they need to understand more about who He really is. Paul explains that in Christ we have forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14). Christ is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15a), or, as Matthew Henry put it, “the visible discovery of the invisible God” (Commentary, Col. 1:15–23). Christ has sovereign rights over all creation (Colossians 1:15b). In fact, Christ is the Creator of all—everything that exists was created “in him . . . through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). If you want to see God, look at Jesus, “for God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Colossians 1:19).

After explaining the preeminence of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:17–18), Paul adds that it is the Father’s pleasure that all the fullness of deity dwell in Christ (Colossians 1:19)—Jesus isn’t usurping anything that doesn’t belong to Him. He is God. Because Jesus is Deity, He has the qualification and authority to bring redemption and reconciliation with God to humanity (Colossians 1:20).

As John put it, Jesus has revealed and explained the Father to us (John 1:18). No one else was qualified to do this because no one had even seen the Father; only Christ could communicate the Father to humanity. Paul adds that Jesus is God’s mystery revealed (Colossians 2:2). Jesus is the revelation of God, and it is in Him that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge can be found (Colossians 2:3). Because of Jesus’ intimate relationship with the Father and how He reveals the Father to humanity, we can trust in Him as sufficient for providing reconciliation or peace with the Father through His shed blood on the cross (Colossians 2:20).

Just as the Colossians had received Christ, they were to walk in Him (Colossians 2:6). They were also to beware of philosophies, traditions, and basic principles that were not of Christ (Colossians 2:8), because only in Christ does the fullness of the Godhead dwell bodily. If a system of thought is rooted in anything other than Christ, then it can deceive and take someone captive. On the other hand, if the Colossians would acknowledge the philosophy (or system of ideas) that is according to Christ, then they would be able to put the principles into practice that God had designed for them. If Jesus is the physical person of God (both fully God and fully man), then we can be confident that following Him is following the truth. Believers should avoid falsehood, hold fast to Jesus as “the head,” and understand that their growth in God comes from Him (Colossians 2:19). We no longer live according to the elementary principles of a world that denies Christ (Colossians 2:20)—those principles are powerless to help us.


Because in


Christ the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily


(Colossians 2:9),


Believers can have confidence that one day, when


He is Revealed in Glory,

we will also

Appear with Him in Glory


(Colossians 3:4)


Our future is certain,


based on the


Person and Work

of

Jesus Christ


Believers need to focus on


Seeking

The things that matter

to Christ,


Who is in heaven


and who will


return one day


(Colossians 3:1–3).



We have a

New position in Christ and new life through belief in Him

and


We should prioritize what is important to Him,

knowing that

In Christ the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily


(Colossians 1:19)


Because of who He is, He can and will deliver on His promises.

Just as physical water is necessary


to sustain


physical life on earth,



living water from the Savior is necessary


to sustain


eternal life with Him






Jesus is both the Bread of Life

(John 6:35)
​


and the source of


living water,


sustaining His people forever




The apostle John,


in his vision of the New Jerusalem,

describes the river as flowing


“Down the middle of the great street of the city.”



The “water of life” referred to here is not

considered

physical water as we know it.


Rather,


the water flowing from the throne is symbolic of

the water of eternal life,


crystal clear to reflect the glory of God in a dazzling,

never-ending stream.


The fact that the stream emanates from the throne

tells us that


eternal life flows from God to His people.


Water is a common symbolic representation of eternal life in Scripture. Isaiah refers to drawing water from the “wells of salvation” with joy (Isaiah 12:3). The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah rebuked the Israelites for abandoning God’s “spring of living water” and digging for themselves their own cisterns which could not hold water (Jeremiah 2:13). The Israelites had forsaken the living God, who alone provides eternal life, to chase after false idols, worldliness, and works-based religions. Men do the same today, refusing the water of life only Christ provides for a parched and dusty life of materialism and self-indulgence.


Jesus encouraged the Samaritan woman at the well to take from Him


The water of (eternal) life

so that

she would never thirst again


Spiritually


(John 4:13–14).


Those who believe in Him, Jesus goes on to say

in John 7:38,

will have streams of living water flowing from them.


Water is an appropriate and easily understood symbol for life.


Just as physical water is necessary to sustain

physical life on earth,


living water from the Savior is necessary to sustain

eternal life with Him.


Jesus is both the Bread of Life

(John 6:35)


and the source of living water, sustaining His people forever.



“To the one who is victorious,

I will give some

of

the hidden manna


I will also give

that person a white stone

with

anew name written on it,

known only

to the one who receives it”


(Revelation 2:17)



In ancient Greece, jury members

would cast a white

stone to signify an acquittal,

whereas a black

stone proclaimed the defendant guilty.


A small object called a “tessera,”


made of wood, stone, clay or bone,

conveyed

special privileges to its owner


The ancient Romans used

tesserae as tokens of admittance to events

in the arena.


However, tesserae did not have

to be white,


and the durability of the materials used is questionable.



White


in Revelation 2:17

is leukos


“brilliant, bright.”


 Revelation 


The name of Christ is written on the foreheads of the saints


Revelation 3:12; 14:1, 22:4


The best theory regarding the meaning of the white stone probably has to do with the ancient Roman custom of awarding white stones to the victors of athletic games. The winner of a contest was awarded a white stone with his name inscribed on it. This served as his “ticket” to a special awards banquet. According to this view, Jesus promises the overcomers entrance to the eternal victory celebration in heaven.



The “new name” 


Holy Spirit’s work

of

conforming believers to


the holiness of Christ


Romans 8:29; Colossians 3:10



​Second Corinthians 2:15 


“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” To understand what the apostle Paul meant when he said that Christians are the “aroma of Christ,” we must look at the verses immediately surrounding the expression: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?” (verses 14–16).

For Jewish people, the apostle Paul’s analogy of “the pleasing aroma of Christ” would present an immediate association. In the Old Testament, the scent of burnt offerings was described as “an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Genesis 8:20–21; Leviticus 23:18; Numbers 28:27). For the Gentiles, this phrase would suggest the scent of incense being burned as an offering to the gods. However, Paul had a more specific picture in mind.

The apostle was speaking to the Corinthians about recent events in his ministry of evangelism. Despite all the difficulties and disappointments he’d faced while traveling from city to city spreading the gospel, Paul was able to reflect on God’s goodness with thanksgiving. The apostle then compared this ministry of evangelism to the triumphal military parades that were common at that time in the Roman world.

Paul’s metaphor would be readily understood by his audience, with the apostle and his co-laborers portrayed as victorious soldiers in a triumphal procession. During these Roman military parades, captives of war would be marched through the streets as garlands of flowers were carried and incense was burned to the gods. The aromatic perfumes wafted on the air as spectators and those in the procession breathed in their fragrance. At the parade’s finale, many prisoners would be put to death. Thus, the aromas were pleasing and life-giving to the victors, but they were the smell of death to those who had been defeated.

In Paul’s analogy, he separates humanity into two groups: those on the path of salvation and those on the road to destruction. The aroma spread everywhere by the ministry of evangelism was the knowledge of God as victor. Christians who spread the gospel are members of God’s victorious army led by Jesus Christ. Believers are like the aroma or fragrance spread during the victory processions. Both the victors and those perishing smell the aroma; however, it has a different meaning for the two groups. For the victorious army and its peoples, the aroma would relate to the joy of triumph. But for the prisoners of war, the fragrance would be associated with defeat, slavery, and death.

This brilliant metaphor contrasts Christian and non-Christian responses to hearing the gospel. To non-Christians, those on the road to destruction, believers who preach the gospel spread the smell of death, as it were. To Christians, those on the path to salvation, they produce the fragrance of life.

Overwhelmed by the extreme importance of this ministry of spreading the gospel, Paul exclaimed, “And who is equal to such a task?” The implication is that no one is worthy. Paul was astounded that God would appoint humans to share in this task. Later, in 2 Corinthians 3:5–6, Paul affirms that our ability rests solely on God: “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

The Bible assures us that God and His Son Jesus are Victors and that believers can share in their victories: “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). In a practical sense, how can we experience the victorious life that has been made possible in Christ? How can we achieve victory in Jesus?

Victory ultimately belongs to the Lord our God (1 Samuel 17:47). Since the days of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt, whenever God’s people depended on Him alone, He gave them victory over their enemies (Exodus 15). Old Testament prophets consistently pointed to a future Savior who would bring the fullest expression of God’s triumph: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9; see also Psalm 110:1). We know these prophecies refer to Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, who has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Jesus won the supreme victory at the cross. Sin was atoned for, and the power of sin and death was broken (see John 12:31 and 1 Peter 2:24). After Christ’s crucifixion and burial, He rose from the dead three days later, and now we share that victory. Satan thought he had won the ultimate contest with the death of Christ. Instead, that death released our chains, set us free from the prison of sin, and disarmed the supernatural powers of evil: “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:13–15).

The key to achieve victory in Jesus is faith in Christ: “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4–5; see also Romans 8:37). The first step to victory in Jesus is accepting Christ as Savior. We receive the Lord by grace through faith, and we live in His victory by grace through faith as well. Our salvation is a gift of God’s grace, and our victory in Jesus is a gift of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:4–8; Galatians 3:3).

What is the extent of Jesus Christ’s victory that He imparts to us? The victory that Jesus shares with us includes victory over the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Our Lord’s triumph over temptation and sin (Hebrews 4:15; see also Matthew 4:1–11) has become our victory as well: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24; see also Romans 5:20–21). The apostle John elaborates: “But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:5–8).

Jesus has overcome Satan and the powers of evil (John 14:30; 16:11; Mark 1:23–27; Luke 4:33–36), and He shares that victory with us. Jesus says, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (Luke 10:18–19; see also Ephesians 1:21–22). The writer of Hebrews explains that Jesus took on flesh and blood and shared in our humanity “so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14–15). We need not fear death or the devil because we share in Jesus Christ’s victory over them (Acts 2:24; Romans 6:9; 8:38–39; 2 Timothy 1:10; Revelation 1:18).

As long as we remain in this fallen world, we’ll still have struggles to overcome and battles to fight. At times we will fall and fail. But we continue to get back up, asking God to equip us with His grace and power to overcome (2 Corinthians 12:9). As believers, we fight our battles in the spiritual realm, on our knees: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3–4). God has given us spiritual armor to protect us from the powers of darkness that wage war against us (Ephesians 6:10–20).

Victory in Jesus is real and attainable now because our Lord Jesus has defeated Satan and every evil power of the world. We achieve victory in Jesus by resting in Christ (Matthew 11:28) and trusting Him to triumph for us (Romans 5:17). While we remain on earth, the Lord reigns victorious through those who have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and translated into His glorious kingdom of light (1 Peter 2:9). However, a day will come when the victories of Jesus will be fully realized and celebrated in the new heavens and earth: “He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken” (Isaiah 25:8).

​The phrase unsearchable riches of Christ comes from Ephesians 3:8–9: “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, 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.

​
It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed



Matthew 24:27

For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west,

so will be

the coming of the Son of Man.



Luke 17:24

For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from

one end to the other,

so will be the Son of Man in His day




Now I declare to you, brothers, that

flesh and blood cannot

inherit the kingdom of God,

nor does

the perishable inherit the imperishable



Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”



“Where, O Death, is your victory?


Where, O Death, is your sting?”


The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law


But thanks be

to God,


who gives us the victory

through our


Lord Jesus Christ!



Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable.


Always excel in the work of the Lord,

because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.



​
John 1:15

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

John 8:23,24,58

And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world…

Isaiah 43:10

Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
​



​In Romans 10:4, the apostle Paul writes,



“For Christ is the end

of the

​ law for righteousness

to everyone who


Believes” 



The Greek word translated as


“end” means


aim or purpose


Christ is the aim and purpose of the law not because He abolished it but because He fulfilled it: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17, ESV). By fulfilling the law, Christ guarantees the imputation of His righteousness to everyone who believes.

Apart from Christ, no one is righteous (Romans 3:10). The prophet Isaiah bluntly says, “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away” (Isaiah 64:6, ESV). Unfortunately, Israel had deluded itself into believing that righteousness could be obtained through the law. Paul argues, however, that the law cannot make us righteous. He says, “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by the works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19–20, ESV). The law effectively reveals our sinfulness, but it cannot justify or make us right before God.

Elsewhere, Paul says, “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:23–24, ESV). The law, then, was a promise of things to come. Nay, it was a promise of the One to come. Christ, in perfect obedience to the Father’s will (John 8:29), fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law and became the end of the law. Those who trust in Christ have received His righteousness; not because we have earned it, but because of His grace: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Romans 3:23–25, ESV).


Salvation is by grace alone

through

faith alone in Christ alone


Israel should have known that the law pointed to Christ: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39, ESV). However, they were “ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness” (Romans 10:3, ESV).

Here, we have a biblical definition of sin. It is failure to submit to God’s righteousness.

This is a spiritual and moral failure rather than an intellectual one (see John 3:19–21).


To overcome this failure,


God “gave his only Son, that whoever

believes in him

should not perish but have eternal life”


(John 3:16, ESV). In Christ, we graciously receive His righteousness, a righteousness that could not be obtained through our own law-keeping (2 Corinthians 5:21). In this way, Christ is the end of the law.

Several times in his instruction to Timothy, Paul introduces content as “a trustworthy statement” (1 Timothy 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:11). The “trustworthy” designation highlights what follows as an important and reliable principle. Shortly after such an introduction, Paul remarks that God cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13).

In 2 Timothy 2:11 Paul introduces what reads like a poetic verse from a hymn that includes four couplets. The words may have already been familiar to Timothy, or Paul may have been simply providing new content. Literally rendered, the passage reads like this: “Since together we died, also together we will live;

​
since we are enduring, also together we will reign;

if we will deny, He will also deny us;

if we are not faithful,

He remains faithful, for to deny Himself He cannot”


(2 Timothy 2:11–13)


In the first couplet (2 Timothy 2:11), Paul acknowledges that, because we have died together with Christ (as in Colossians 2:20 and 3:3), we will live together with Him. We will enjoy life everlasting with Christ. Paul states this as fact (using the first class condition in the Greek)—this is not merely an “if” but a “since.” It is a fact that we have died together (Paul uses the aorist tense, denoting the action is completed), and it is a certainty that in the future we will live together with Christ.

Next, Paul encourages believers that, since we are enduring (also assumed as fact, using the first class conditional), then we will reign together with Him and each other (2 Timothy 2:12a). As John explained it in Revelation, believers overcome through Christ who has Himself overcome (compare Revelation 2:7, 11; 3:5; 21:7, etc., with Revelation 5:5). This is an encouragement for believers to persevere—and, assuming their endurance, reminding that there is a future of reward and meaningful activity in store.

The third couplet (2 Timothy 2:12b) changes the tense of the (protasis) action from present (as was used on the first two couplets) to future, rendering the first part of the couplet, “if we deny in the future.” If there is such a denial, then He will also deny us. Jesus used similar terminology when He explained that, if people denied Him before men, He would deny them before the Father (Matthew 10:33). It is important to note that Jesus was talking to His twelve disciples (Matthew 10:5; 11:1). He explains that the Spirit would be speaking through them (Matthew 10:20), and He warns them of the need to be faithful in confessing Him before men and not denying Him—He is challenging them to be faithful messengers for Him. There was reward for confessing Him before men (Matthew 10:32) and consequences for denying Him before men (Matthew 10:33).

In 2 Timothy 2, Paul is challenging Timothy to endure and fulfill his ministry, which included doing the work of a good-news proclaimer, or evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5). Paul challenges Timothy with the importance of confessing and not denying Jesus.

When Paul says that Jesus will deny us, he is not talking about loss of salvation or change in positional standing before God. Much like Jesus warned His twelve disciples, Paul reminds Timothy that there are consequences to unfaithfulness in ministry. Paul had explained earlier in this context the importance of engaging like a good soldier, an athlete competing according to the rules, and a hard-working farmer (2 Timothy 2:3–6).

Paul had elsewhere explained that he was working hard to be faithful so he would not be disqualified from ministry (1 Corinthians 9:23–27). He refers to faithfulness in practice, not loss of salvation—as he explains after the fourth couplet in 2 Timothy 2:13: God “cannot deny Himself” (NKJV). To ensure that people rightly understood the rewards and consequences of faithfulness in the Christian life, Paul told the Corinthians that the works of all believers would one day be assessed at Christ’s judgment seat. If those works stand the test, the believer will be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:14). If the works are burned up, then the believer will lose out on the reward, but he would not lose salvation (1 Corinthians 3:15). Paul’s warning to Timothy that Jesus would deny those who deny Him has nothing to do with their position in Christ, as we see in the fourth couplet: “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is” (2 Timothy 2:13, NLT).

Even if we are unfaithful, or lacking faith, faithful He remains, for God cannot deny Himself. Once a person is in Christ (by belief in Him), God remains faithful to that person—He keeps His word. The one who believes has eternal life from the moment of faith (e.g., John 6:47; Romans 8:29–31). Nothing can separate a child of God from the love of God (Romans 8:38–39), because He is faithful to keep His promise.

God cannot deny Himself. If He were to break His promise to those who have believed in Him, that would be a denial of Himself and His righteous character. To those who fear that God is standing over them waiting to cast them out if they deny Him or if they fail to have enough belief or if they are unfaithful in their ministries, Paul says that God always remains faithful. His faithfulness is a matter of His own character—God cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13).

Scripture doesn’t ever manipulate us to action based on the potential loss of our position in Christ. Instead, we are exhorted to act because God is faithful and the promises He makes are certain.

​
A major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah's ministry spanned the reigns of several kings of Judah.

He is known

for his prophecies concerning the coming of

the Messiah and

the future glory of Zion


The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon

give you light;

but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and

your God will be your glory.


“The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one”


(1 Corinthians 2:15, ESV).


Earlier in the chapter, Paul


contrasts the world’s wisdom with the wisdom of God,

revealing that

true wisdom comes from the Spirit:

Now we have received

not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God,

that we might understand the things freely given us by God”


(1 Corinthians 2:12, ESV).


The spiritual man,

therefore, is equipped with divine wisdom,

enabling him to judge all things accurately.


He can see beyond

appearances and understand the true nature of reality


When Paul says,

“The spiritual man judges all things,”

he does not suggest

that the spiritual person is judgmental or critical

in the worldly sense.


Rather, this judgment is the


ability to

discern spiritual truths and

to distinguish

between what is of God and

what is not.


Hebrews 5:14 speaks of mature believers who have their

“powers of discernment trained

by constant

practice to distinguish good from evil”


(ESV).


The spiritual man

possesses the maturity and spiritual

insight

to evaluate situations, teachings,

and

behaviors according to the standards of


God’s Word


The fact that the spiritual man “judges all things” also implies that the opinions or judgments of others do not sway him. In the same verse, Paul notes that the spiritual person “is himself to be judged by no one”

(1 Corinthians 2:15, ESV).


So, the spiritual man exercises discernment

with

the Spirit as his guide,


and human approval or condemnation

is irrelevant.


There is a responsibility that comes with spiritual discernment.


The spiritual man, as he judges all things, lives according to the wisdom and insight the Spirit gives. The judgments he makes align with God’s will. Paul’s prayer for believers is that their “love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that [they] may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9–10, ESV). The spiritual man judges all things for the sake of living a life that reflects the holiness and righteousness of God.

The larger context of 1 Corinthians 2—3 contrasts the spiritual man with the natural man. Paul explains that there are four kinds of people: the natural man (1 Corinthians 2:14), the spiritual man (1 Corinthians 2:15), infants in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1), and the fleshly person (1 Corinthians 3:3).

The natural man will not receive or accept the things of God, because he considers them to be foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:14). While the natural man can have a factual understanding of the words he hears, he can’t judge them accurately because those judgments are spiritual in nature.

In contrast, the spiritual man judges all things (1 Corinthians 2:15). That is, he is able to discern or evaluate properly the things of God because they are spiritually perceived. The ingredient the natural man is missing—and the spiritual man has—is the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). The mature believer in Christ is the spiritual man, made alive and possessing a new way of thinking. The spiritual man judges all things because he now has the mind of Christ. The natural man perceives the things of God to be foolishness and refuses to have the thinking of Christ.

Paul chastises the Corinthians because they are thinking and behaving like fleshly people (1 Corinthians 3:3) when they should be thinking like the spiritual man who judges or discerns all things. Their immaturity was inexcusable and showed up in their thinking and behavior. They were going beyond what was written in Scripture, becoming arrogant and judging wrongly (1 Corinthians 4:6). They were judging so poorly that they were actually approving immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1–2).


The spiritual man judges all things, and he is misunderstood by the natural man.


Those without the Spirit cannot appreciate or fully comprehend the spiritual man’s motives,

worldview, or character.


The spiritual man has the mind or the thinking of Christ,

and that is a mystery to those who do not know Christ.


When we believe in Jesus,

we are born again and can now think as


God has designed us to think.


We should move past the immaturities of infancy and press on to maturity.

We ought to think and act like spiritual people because that is what we are.




As we walk in the Spirit,

we grow in


 our ability to judge everything




 According to God’s


Truth



In John 7, Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. In John 7:14, Jesus begins to teach in the temple. A curious crowd gathers, mixed in their appraisal of Jesus and His seemingly audacious claims. Jesus explains that those who are “willing to do [God’s] will” are going to understand the source and authority of Jesus’ teaching, because His teaching is from God (John 7:16–18). It becomes clear that the reason the crowd does not understand Him is that they do not know God (John 8:42–43). They have the Mosaic Law yet are themselves lawbreakers (John 7:19). This is demonstrated by their desire to kill Jesus. If they truly understood the Scriptures that Moses penned, they would believe in Jesus, because those same Scriptures point to Christ (John 5:46).

The crowd does not respond favorably to Jesus’ statement that their accuser was Moses (John 5:45). Apparently, some still believed Jesus was a lawbreaker based on His healing on the Sabbath in John 5:1–15. Jesus, once again, corrects their misunderstanding of the Sabbath. He explains the relative priority of the Sabbath, using an example from their own tradition (John 7:22–23). As Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus has the right to correct their legalistic misunderstanding and reset the priority on human beings rather than on rule-keeping (Matthew 12:3–8). The Mosaic Law was not meant to be used as a legalistic and slavish instrument for self-righteousness, but to promote God’s righteousness in every area of life and draw His people closer to Him.

Following up on His scathing assessment of their hypocrisy regarding the Sabbath law, Jesus commands the crowds to “judge with righteous judgment” not by outward appearance (John 7:24, NKJV).



They were not judging based on


God’s

righteousness but on their own

worldly assessment.


Their judgments were based on

the way things appear

on the outside,

and that judgment is incorrect.



To judge rightly,


Jesus’ audience needed to know God

and

place their faith in Him


(John 7:17)


If they did, they would know who Jesus is, and their evaluation of the situation would be completely different. Their rejection of Jesus, as mentioned later in chapter 8, demonstrates that they do not really know God. D. A. Carson writes regarding Jesus’ exhortation in John 7:24, “This appeal has many formal Old Testament parallels. . . . Jesus’ appeal is more personal, eschatological and redemptive. They have misconstrued his character by a fundamentally flawed set of deductions from Old Testament law, an approach that turns out to be superficial, far too committed to ‘mere appearances’. If their approach to God’s will were one of faith . . . they would soon discern that Jesus is not a Sabbath-breaker, but the one who fulfills both Sabbath and circumcision” 


The more we know Jesus,

who

reflects the very nature of God

(Philippians 2:6),


the better we can see and understand the heavenly Father

(see Colossians 1:15)



“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and

the exact

representation of his being,


sustaining all things by his powerful word”


(Hebrews 1:3).


As we follow in Christ’s footsteps and arm ourselves with

the same attitude He had,

our lives become a pleasing “sacrifice to God”


(Ephesians 5:21; Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 4:1)


God’s Word is essential to being renewed in the


spirit of our minds.


Jesus prayed to the Father for all believers,


“Make them holy by your truth; teach them

your word,


which is truth”


(John 17:17, NLT). 



As you seek the Lord in relationship

with Jesus,


in the truth of His Word

and in prayer,

you are renewed in the spirit of

your mind:


“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”


(Philippians 4:7, NLT).


Renewal brings a new mindset of trust, peace, and humble obedience


(Isaiah 26:3; Romans 8:5; Philippians 4:8–9; Colossians 3:1–2).


In Jesus’ High Priestly

Prayer,


Jesus prays to His Father,

saying,


“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth”

(John 17:17)


In this verse, Jesus communicates two important facts:


God’s Word is truth—God’s Word equals truth—and

it’s by that truth that


God sanctifies us, or sets us apart for holy service to Himself


In the same prayer,


Jesus prays for

His disciples and all who will

believe in

Him through the gospel


(John 17:20)


Believers accept God’s words

(John 17:6) and


accept Jesus as God’s Word


(John 17:8).


God is truth, and His truth brings salvation to all who accept it

(Titus 2:11).

Further, God’s written and living Word will sustain believers as they are in the world

(John 17:14).


In the High Priestly Prayer in John 17, Jesus confirms that He brought the message of salvation to the world: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). Jesus’ mission of bringing the truth has been accomplished (John 17:4), and He turns the focus of His prayer to God working through the disciples and other believers. He confirms that believers will be rejected by the world for believing “Your word is truth,” but believers are also assured joy, God’s protection from the evil one, and sanctification by God’s Word (John 17:13–19).

The Old and New Testaments both affirm that the words recorded in the Bible are God’s words and that they are true. Since God cannot lie, His Word is truth: “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless” (Psalm 18:30). Since God is eternal and unchanging, His Word is always the same: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35; cf. Isaiah 40:8). Jesus uses the Word as He rebukes the devil who was tempting Him: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4; cf. Deuteronomy 8:3).

Peter also confirms that we need to grow in our knowledge of Jesus and to have that intimate relationship with Him because the more we know of Him, the more of Him will be seen in our lives. Paul said in Colossians 3:1–4:



“Since, then, you have

been raised

with Christ, set your hearts

on things above,

where Christ is seated at the right hand of God


Set your minds on

things above, not on earthly things.

For you died, and your life

is now

hidden with Christ in God


When Christ, who is your life, appears,


then you also will

appear with him in glory


The Scriptures contain all the knowledge we will ever

need to learn of God,


His Son, and His Spirit, at least in this life


God`s desire for those He has saved is their

sanctification and transformation


He wants us to become more holy like Himself.

He wants to transform us

into the image of His Son.



2 Corinthians 3:18:



“We, who with unveiled faces all reflect

the Lord’s glory,

are being transformed into

his likeness

with ever-increasing glory, which

comes from the Lord.”


Ephesians 5:25–27 uses Christ’s unique role as the one who sanctifies the church as a model for how a husband should love and care for his wife. These verses say that “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (NKJV).

In marriage, a husband should sacrificially love his wife, as Christ loved the church. Unlike marriage, however, husbands do not “sanctify” or “wash” their wives. But this is something that Christ does for His church. In this context, to sanctify is to set apart for God’s purpose and purify from sin. Through faith in the finished work of Christ, believers are set apart as holy and dedicated to God’s service (see Romans 12:1–2; 1 Peter 1:15–16).

In Ephesians 5:26, the expression washing of water is linked to water baptism, as mentioned in Romans 6:3–4. According to Paul, baptism symbolizes the believer’s death to sin and new life in Christ.

The reality is that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

The old has passed away; behold, the new has come”

(2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV).


Water for cleansing also played a part in a bride’s preparation for her wedding day


There may also be a link between Ezekiel 16:1–13 and Ephesians 5:26–27. In the Ezekiel passage, Israel is portrayed as an abandoned girl who becomes a queen. This passage prefigures the New Testament concept of the church as the bride of Christ, who is sanctified and cleansed for Him.

The metaphor is further enriched by Ezekiel 36:25, where

God promises to

“sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean

from all your uncleanness,

and from all your idols I will cleanse you” 


In Christ, we are thoroughly cleansed


The culmination of Christ’s sanctifying work is beautifully illustrated in the eschatological visions of Revelation 19:7–9 and 21:2, 9–11. In these passages, the apostle John describes the marriage supper of the Lamb, an event that represents the final consummation of Christ’s relationship with His church.

This future event is not only a celebration but a fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan, where Christ presents “the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish”

(Ephesians 5:27, ESV).


Ephesians 5:26 also specifies the agency through which


Christ

accomplishes His “washing” of

the church:

it is done “through the word.”


In His High Priestly Prayer,


Jesus said, “Sanctify them [the disciples] by the truth; your word is truth.”

The means by which

God justifies, saves, and sanctifies His people is the Word of God

(see also John 15:3; James 1:18).


It is by the Word that God accomplishes


His purpose


“to prepare and equip his people to do every good work”


(2 Timothy 3:17, NLT).


In the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans,


the apostle introduces himself to the church in Rome.


While many of the believers

there would have heard of Paul, they

had not yet met him personally.


In preparation for a future visit,


Paul wants the members of the church to


know him sufficiently

to discern

fact from fiction concerning

his identity


In Romans 1:16–17, Paul reaches the high point of his introductory greeting to the church in Rome: “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life’” (NLT).

Nothing mattered more to Paul than fulfilling God’s will for his life, which was to preach the good news of salvation. Without the good news of the gospel, and without the power that is the gospel, there can be no salvation, no freedom from sin, no redemption, and no life. The power of the gospel is the theme of Paul’s letter to the Romans and the ambition of his life.

Paul writes with full knowledge that the church in Rome is facing persecution and suffering under Roman oppression. Many of the believers there are experiencing humiliation and shame because of their faith in Christ. Paul wants them to be assured that the worldly power of Rome cannot hold a candle to the mighty power of God—the gospel of Jesus Christ. That gospel is God’s limitless power directed toward the salvation of men and women. For every person who believes, whether Jew or Gentile, man or woman, black or white, the gospel effectively becomes the saving power of God.

Paul tells the Roman Christians that “in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed” (Romans 1:17). Righteousness is thus a complete and total work of God. Humans tend to view righteousness as something we can achieve by our own merit or actions. But the righteousness of God is different. It is a right standing before God that has nothing to do with human accomplishment or worth. It is received by faith. There is nothing we can do to deserve or earn it.

The exact meaning of Paul’s phrase from faith to faith has been debated, with several plausible explanations proposed. Some understand it in relation to the origin of faith: “From the faith of God, who makes the offer of salvation, to the faith of men, who receive it.” In simpler terms, “Salvation comes from God’s faith (or faithfulness) to our faith.” This was Karl Barth’s impression of the phrase from faith to faith, that salvation is accomplished through God’s faithfulness, which comes first, and our faith in response to that.

Others believe that Paul had the spreading of faith through evangelism in mind: “From the faith of one believer to another.” A third and widely accepted understanding is that from faith to faith speaks of a progressive, growing development of faith “from one degree of faith to another” akin to the “ever-increasing glory” of

2 Corinthians 3:18.





Hear My Righteous Plea

A prayer of David.

​
 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer--
it comes from lips free of deceit.

May my vindication come from Your presence;
may Your eyes see what is right.

You have tried my heart;
You have visited me in the night.
You have tested me and found no evil;
I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.

As for the deeds of men--
by the word of Your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.

My steps have held to Your paths;
my feet have not slipped.

I call on You, O God,
for You will answer me.
Incline Your ear to me;
hear my words.

Show the wonders of Your loving devotion,
You who save by Your right hand
those who seek refuge from their foes.

Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
hide me in the shadow of Your wings

from the wicked who assail me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.

They have closed their callous hearts;
their mouths speak with arrogance.

They have tracked us down, and now surround us;
their eyes are set to cast us to the ground,

like a lion greedy for prey,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.

Arise, O LORD, confront them!
Bring them to their knees;
deliver me from the wicked by Your sword,

from such men, O LORD, by Your hand--
from men of the world
whose portion is in this life.

May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons,
so they leave their abundance to their children.

As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.

​



Future Glory for Zion

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

For behold, darkness covers the earth,
and thick darkness is over the peoples;
but the LORD will rise upon you,
and His glory will appear over you.

Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Lift up your eyes and look around:
They all gather and come to you;
your sons will come from afar,
and your daughters will be carried on the arm.

Then you will look and be radiant,
and your heart will tremble and swell with joy,
because the riches of the sea will be brought to you,
and the wealth of the nations will come to you.

Caravans of camels will cover your land,
young camels of Midian and Ephah,
and all from Sheba will come,
bearing gold and frankincense
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth will serve you
and go up on My altar with acceptance;
I will adorn My glorious house.

Who are these who fly like clouds,
like doves to their shelters?

Surely the islands will wait for Me,
with the ships of Tarshish in the lead,
to bring your children from afar,
with their silver and gold,
to the honor of the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for He has glorified you.

Foreigners will rebuild your walls,
and their kings will serve you.
Although I struck you in anger,
yet in favor I will show you mercy.

Your gates will always stand open;
they will never be shut, day or night,
so that the wealth of the nations may be brought into you,
with their kings being led in procession.

For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish;
it will be utterly destroyed.

The glory of Lebanon will come to you--
its cypress, elm, and boxwood together--
to adorn the place of My sanctuary,
and I will glorify the place of My feet.

The sons of your oppressors
will come and bow down to you;
all who reviled you
will fall facedown at your feet
and call you the City of the LORD,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Whereas you have been forsaken and despised,
with no one passing through,
I will make you an everlasting pride,
a joy from age to age.

You will drink the milk of nations
and nurse at the breasts of royalty;
you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Instead of bronze I will bring you gold;
I will bring silver in place of iron,
bronze instead of wood,
and iron instead of stones.
I will appoint peace as your governor
and righteousness as your ruler.

No longer will violence be heard in your land,
nor ruin or destruction within your borders.
But you will name your walls Salvation
and your gates Praise.

No longer will the sun be your light by day,
nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night;

for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your splendor.

Your sun will no longer set,
and your moon will not wane;
for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and the days of your sorrow will cease.


Then all your people will be righteous;

they will possess the land forever;

they are the branch of My planting,

the work of My hands,

so that I may be glorified.


The least of you will become a thousand,

and the smallest a mighty nation.

I am the LORD;

in its time I will accomplish it quickly.



This phrase highlights the transformative power of God, promising exponential growth and blessing. In biblical context, it reflects the theme of divine multiplication seen throughout Scripture, such as in Genesis 12:2, where God promises to make Abraham a great nation. Historically, Israel was often small and oppressed, yet God assures them of a future where even the least will be greatly increased. This can also be seen as a type of the Church, where the humble beginnings of the early Christian community would grow into a global faith.

and the smallest a mighty nation

This part of the verse emphasizes the reversal of fortunes, a common theme in the Bible where God uplifts the humble and lowly. It connects to the promise given to Israel that they would be a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6). Culturally, this would have been a powerful message to a people often dominated by larger empires. It also foreshadows the coming of Christ, whose kingdom starts small but grows to encompass all nations

(Matthew 13:31-32).


I am the LORD

This declaration asserts God's sovereignty and faithfulness. It is a reminder of His covenant relationship with Israel, as seen in Exodus 3:14, where God reveals His name to Moses. The use of "LORD" in all caps signifies the divine name YHWH, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. This assurance is crucial for the fulfillment of the promises made in the preceding phrases.


in its time I will accomplish it quickly

This phrase speaks to God's perfect timing and the suddenness with which He can bring about His plans. It reflects the prophetic nature of God's promises, where fulfillment may seem delayed but will occur swiftly when the appointed time arrives. This is echoed in Habakkuk 2:3, which speaks of the vision awaiting its time. It reassures believers of God's control over history and His ability to bring His purposes to pass, often unexpectedly.


​No longer will the sun be your light by day

​
Revelation 21:23
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Revelation 22:5
There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.

Isaiah 24:23
The moon will be confounded and the sun will be ashamed; for the LORD of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders with great glory.

Psalm 121:6
The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

Jeremiah 31:35
Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, who sets in order the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of Hosts is His name:

Matthew 24:29
Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’

Psalm 27:1
Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?

Psalm 36:9
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.

1 John 1:5
And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Habakkuk 3:3-4
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, and His praise filled the earth. / His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.

Psalm 104:1-2
Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty. / He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,

Ezekiel 43:2
and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory.

Zechariah 14:7
It will be a unique day known only to the LORD, without day or night; but when evening comes, there will be light.

Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.

Malachi 4:2
“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.

John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Psalm 36:9
For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

Revelation 21:23
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Revelation 22:5
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Psalm 3:3
But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Psalm 4:2
O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

Psalm 62:7
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.




​
“​The least of you will become a thousand…”

(Isaiah 60:22)


God promises explosive growth that begins with what looks insignificant.


Think of Gideon’s 300 (Judges 7:7) or

David the shepherd boy (1 Samuel 16:11-13);

each started

small yet influenced multitudes.


The pattern is woven through Scripture:

the tiny

mustard seed that grows into a tree


(Matthew 13:31-32),


Israel multiplying from seventy people to “as numerous as the stars”

(Deuteronomy 1:10).


 For believers today, this assures us that no faithful act is wasted.

God delights in taking “the least” and using it far beyond visible capacity


(1 Corinthians 1:27-29).


and the smallest a mighty nation“…and the smallest a mighty nation.”


 The language escalates: not just individual increase but national strength.

This anticipates Israel’s future restoration

(Isaiah 49:20-23; Micah 4:7) and


looks forward to the global people of God—“a chosen race, a royal priesthood”

(1 Peter 2:9-10).


Abraham heard the same promise: “I will make you into a great nation” (Genesis 12:2).

Isaiah reaffirms that covenant, showing God’s plan has never wavered.

In Acts 2:41 a fledgling church of 120 bursts into thousands in one day; by Acts 4:4 it is described as “about five thousand men.” The principle holds: when God moves, the smallest gathering becomes a force that reshapes history.



 “I am the LORD…”


 The covenant name—YHWH—serves as

the guarantee


What He declares, He performs


(Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 45:5-6).

This phrase turns our attention from human ability


to divine authority


The promise depends entirely on

God’s character,


not on the size, skill, or resources

of His people


(Exodus 3:14)


When

He identifies Himself this way, doubt is silenced. His word stands firm

(Isaiah 55:11).


…in its time I will accomplish it quickly.”

 Two truths live side by side: God has a set time, and when that moment arrives, fulfillment is rapid. Habakkuk 2:3 echoes this rhythm: “Though it lingers, wait for it… it will not delay.”

History illustrates it. Centuries passed before “when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son” (Galatians 4:4). Yet once Christ stepped onto the scene, redemption unfolded with breathtaking speed.

For personal application: wait with expectancy. God’s timing may feel slow, but when His appointed hour strikes, breakthrough can happen suddenly (2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 22:7).

Isaiah 60:22 assures us that God specializes in multiplying the insignificant, transforming the smallest people and efforts into something immeasurably great. The certainty rests on His unchanging name, and while He may ask us to wait, His purposes never drag; they arrive right on schedule and with unstoppable force.
​

​

God's Sovereignty and Timing


Trust in God's perfect timing.

He will accomplish His purposes

swiftly

when the time is right



God can transform

the smallest and least significant into something

mighty and impactful.


This encourages believers to have faith in God's power to

change lives and situations.

God's promises are sure and steadfast.


Just as He promised to make the least a thousand,

He will fulfill His promises to us.

In times of discouragement, remember that God has a plan for

growth and restoration.

Our current state does not determine our future

potential in God's hands.


​The growth from the least to a thousand emphasizes the importance

of community and mission.

We are called to be part of God's expanding kingdom.



​
But thank God!


He has made us his captives and continues

to lead us along in

Christ’s triumphal procession



Now he uses us to spread the

knowledge

of

Christ everywhere,


like a sweet perfume





The Book of Revelation

provides the primary biblical

account of


John's exile to Patmos

​
In Revelation 1:9 , John writes, "I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus." This verse indicates that John's exile was a direct result of his unwavering commitment to preaching the Gospel and his testimony about Jesus Christ.

Patmos is a small, rocky island in the Aegean Sea, part of the Dodecanese group of islands, situated off the coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It holds significant importance in Christian history as the place where the Apostle John received the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation. The island's rugged terrain and isolation made it a suitable location for Roman authorities to exile political prisoners and those considered threats to the empire, including early Christians.

During the latter part of the first century A.D., the Roman Empire, under Emperor Domitian, intensified its persecution of Christians. The refusal of Christians to worship the emperor as a deity was seen as subversive and a challenge to Roman authority. It was during this period of heightened persecution that John, the beloved disciple of Jesus and a prominent leader in the early Church, was exiled to Patmos.

While on Patmos, John received a series of divine revelations that form the content of the Book of Revelation. These visions were given to him on "the Lord's Day" (Revelation 1:10), a term understood to refer to Sunday, the day of Christ's resurrection and the day set aside by early Christians for worship. The visions included messages to the seven churches of Asia Minor, symbolic imagery of spiritual warfare, and prophetic insights into the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom.





Matthew 28:1–10; Mark 16:1–8; Luke 24:1–12



Early on the first day

of the week, 


while it was still dark,


Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.


So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved

“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she said, “and we do not know where they have put Him!”

Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb.

The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.




Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.

The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. And he saw and believed.

For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.





Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

(Mark 16:9–11)

Then the disciples returned to their homes. But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping.

And as she wept, she bent down to

look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting

where the body of Jesus had lain,

one at the head and the other at the feet.



“Woman,


why are you weeping?”

they asked.


“Because they have taken my Lord away,”

she said,

“and I do not know where they have put Him.”


When she had said this, she turned around and

saw Jesus standing there.


But she did not recognize that it was Jesus.


“Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked.


“Whom are you seeking?”


Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off,

tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.”


Jesus said to her, “Mary.”


She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).


“Do not cling to Me,” Jesus said,


“for I have not yet ascended to the Father


But go and tell My brothers,



‘I am ascending to My Father and

your Father,


to My God and your God.’”


Mary Magdalene went and announced

to the disciples,


“I have seen the Lord!”


And she told them what He had said to her.





Jesus Appears to the Disciples

(Luke 24:36–49; 1 John 1:1–4)

It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.

After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side

The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord

Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.” When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”




Jesus Appears to Thomas

Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”

Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them.



Jesus

came and stood among them

and said,


“Peace be with you.”



Then Jesus said to Thomas,


“Put your finger

here and look

at

My hands


Reach out your hand and put it into


My side


Stop doubting and believe.”



Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”



Jesus said to him,


“Because you have seen Me, you have believed;
​

blessed are those

who have not seen and yet have believed.”





The Purpose of John’s Book


Jesus

performed many other signs in the

presence of His disciples,

which are not written in this book.


But these are written so that

you may believe that


Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,

and that by believing

you may have life in His name



​
John 20 presents the momentous event of Jesus' resurrection, marking a new dawn of hope and victory over death. This chapter recounts the discovery of the empty tomb by Mary Magdalene, the appearances of Jesus to His disciples, and the journey from doubt to faith for Thomas, one of the disciples. It also underlines the eyewitness testimony that forms the basis of the Gospel.




Jesus Appears by the Sea of Tiberias


Later, by the Sea of Tiberias,

Jesus again revealed Himself to the disciples. He made Himself known in this way:

Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,

 Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.


Simon Peter told them,


“I am going fishing.”

“We will go with you,”


they said.


So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.



Early in the morning,


Jesus stood on the shore,


but the disciples


did not recognize that


it was Jesus



So He called out to them,



“Children, do you have any fish?”


“No,” they answered.


He told them,


“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”


So they cast it there,

and they were unable to haul it in because of

the great number of fish


Then the disciple whom Jesus loved

said to Peter,


“It is the Lord!”


As soon as Simon Peter heard

that it was the Lord,

he put on his outer garment


(for he had removed it)


and jumped into the sea.



The other disciples came ashore in the boat. They dragged in the net full of fish,

for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards.

When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and some bread.


Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”


So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore.


It was full of large fish, 153,

but even with

so many, the net was not torn.


“Come, have breakfast,”


Jesus said to them. None of the disciples dared to ask Him, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord.

Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and He did the same with the fish.

This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.



Truly, truly, I tell you,

when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked

where you wanted;

but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands,

and someone else will

dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”



Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter

would glorify God.


And after He had said this, He told him,



“Follow Me.”



One day, the disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?” (Matthew 9:14, NLT). The Lord’s response included this parable: “No one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved” (Matthew 9:17, NLT).

Jesus often taught with parables, using illustrations from everyday life to reveal spiritual truths. He did this so people could hear the truth without rejecting it, even if they couldn’t yet grasp the parables’ deeper meaning (see Mark 4:11–12; Luke 8:9–10). Before He introduced the concept of putting new wine in old wineskins, Jesus made a similar point using another familiar analogy: “Who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before” (Matthew 9:16, NLT).

The problem with patching an old, pre-shrunk garment with a new, unshrunk cloth is something most of us can relate to even today. New fabrics that have never been washed or run through a dryer tend to shrink. Mending old clothing with an unshrunk piece of material would cause the new patch to pull away from the old in the wash, ruining the garment. The problem with putting new wine in old wineskins is similar.

As wine ages, it ferments, releasing gases that pressurize an airtight container. In Jesus’ day, wineskins were leather pouches used for storing and fermenting wine. A new wineskin’s fresh, supple leather could expand and stretch as the wine fermented. But old leather from a previously used wineskin would have already been stretched to its capacity.

Putting new wine into old wineskins would cause the leather to crack, burst, and be ruined.

The parables reveal this truth: if we fail to understand that something new is needed, two valuable items—clothing and wineskins—risk ruin. But what does this have to do with the original question about fasting? What deeper message was Jesus conveying through these illustrations?

Through the parables, Jesus emphasized that He was doing something new—inaugurating a new covenant relationship between God and His people. John’s disciples were Jews. They were still following the rules of Judaism and living under the obligations of the Old Covenant, with its ceremonial rituals and religious regulations, including fasting on certain days (see Leviticus 16:29–31; 23:32; Luke 18:12).


Jesus asked John’s disciples,

“Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom?

Of course not.


But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast”

(Matthew 9:15, NLT).


Jesus had come to establish a new era. Now was a time for joy in the presence of the bridegroom.

The disciples of Jesus would mourn and fast later. But while He was here among them, they would celebrate the forgiveness, fellowship, freedom, and new direction that His coming had ushered in.



In other words, Jesus’ parables said,


“Out with

the old way of thinking and

doing things,

and in with the new.”


If the Jews did not adjust their rigid religious mindset, they would experience a loss much like that of the ruined garments and wineskins.

The problem with putting new wine in old wineskins is that the old skins of the law cannot contain the new wine of the gospel. The Jewish followers of John would have to expand their view of God’s provision of mercy and grace to include Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin, not just for Israel but for the whole world


(Matthew 26:28; John 1:29; Hebrews 9:23–26; 10:14; 1 Corinthians 11:25).


They would need to understand that salvation comes by grace through faith and not works

(John 3:16–18; Ephesians 2:5, 8–9);


that the need for temple sacrifices had ended (Hebrews 7:26–27; 10:1–18);

and that,

through the coming of the Holy Spirit,

all believers

of all races on earth are God’s temple


(1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19) and His own beloved children (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1).


This new reality was tough for the Jews to accept—including

those who became

Christians after the death and resurrection of Jesus

(see Acts 10:1—11:18).


Though strict and inflexible as an old wineskin, the Old Covenant of the law was solid, familiar and comforting to the Jews who resisted embracing the New Covenant. But Jesus had no intention of putting a patch on the old garment of Judaism. By ushering in a totally new covenant, Jesus didn’t try to fix up or even throw out the law, but rather to fulfill all of it (Matthew 5:17–18). No mere human can keep the law perfectly as God requires (Matthew 5:20, 48; Exodus 32:33; James 2:10). Only Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God could (and did) perfectly fulfill the law’s requirements (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 10:12). So as comforting as having the law was for Jews, it was a heavy burden that no one could bear (Acts 15:10).


The gospel of Jesus—the good news—represents the

New Covenant

of salvation by grace through faith,

not works,

obtained for us by the blood of Christ


(Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 10:29).

John’s disciples were fasting as an act of religious piety. Such actions may have been appropriate under a legalistic, works-based system, but they are no longer needed under the covenant of grace

(Romans 3:20–24; 5:20; John 1:16–17; Galatians 2:16; 5:4).



Just as we can’t

put new wine in old wineskins

or patch up

old garments with new, unshrunk

cloth,

we can’t mix the law with grace



The old, lifeless religious rituals are done,

and we have

a new life of freedom in Jesus.


Our faith

is ruined if it’s based on dead works

instead of on

the saving grace of Jesus Christ



(Hebrews 9:11–28).





Jesus and the Beloved Disciple


Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them.

He was the one

who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask,


“Lord, who is going to betray You?”


When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”


Jesus answered,

“If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!”


Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”
This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true.

There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written.




Righteousness through Faith in Christ

(Romans 3:21–31)

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,

and it is a safeguard for you.

Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh! For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who

glory in Christ Jesus,

and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself could have such confidence.

If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.


But whatever was gain to me I

count as loss

for the sake of Christ.


More than that,

I count all

things as loss compared to

the

surpassing excellence of


knowing


Christ Jesus my Lord,


for whom

I have lost all things


I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.



I want to know Christ

and the

power of His resurrection


and the

fellowship of His sufferings,


being conformed


to Him in His death, and so, somehow,


to attain to


the resurrection from the dead.





Citizenship in Heaven


Join one another in

following my example, brothers, and

carefully observe those

who walk according to the pattern

we set for you.


For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears:


Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.


Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame.


Their minds are set on earthly things.

But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior

from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,


who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself,


will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.



​To be faithful is to be reliable, steadfast and unwavering, and the Bible speaks of this type of faithfulness in four ways: as an attribute of God, as a positive characteristic of some people, as a characteristic that many people lack, and as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Faithful is also used in the sense of “believing,” as in the case of the Christians in Ephesus and Colossae (Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:2).

Scripture speaks often of God’s faithfulness. Over and over we learn that when God says He will do something, He does it (even when it seems impossible). When He says something will happen, it happens. This is true for the past, the present and the future. If this were not the case—if God were unfaithful even once—He would not be God, and we could not rely on any of His promises. But as it is, “Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave” (1 Kings 8:56). God is eternally reliable, steadfast, and unwavering because faithfulness is one of His inherent attributes. God does not have to work at being faithful; He is faithful. Faithfulness is an essential part of who He is (Psalm 89:8; Hebrews 13:8). In His faithfulness, God protects us from evil (2 Thessalonians 3:3), sets limits on our temptations (1 Corinthians 10:13), forgives us of sin (1 John 1:9), and sanctifies us (1 Corinthians 1:9; Philippians 1:6).

When a person walks consistently with God, in humble service to Him, he or she can be called “faithful.” When Nehemiah had to leave Jerusalem to return to Persia, he put Hanani and Hananiah in charge. The reason for his choice of these men was that they were “more faithful and God-fearing . . . than many” (Nehemiah 7:2, ESV). Nehemiah needed men of character whom he could trust. Men who would not take bribes, who were committed to the welfare of the people, and who would uphold the integrity of the office. Notice, also, that faithfulness is associated with fearing God. The better we truly know God, the more we will want to imitate Him (Ephesians 5:1). Other examples of faithfulness include Silas (1 Peter 5:8), Tychicus (Ephesians 6:21), Epaphras (Colossians 1:7), Onesimus (Colossians 4:9), and Moses (Hebrews 3:2).

Some of the names included in this “faithful list” are unfamiliar to most people. Not much is known of Tychicus or Epaphras, for example. But faithfulness, even in small matters, is known to God and rewarded in the end

(Luke 19:17).


The Bible also warns us of the consequences of unfaithfulness.


​These warnings are necessary because, as the old hymn says, we are “prone to wander . . .

prone to leave the God I love.”


Our hearts are too often found fickle, despite our best intentions


(Proverbs 20:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 26:75).


Faithfulness affects every relationship we have. The Bible says it is a gift from God. When we receive Christ as Lord, the Holy Spirit indwells us and brings the blessings of love, joy, peace and faithfulness (Galatians 5:22). The fullness of these blessings depends on walking with God and yielding to His Spirit. We should be faithful to read and abide by God’s Word and to seek the Lord in prayer (Psalm 1:1-2; Ephesians 6:18).

The Old Testament taught that “the just will live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4), and that truth is quoted, amplified and illuminated three times in the New Testament.



We obtain that faith, and our faithfulness,

by the grace of God.


He is faithful to His children,

and by

His grace we will one day

hear the words,


“Well done, good and faithful servant!”


(Matthew 25:23).

​

In Matthew 5:17,

Jesus states,


"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;

I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them"



The Law

(Torah - תּוֹרָה)


Refers to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (the Law of Moses).

Jesus is assuring his listeners that he upholds the sacred scriptures.



The Prophets

(Nevi'im - נְבִיאִים)


The section of the Hebrew Bible containing the writings of the prophets.

Together with the Torah, these two words mean the entire Old Testament.



To Fulfill

(Plēsai - πληρῶσαι / L'kayem - לקים)


In Hebrew and Aramaic, "fulfilling" the Law meant interpreting it correctly and living it out to its fullest, true intention—not destroying it or rendering it obsolete. 

Understanding the Hebrew context of Matthew 5:17 is essential for grasping the rest of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus elevates and clarifies the standards of righteous living.



“To live is Christ”


means that we

Pursue the knowledge of Christ


We want to know Christ better and

better each day


Not just a set of facts about


Christ,


but


Christ Himself


“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead”

(Philippians 3:10-11)


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.


“To live is Christ” means that we are willing to give up anything that prevents us from having Christ. Paul’s testimony in this regard: “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:7-9).

We cling to the promise of our Lord in Mark 10:29-30 that our sacrifices for Jesus’ sake will be repaid a hundredfold.




“To live is Christ”


Christ is our focus, our goal, and


our chief desire


Christ is the center point

of our

mind, heart, body and soul.


Everything that we do, we do for



Christ’s glory



As we run the

“race marked out for us,” we lay aside the entangling sin

and worldly distractions,


“fixing our eyes on Jesus”


(Hebrews 12:1-2).


He is our life.
​

​
"A shadow of things to come"


refers to Colossians 2:16-17, where

Paul explains that


Old Testament laws and rituals were


temporary previews


The "shadow" represents the outline,

while



Jesus Christ


is the


"substance" or reality


Once the reality is here,

the shadow

is no longer binding



Hebrews 5:8–10 says,

“Son though he was, [Jesus] learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

As with any passage, context is essential for understanding these verses.

The entire epistle explains to the Hebrews their own Scriptures. The writer takes them from what they knew—the Old Testament, especially the Law of Moses—to what they had not known until now, the revelation of how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament and brought them into a New Covenant with God (Hebrews 8:1–13; 9:15). The context of chapters 4 through 10 explains how the Levitical priesthood and temple are no longer on earth but in heaven and how Jesus serves as our perfect, final, and eternal high priest.

The immediate context runs from Hebrews 4:14 through 5:10 and deals with Jesus’ qualifications to serve as the one and only High Priest in heaven for all people, for all time. Here (and elsewhere in Hebrews) we learn that Jesus was fully divine yet fully human and that He was without sin yet experienced temptation and human weakness. Because of Jesus’ unique nature and experience, He can fully relate to our struggles as He performs the priestly duties required by the Law for the forgiveness of our sins.

Focusing on Hebrews 5:8—an inseparable part of one sentence running for three verses—we have an extremely condensed version of Jesus’ life on earth. He was the infinite Son of God who nevertheless experienced the limits of space and time and life as we do. God could have created a fully grown adult body for Jesus as He did for Adam and rushed Him to the cross, but He didn’t. Instead, Jesus left heaven, entered time (Philippians 2:5–8), and experienced for Himself ordinary human life from birth to adulthood to death. Learning and suffering and death are part of the life experience for all people, and God ensured that His own Son would be no exception. As God, Jesus did not need to learn anything, especially obedience; yet, at His incarnation, Jesus limited Himself to the human experience. He chose the weak position of having to learn and grow (Luke 2:52).

Jesus “learned obedience” not in the sense that He was prone to disobedience and had to bring rebelliousness under control, but in the sense that He fully entered the human experience. As a child, He obeyed His parents (Luke 2:51); as an adult, He obeyed the Law (Matthew 5:17) and fulfilled all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). All His life, Jesus completely fulfilled the Father’s will (John 8:29; 15:10; Hebrews 10:9). He knew what obedience was prior to His incarnation, of course, but He “learned” obedience on earth by experiencing it. In every situation, no matter how difficult, the Son was obedient to the Father: “The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away. I offered my back to those who beat me” (Isaiah 50:5–6).

Jesus learned obedience “from what He suffered.” As the divine Son of God, Jesus did not have to suffer, but as the Son of Man, suffering was required to learn obedience. The Greek word used in Hebrews 5:8 for “suffered” usually refers to enduring unpleasant experiences like disease (Mark 5:26) or persecution (Acts 8:1). But it often also implies enduring a challenging process that transforms the sufferer (Romans 5:3; 2 Corinthians 1:3–9). That is the sense in which the word is used in Hebrews 5:8 (see also Hebrews 2:10). Jesus chose to endure an unpleasant, challenging process because it was the will of His Father for His brief time on earth. After that process Jesus had been “made perfect.” It is crucial to note that perfect here means “complete,” as in finishing a full course of training or education—or, in Jesus’ case, He finished an altogether righteous human life and had a complete understanding of human frailty and suffering. It was Christ’s total human obedience, coming through extreme suffering, that qualifies Him to be our eternal High Priest, “now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death” (Hebrews 2:9).

Having been “perfected,” not morally but in relation to His ministry as our Savior, Jesus is qualified to be “the source [or author] of eternal salvation for all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:9). Jesus’ high priesthood is not a temporal Levitical priesthood but is everlasting, “in the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:10).

The astonishing eternal results of the process Jesus endured are expounded on throughout the Bible but beautifully wrapped up in this passage:



“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;

but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people.

He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever”



(Hebrews 7:23–28)



In Philippians 3:3, Paul writes,


“We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit,

and rejoice in Christ Jesus,

and have no confidence in the flesh”


(KJV).



Here, Paul articulates a foundational principle for believers: we are to have no confidence in the flesh.

The word flesh in this context refers to any effort, achievement, or accomplishment outside of Christ. Instead of boasting about our capabilities, we should boast about the Lord (see Jeremiah 9:24), who graciously provides “every good gift and every perfect gift” (James 1:17, ESV).

To further understand what it means to have no confidence in the flesh, we can look at the life of Paul. Before his conversion, Paul strictly adhered to the Mosaic Law, priding himself on his spiritual and ethnic privileges (Philippians 3:4–6). On the road to Damascus, however, Paul had a fateful encounter with the risen Lord, who transformed Paul into a preacher of the faith he once tried to destroy (Galatians 1:23). As follower of Christ, Paul counted everything in his former life as a “loss” for the sake of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7–8). Paul went from having confidence in the flesh to having confidence in Christ. This was not about demeaning himself but about God redefining where Paul’s trust and confidence should be.

To have no confidence in the flesh means to renounce self-righteousness and walk by the Spirit. In Galatians 5:16–17, Paul contrasts living by the Spirit with living according to the flesh. The Spirit and the flesh are opposed to each other. Paul writes, “I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (ESV). By advising believers to have no confidence in the flesh, Paul commands us to be led by the Spirit, who produces fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23, ESV).

Additionally, to have no confidence in the flesh means to embrace God’s sufficient grace. Again, Paul illustrates this. In 2 Corinthians 12, he speaks of a thorn in his flesh and how it taught him to delight in weaknesses and hardships for the sake of Christ. The physical malady led him to say, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10, ESV). To have no confidence in the flesh, then, allows us to rely more on God’s grace. We redirect our boasting to glory in Christ alone.

To have no confidence in the flesh is to forsake self-reliance and depend solely on God. It means constantly returning to the foot of the cross, acknowledging our need for Christ’s redeeming work, and rejecting the temptation to claim any spiritual or moral achievement as our own. It also involves humbly recognizing that every good thing in our lives is due to God’s grace and not our worthiness (Ephesians 2:8–9).

To have no confidence in the flesh is to completely depend on Christ and forsake placing confidence in our own works. True circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the Mosaic Law (Romans 2:29). As believers, we must redefine our notions of success in terms of its relation to Christ and His people.


As we learn

to have no confidence

in the flesh,


we become more

attuned to

the sanctifying power

of the Holy Spirit,

who

makes us effective

witnesses of


the gospel.


Let us, then, strive to

surrender ourselves to God,

living out our faith

by the


Power of the Spirit



In John 13


Jesus begins teaching

His faithful disciples

in what has come to be

known as His


“Upper Room Discourse.”


In that great discourse,


Jesus tells the disciples that the


Holy Spirit 




would guide them into all the


truth


(John 16:13).



Many wonder whether this is something that applies to us as well or simply to the disciples. In the context,


Jesus helps us understand


​His promise that the Holy Spirit,


the Spirit of truth,


will

“guide you into all truth”


(John 16:13, NKJV).


First, it is worth noting that some English translations have “all truth,” while the Greek New Testament actually includes the definite article, so a more precise way to translate what Jesus said is that the Holy Spirit would guide them into “all the truth.” There is a specific truth to which He is referring, and the Holy Spirit would guide them into that. Specifically, the Spirit would reveal what the Son and the Father would have Him disclose (John 16:13–15)—things about Jesus (John 16:14).

Jesus had already told the disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit—the Helper—who would teach them and bring to their remembrance all that Jesus had said to them (John 14:26). Jesus’ later reference (in John 16:13) to the coming of the Holy Spirit and His work of guiding them into all the truth was fulfilled literally. Peter later said that God moved the writers of Scripture, and they spoke from God (2 Peter 1:21). When Matthew wrote his Gospel, for example, Matthew didn’t need to borrow from anyone; he was in the room when Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. It seems that Mark, who served alongside Peter for some time, wrote down Peter’s account, as church historian Eusebius suggests (Church History, vol 2, chapter XV, 1–2). Luke researched reliable sources (presumably including the twelve disciples) as he wrote his account of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 1:1–4). John, another eyewitness, wrote his own Gospel, stating that what he had written provided sufficient information for people to believe in Jesus and have life in His name (John 20:30–31).

Before the disciples began their ministry, they were to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). After the Holy Spirit came, the disciples were equipped for their work, and they started to powerfully proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ (note Peter’s boldness in Acts 2—4). The Holy Spirit had indeed guided them into the truth and brought to their remembrance what Jesus had said to them (John 14:26).

The work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the apostles was to empower them, gift them, remind them of Jesus’ words, and clarify for them the events of His life and death. Throughout their ministries, the apostles evinced a heavenly wisdom in linking Jesus’ accomplishments to Old Testament prophecies and explaining the profound ways that Jesus changes us. In the lives of all Christian believers today, the Holy Spirit continues to empower, gift, and provide insight that can’t be expected from those without His influence (1 Corinthians 2:10, 14).

We benefit greatly from the Holy Spirit guiding the apostles into all the truth. And we are thankful for the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work of illumination (see 1 Corinthians 2:10–16). As we open the inspired Scriptures and read with humble, receptive hearts, the Spirit Himself will be our instructor: “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie” (1 John 2:27, ESV).
​
In 1 John 1:1, John begins his letter by proclaiming the Word of life: “‭‭That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” The “Word of life” refers to Jesus, and can also refer to the gospel, the message of salvation and reconciliation made possible by the Son of God (Philippians 2:16).

‬‬ The Greek term for “word” is logos, recognized by Greeks as the medium through which God created the world and communicated with His creation. The Jews understood “the word” in the Old Testament as the means through which God created the cosmos (Psalm 33:6). Given these understandings, John aptly introduces Jesus as the Logos in both his Gospel and his first letter, emphasizing Jesus as the One through whom the world was made and life blossomed (John 1:3–4).



Eternal life


also comes through Jesus,


confirming


His role as the Word of life



As John 3:16 indicates, “‭‭For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (NLT). Jesus, in John 14:6, identifies Himself as “the way, the truth and the life.”

‬‬ Thus, only the Word of Life imparts true life; seeking eternal life apart from Him proves futile. Jesus is not just the Giver of life; He is life. Believing in the person and redemptive work of the Word of life grants eternal life.

Today, Christians are often considered intolerant for proclaiming Jesus as the only way to God. In light of many options, why should we hold on to the exclusivity of Christ? Even professed Christians struggle with this. However, it is not intolerant for God to possess the key to His presence. He controls access to His home in heaven, just as we possess access to ours on earth.

The crucial question is whether Jesus is who Scripture presents Him to be. If yes, denying His exclusivity would be unloving, especially when we profess Him as Savior. The only loving response to those who are spiritually hungry is to point them to where the Bread is.

Following Jesus’ miracle of the feeding of five thousand, the Lord gave a discourse on His being the Bread of life that came down from heaven (John 6:35). Many turned away from Jesus at that time (verse 66). “Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, ‘Are you also going to leave?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life’” (verses 67–68, NLT).


​The Bread of life is the Word of life, and the disciples recognized this truth.


Jesus is the Word of life, the Logos that gave life at creation and gives life in the new creation.

During the Last Supper, described in 1 Corinthians 11:23-39, Jesus took a loaf of bread and broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” The breaking of bread at that first communion table has been re-enacted down through the centuries as a way of remembering that first celebration of both His sacrifice on the cross and the institution of the New Covenant in His blood (v. 25).

Henceforth, each celebration of the Lord’s Supper includes the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the cup of the fruit of the vine.


Another significance of the broken bread is the symbolism of Christ, the Bread of Life, being broken on the cross for our sin. At the first communion in the upper room, Jesus describes the breaking of the bread in these terms: “This is my body, broken for you” (1 Corinthians 11:24). Although not a bone of Jesus’ body was broken on the cross (John 19:31-33, 36; Psalm 34:20), His skin and flesh were torn and broken by blows with rods and fists, by whippings and scourgings, by thorns, nails, and spears. His body and soul were divided from each other by death, and by that brokenness, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). As His people, we participate in His sufferings and brokenness, being broken by sin as He was broken by the punishment He willingly received for our redemption.


“And is not the bread that

we break

a participation

in the

body of Christ?”


(1 Corinthians 10:16)


“I am the bread of life” (John 6:35) is one of the seven “I Am” statements of Jesus. Jesus used the same phrase “I AM” in seven declarations about Himself. In all seven, He combines I AM with tremendous metaphors which express His saving relationship toward the world. All appear in the book of John.



John 6:35 says,



“I am the bread of life;


whoever comes to me shall not hunger,


and whoever


believes in me shall never thirst.”



Bread is considered a staple food—i.e., a basic dietary item. A person can survive a long time on only bread and water. Bread is such a basic food item that it becomes synonymous for food in general. We even use the phrase “breaking bread together” to indicate the sharing of a meal with someone. Bread also plays an integral part of the Jewish Passover meal. The Jews were to eat unleavened bread during the Passover feast and then for seven days following as a celebration of the exodus from Egypt. Finally, when the Jews were wandering in the desert for 40 years, God rained down “bread from heaven” to sustain the nation (Exodus 16:4).

All of this plays into the scene being described in John 6 when Jesus used the term “bread of life.” He was trying to get away from the crowds to no avail. He had crossed the Sea of Galilee, and the crowd followed Him. After some time, Jesus inquires of Philip how they’re going to feed the crowd. Philip’s answer displays his “little faith” when he says they don’t have enough money to give each of them the smallest morsel of food. Finally, Andrew brings to Jesus a boy who had five small loaves of bread and two fish. With that amount, Jesus miraculously fed the throng with lots of food to spare.

Afterward, Jesus and His disciples cross back to the other side of Galilee. When the crowd sees that Jesus has left, they follow Him again. Jesus takes this moment to teach them a lesson. He accuses the crowd of ignoring His miraculous signs and only following Him for the “free meal.” Jesus tells them in John 6:27, “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” In other words, they were so enthralled with the food, they were missing out on the fact that their Messiah had come. So the Jews ask Jesus for a sign that He was sent from God (as if the miraculous feeding and the walking across the water weren’t enough). They tell Jesus that God gave them manna during the desert wandering. Jesus responds by telling them that they need to ask for the true bread from heaven that gives life. When they ask Jesus for this bread, Jesus startles them by saying, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

This is a phenomenal statement! First, by equating Himself with bread, Jesus is saying he is essential for life. Second, the life Jesus is referring to is not physical life, but eternal life. Jesus is trying to get the Jews’ thinking off of the physical realm and into the spiritual realm. He is contrasting what He brings as their Messiah with the bread He miraculously created the day before. That was physical bread that perishes. He is spiritual bread that brings eternal life.

Third, and very important, Jesus is making another claim to deity. This statement is the first of the “I AM” statements in John’s Gospel. The phrase “I AM” is the covenant name of God (Yahweh, or YHWH), revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). The phrase speaks of self-sufficient existence (or what theologians refer to as “aseity”), which is an attribute only God possesses. It is also a phrase the Jews who were listening would have automatically understood as a claim to deity.

Fourth, notice the words “come” and “believe.” This is an invitation for those listening to place their faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. This invitation to come is found throughout John’s Gospel. Coming to Jesus involves making a choice to forsake the world and follow Him. Believing in Jesus means placing our faith in Him that He is who He says He is, that He will do what He says He will do, and that He is the only one who can.

Fifth, there are the words “hunger and thirst.” Again, it must be noted that Jesus isn’t talking about alleviating physical hunger and thirst. The key is found in another statement Jesus made, back in His Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:6, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” When Jesus says those who come to Him will never hunger and those who believe in Him will never thirst, He is saying He will satisfy our hunger and thirst to be made righteous in the sight of God.

If there is anything the history of human religion tells us, it is that people seek to earn their way to heaven. This is such a basic human desire because God created us with eternity in mind. The Bible says God has placed [the desire for] eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The Bible also tells us that there is nothing we can do to earn our way to heaven because we’ve all sinned (Romans 3:23) and the only thing our sin earns us is death (Romans 6:23). There is no one who is righteous in himself (Romans 3:10). Our dilemma is we have a desire we cannot fulfill, no matter what we do. That is where Jesus comes in. He, and He alone, can fulfill that desire in our hearts for righteousness through the Divine Transaction: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). When Christ died on the cross, He took the sins of mankind upon Himself and made atonement for them. When we place our faith in Him, our sins are imputed to Jesus, and His righteousness is imputed to us. Jesus satisfies our hunger and thirst for righteousness. He is our Bread of Life.

​The letter to the Hebrews was written to a group of Jewish Christians who were in danger of returning to their old religious practices. The writer of Hebrews encourages them to persevere in their faith to advance beyond the basic teachings about Christ and move forward into spiritual maturity: “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong” (Hebrews 5:12–14, NLT).

“Solid food is for the mature” is part of a metaphor comparing the human dietary progression to the Christian growth process. Babies must drink milk. They have no teeth to chew solid food, and their delicate digestive systems cannot process it. But as infants grow up, they develop the necessary internal structures to chew, break down, and assimilate the nutritional benefits of a more complex diet. The same is true of spiritual growth and maturity in the Christian life. The Hebrew recipients of the epistle were like spiritual babies who needed to be bottle-fed. They had to be taught repeatedly the fundamental teachings of the gospel when they should have been feasting on the solid food of advanced biblical truth and then teaching it to others.

The statement that solid food is for the mature draws a sharp contrast between spiritual infancy and maturity. The metaphors of “milk” and “solid food” represent different levels of spiritual teaching. Just as infants begin with milk and gradually progress to solid food, new believers in the Christian faith start with basic teachings (see Hebrews 6:1–3) and later advance to more complex doctrines (see 1 Corinthians 14:20; Ephesians 1:17–18; 3:16–19; Colossians 1:10).

Milk symbolizes the fundamental principles of Christianity, which are essential for new believers. These basics include teachings about salvation, repentance, faith, and the resurrection. While these are foundational and essential, surviving only on milk indicates a lack of growth and a failure to develop deeper insight.

Solid food represents advanced doctrinal teachings that require a more mature understanding. This consists of meatier insights into theology, ethical living, and the application of biblical principles in complex situations. Mature believers are expected to digest and apply these teachings, demonstrating growth in wisdom and discernment.

Spiritual discernment, perseverance, and consistent practice are key to Christian maturity. Hebrews 5:14 emphasizes that mature believers “have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (ESV). The training process involves regularly reading and studying God’s Word (Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16–17), spending time in prayer (Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18), and applying biblical principles in daily life (Titus 2:12; Romans 5:3–5; 12:2; James 1:3–4). Practicing discernment means making decisions that align with God’s will, rejecting sinful behaviors, and embracing actions that reflect Christ’s character (see 1 Timothy 4:7–8). To do this, we must grow in knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and depend on guidance from the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 2:6–16).

Several factors can hinder spiritual growth, including complacency (Hebrews 6:12; 1 Corinthians 10:12; 2 Corinthians 13:5), lack of discipline (see Hebrews 12:11), and distractions (1 Corinthians 9:24–27; 2 Timothy 2:4–5; 4:10). To continue growing up, believers must actively pursue spiritual disciplines such as Bible study, devotions, prayer, fellowship with other believers, and service (see Ephesians 4:11–32; 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; Philippians 3:12–14). “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind” (Ephesians 4:14).

The assertion that solid food is for the mature in Hebrews 5:14 is a powerful reminder of the importance of growth in the Christian life. Remaining in spiritual infancy prevents us from being useful for God’s kingdom. Instead of teaching and equipping others, we are continually coddled and bottle-fed. Just as physical growth requires progression from milk to solid food, spiritual growth means moving beyond elementary teachings to embrace deeper, more complex doctrines. By practicing discernment and engaging in spiritual disciplines, believers can grow in their faith and live a purposeful life that reflects the character of Christ.

The analogy functions just like a person's shadow. The silhouette of a person waving their arms gives you a general idea of what is happening, but it isn't the actual person. In the same way, Old Testament laws, festivals, and dietary restrictions were put in place to point people forward to the ultimate reality: Jesus Christ. 

The prophet Jeremiah also predicted the New Covenant. “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. . . . This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people’” (Jeremiah 31:31–33). Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses (Matthew 5:17) and to establish the New Covenant between God and His people. The Old Covenant was written in stone, but the New Covenant is written on hearts. Entering the New Covenant is made possible only by faith in Christ, who shed His blood to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Luke 22:20 relates how Jesus, at the Last Supper, takes the cup and says, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (ESV).

The New Covenant is also mentioned in Ezekiel 36:26–27, “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. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel lists several aspects of the New Covenant here: a new heart, a new spirit, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and true holiness. The Mosaic Law could provide none of these things (see Romans 3:20).

The New Covenant was originally given to Israel and includes a promise of fruitfulness, blessing, and a peaceful existence in the Promised Land. In Ezekiel 36:28–30 God says, “Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. . . . I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.” Deuteronomy 30:1–5 contains similar promises related to Israel under the New Covenant. After the resurrection of Christ, God in His grace brought the Gentiles into the blessing of the New Covenant, too (Acts 10; Ephesians 2:13–14). The fulfillment of the New Covenant will be seen in two places: on earth during the Millennial Kingdom, and in heaven for all eternity.

We are no longer under the Law but under grace (Romans 6:14–15). The Old Covenant has served its purpose, and it has been replaced by “a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22). “In fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).

Under the New Covenant, we are given the opportunity to receive salvation as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8–9). Our responsibility is to exercise faith in Christ, the One who fulfilled the Law on our behalf and brought an end to the Law’s sacrifices through His own sacrificial death. Through the life-giving Holy Spirit who lives in all believers (Romans 8:9–11), we share in the inheritance of Christ and enjoy a permanent, unbroken relationship with God (Hebrews 9:15).

God’s holiness and human sinfulness cannot coexist, so there must be a mediator to reconcile and restore our relationship with Him. Hebrews 12:24 presents Jesus as “the Mediator of the new covenant” (NKJV). He is the sole mediator between God and humanity because His sacrificial death on the cross “wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us” (Colossians 2:14, NKJV). To understand what it means for Jesus to mediate the New Covenant, we must explore the meaning of biblical mediation, the difference between the old and new covenants, and the implications of Christ’s salvific work.

The Greek word for “mediator” in Hebrews 12:24 is mesitē. A mesitē intervenes between two parties to restore peace. This word is used in the New Testament to describe Jesus’ role in reconciling sinful humans to God. The apostle Paul writes, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19, NKJV). Faith in Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection reconciles sinners with God.

The concept of mediation also appears in Hebrews 8:6, which says, “[Jesus] has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (NKJV). This passage contrasts the old and new covenants. Moses mediated the Old Covenant, but Christ mediates “a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (NKJV). Jesus is the Son of God who secures redemption for everyone who believes in Him.

The Old Covenant was established through Moses at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:3–8). This covenant was conditional: If Israel obeyed God’s law, God would bless them. Israel, however, failed to uphold the law’s requirements and was exiled (Jeremiah 25:8–11; 29:10).

Jeremiah prophesied the New Covenant, which was fulfilled in Christ. This covenant is written on our hearts instead of stone tablets: “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall by My people” (Jeremiah 31:33, NKJV). Christ is “the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15, NKJV). Jesus mediates the New Covenant through His sacrificial death; the result is the forgiveness of sins, which the Old Covenant could not accomplish (see Hebrews 10:1–4).

Jesus can enter the holy place of heaven with His blood to secure salvation for His people (Hebrews 9:24–26). His priestly mediation surpasses that of the Levitical priesthood, which could not permanently reconcile the relationship between God and humanity. The New Covenant is not an evolution of the old one but the final word on God’s redemptive plan.

Jesus is more excellent than Moses and all the Levitical priests because He offered a once-for-all, perfect sacrifice. Unlike the Old Covenant, the new one offers full atonement, inner change, and continuous access to God. As believers, we have Jesus as our Mediator and can approach God confidently. Through Christ, we can draw near to God, receive an undefiled inheritance that does not fade away, and have a relationship with God based on grace, not law. God’s promises are fulfilled in Christ, securing an immovable heavenly kingdom for us: “Since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28, NKJV).

In 1 Corinthians 2:9, the apostle Paul made a statement that has thrilled and intrigued believers for many generations: “But as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived’—God has prepared these things for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9, CSB). As part of a more extensive teaching about the difference between human wisdom and the wisdom in the message of the gospel, Paul borrowed from the book of Isaiah: “For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!” (Isaiah 64:4, NLT).

The believers in Corinth were relying on human wisdom to deal with problems in the church. They were valuing worldly intelligence and philosophy above the Christian message. Paul taught that God’s wisdom is revealed by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10, 12–14) and only understood by the spiritually mature. If the world’s rulers had understood the message of the gospel, they would never have crucified Christ: “Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord” (1 Corinthians 2:6–8, NLT).

Paul summed up mature Christian wisdom as the message of the gospel: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NIV). Wisdom is the message of Jesus Christ crucified. Long before the world began, the heavenly Father chose to send His Son to die on a cross and become the way of salvation. And in His inscrutable wisdom, God planned to bring along all those who love Him to share in His glory.

This is what no ordinary human eyes have seen—the revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ. No unregenerated ears have heard and received the truth in the gospel message of salvation. No unenlightened minds have perceived the mysteries of God, for they are beyond human thinking. True wisdom that pierces the senses can only be received and understood through a special revelation from the Spirit of God: “For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets” (1 Corinthians 2:10, NLT).

Just as the Corinthians relied on worldly wisdom, many Christians today still search in all the wrong places for discernment and insight. We think we are making wise decisions, all the while ignoring the counsel of God’s Word. Just as Paul wanted the Corinthians to grow up into maturity, God calls us today “to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15, ESV).

God wants to do so much more for us, in us, and through us if we let Him have His way: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20–21).

Many Christians apply 1 Corinthians 2:9 as a promise of future blessings in heaven. This application has merit, but our heavenly home was not the immediate context of Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 2:9 or of the prophecy in Isaiah 64:4. The primary meaning of eyes have not seen what God has planned for those who love Him points to the mystery of the gospel, which is not understood by natural means. The human mind cannot comprehend it because God’s Spirit alone reveals it.

Paul rightly applied Isaiah’s words to support his case that only the spiritually mature can grasp the mysteries of God. Those who see from an earthly perspective with human eyes have not seen all the blessings God has prepared for His children. More beauty and worth are in the message of the gospel than anyone can comprehend apart from the Holy Spirit. The unsaved truly do not know what they’re missing. But there are still unseen wonders that even mature believers are yet to apprehend. Such is the richness and depth of God’s plan of salvation.

If we apply what no eye has seen to what awaits us in heaven, we can correlate it to many rewards promised in Scripture. James speaks of one such anticipated marvel that God has prepared for those who love Him: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).

Even though God has revealed some of His glory to us (1 Corinthians 13:12), the human mind cannot fully grasp the marvelous blessings God has in store for His children. Since the Bible does not tell us a lot about heaven, limited details dim our view. Whatever wonder we’ve seen before, heaven’s guaranteed to be better. Whatever joyous news we’ve heard already, heaven’s news reaches far beyond. Even the most incredible wonders we can dream up fade before the realities God has planned for those who love and follow Him. We know it will be the most incredible experience of our lives to be with the Lord in heaven, but for now, we can only imagine how outstanding it will be.

Of all of Jesus’ many miracles, only the resurrection and the feeding of the 5,000 are recorded in all four Gospels. Obviously, the Gospel writers considered the feeding of 5,000 a significant miracle. When Christ fed the masses that day, He began with only “five barley loaves and two fish,” borrowed from a boy’s lunch (John 6:9). To feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish is indeed miraculous, but the Greek term used in Matthew 14:21 specifies males, and Matthew further emphasizes the point by adding, “Besides women and children.” Many Bible scholars believe the actual number fed that day could have been 15,000—20,000 people.

Jesus’ disciples had wanted to send the people away because evening was approaching and they were in a remote place (Matthew 14:15). They knew the people needed to reach surrounding villages soon to buy food, find lodging, etc., or they would likely go hungry (Mark 6:36). But Christ had a better idea: “You give them something to eat” (Matthew 14:16). At this point, the disciples should have recalled the many miracles they had seen Jesus do. Perhaps some of them did, but Andrew asked, “What are [five loaves and two fish] for so many?” (John 6:9). And Philip exclaimed, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (verse 7).

Jesus called for the bread and fish to be brought to Him (Matthew 14:18). He then gave thanks for the meal, broke the bread, and gave it to His disciples to give to the crowd. Amazingly, the entire multitude was fed with that small meal. Jesus provided “as much as they wanted” (John 6:11), and “they all ate and were satisfied” (Matthew 14:20). Christ did not just meet the need; He lavished them with so much food that there were “twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish” left over (Mark 6:43).

God will shatter the pint-sized expectations of what His followers can do if they would learn to bring Him what they have already been given. “Little is much when God is in it.” When Christians are willing to offer their lives sacrificially, relinquishing their hold on whatever God has given them in terms of time, money, talents, etc., God will use these ordinary things to create extraordinary things. Christians must never believe their resources are too little to serve God. God delights in taking a humble, seemingly insignificant person and using him or her for His glory (see 1 Corinthians 1:27).

Philip’s mind immediately ran to the cost of the project. He quickly calculated how many man-hours of work it would take to feed all those people; he saw the task as impossible because he approached it as if everything depended on his own work. Jesus’ approach was different. Jesus bypassed all human effort and did the impossible. It’s “‘not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6).

It is noteworthy that Jesus fed the people through the agency of His disciples. He could have simply snapped His fingers and caused everyone present to have a meal, but He didn’t. Instead, He “gave . . . to his disciples to distribute to the people” (Mark 6:41). In this way, the disciples had to trust the Lord for everything they distributed. They could only give as they received. Philip, Andrew, and the rest were put in a position of total dependence upon the Lord for the supply. God still uses people the same way today.

Christians should also be reminded that their problems are never too large (the “many” of John 6:9) for God to handle. Surely, Andrew was wondering, “What good are we going to do with only five loaves and two fish?” Of course, theoretically, believers know God can easily multiply whatever He wants, to feed as many people as He wants—He is God. The problem comes when we are faced with a practical outworking of the theory; we tend to doubt that God will want to meet our need.

There is a foreshadowing of Christ’s miracle in the life of Elisha in 2 Kings. Elisha told his servant to feed the people gathered there, although there was not enough food for the hundred men. One of the men said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” (2 Kings 4:42–43) In the end, however, the men not only had enough to eat, but “they ate and had some left” (2 Kings 4:44). Isn’t that just like God? He says He will do more than provide for His people; He will give an abundance (Psalm 132:15).

Christians must bring their lives to God in a spirit of obedience and sacrifice, no matter how insignificant they may think their gifts or talents are (Romans 12:1). When doing so, expect God to do far beyond what can be imagined (Ephesians 3:20). Also, Christians should trust that God not only wants to meet the needs of His children, but He wants to lavish His children with spiritual blessings, even to overflowing (Psalm 23:5).
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Jesus utters the words “Peace, be still” in Mark 4:39 in the King James and New King James Versions as well as the English Standard Version. The wording is slightly different in other versions: “Quiet! Be still” (New International Version) and “Hush, be still” (New American Standard Bible).

Jesus’ command occurs near the end of Mark 4:35–41: “When evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’” (ESV).

“Peace, be still” is the command that Jesus used to calm a nighttime storm on the Sea of Galilee. The passage says that Jesus rebuked the storm—in other words, He told it to calm down in much the same way that a teacher might tell a classroom full of unruly students to calm down. The disciples were awestruck as the wind and waves actually obeyed! The authority Jesus showed gave them a clue as to who He really was.

On a closer reading, we find that it was not only the storm that was raging, but the disciples also. Jesus was asleep in the boat, and the disquieted disciples were filled with consternation: “The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’” (Mark 4:38). The disciples’ “raging” in the midst of the raging storm showed their lack of faith. Their question “Don’t you care?” was also an indignant affront to Jesus’ character. Of course Jesus cared for them. Jesus had said, “Let us go over to the other side,” so they should have known that they would make it. And He was with them, a fact that should have allayed fear.

Before we come down too hard on the disciples, we need to remember that they were just growing into their faith. While they may have questioned Jesus’ care for them, at least they had the idea that He could do something about the problem. This shows that they knew He had some extraordinary power and authority. If thirteen people are in a small boat in the middle of a raging storm, and twelve of them go to the thirteenth and say, “Please, do something about this storm,” that would indicate they felt the thirteenth man has some extraordinary abilities. Novelist Charles Dudley Warner quipped that “everybody talks about the weather, but nobody ever does anything about it.” Well, Jesus can actually do something about it, and He is the only one who can.

After rebuking the storm, Jesus issues a rebuke to the disciples as well: “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). In essence, He was also saying “Peace, be still” to the disciples. “Calm down. I was always in complete control.”

When we read the account of Jesus’ saying “Peace, be still” today, we need to remember that Jesus is always in control of our circumstances, and, when we trust Him, He will calm the raging inside our souls. When we find ourselves raging and tossing and turning on the inside, Philippians 4:6–7 tells us what to do: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” While it is great to see the storm around us calm down, it is even more important that our souls are calm in the midst of the storm. God has not promised to bring peace to every storm, but He has promised to give us peace through any storm if we will trust Him to take care of us.



 “Sometimes He Calms the Storm”


With a whispered “Peace, be still.”

He can settle any sea,

But it doesn’t mean He will.

Sometimes He holds us close

And lets the wind and waves go wild;

Sometimes He calms the storm,

And other times He calms His child.


The miracle of Jesus walking on the water, recorded in three of the Gospels (Matthew 14:22–36; Mark 6:45–56; John 6:16–21), came on the heels of His miraculous feeding of the 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 14:17). But it was the miracle of Jesus walking on the water that, more than any other, convinced Jesus’ disciples that He was indeed the Son of God (Matthew 14:32–33).

The story unfolds at the Sea of Galilee, which lies in the lower portion of the Jordan Valley in a mountain range that rises to 4,000 feet above sea level. The lake itself is 700 feet below the Mediterranean Sea. One of the more noteworthy aspects of this body of water is that it is greatly susceptible to sudden and extremely violent storms. These storms are caused by the cold air rushing down from the mountains surrounding it and colliding with the warm, moist air rising off the surface of the water itself.

“When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid.’ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading” (John 6:16–21).

There are several significant points to recognize about this miracle. First, Matthew tells us that “the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake” (Matthew 14:24–25). Though they were only to travel a short distance, the storm was so violent that, despite all their efforts to control their boat, the storm had driven them nearly four miles out into the very midst of the sea. Being the fourth watch of the night (3:00 AM to 6:00 AM), they had been rowing and straining at their oars for approaching nine hours! They were totally exhausted.

Mark tells us that, when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the lake, they thought He was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw Him and were terrified (Mark 6:48–50). And this brings us to the second significant point of this miracle. Jesus always comes to us in the storms of life. This is reminiscent of the words of God to Isaiah: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you” (Isaiah 43:2). The Lord may not come at the time we think He should come, because He knows when we need Him the most. Jesus had waited until the boat was as far from land as possible, when all their hope was gone. In essence, Jesus was testing the disciples’ faith, and this meant removing every human prop. Why did Jesus walk on the water? To show His disciples that the very thing they feared, the raging, seething sea, was merely a set of steps for Him to come to them. Often we fear the difficult experiences of life such as illness, loss of loved ones, and financial hardships only to discover that these experiences can bring Jesus closer to us.

But we have to ask, why did they not recognize Jesus? The answer is they were not looking for Him. Had they been waiting by faith, they would have known Him instantly. Instead, they jumped to the false conclusion that His appearance was that of a ghost. The point is this: fear and faith cannot live in the same heart, for fear frequently blinds the eyes to the presence of the Lord.

The third significant point is that Jesus proved Himself to be in command of the elements, something only God can do. He revealed this truth to the disciples who recognized His divinity and responded with a confession of faith in Jesus as God: “The wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’” (Matthew 14:32–33). This was the first time Jesus was called the Son of God by the disciples, a statement that, in fact, built on what they had said earlier about Him in Matthew 8:27: “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him.” Here they answer their own question: “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Though they had a long way to go in their spiritual understanding, the disciples were growing in their faith in the Lord. Also, this was the first time the disciples are said to have worshiped Jesus. In Matthew 2:11, the magi from the East worshiped Jesus. Later, a leper is said to have worshiped Jesus (Matthew 8:2). A synagogue ruler does the same thing in Matthew 9:18. But this is the first time the disciples worshiped Him. It is also important to note that their worship is joined to their confession (Matthew 14:33).

And this is what worship is, acknowledging who God is and praising Him both for who He is and for what He has done. It was in this story that the disciples took the first step and worshiped Jesus as the Son of God.


John 7:16

“My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me.

John 12:49

I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it.

John 14:10

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works.

James 3:15

Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

Philippians 3:19

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.

1 John 4:5

They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them.

John 3:31

The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all.

1 Corinthians 15:47

The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.

John 6:38

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.

John 15:19

If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.

1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

James 4:4

You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

John 17:14

I have given them Your word and the world has hated them. For they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

John 18:36

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”

Philippians 3:20

But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Colossians 3:1-2

Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. / Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

John 1:14

And the Word was made 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.

John 3:13,31

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven…

Psalm 17:4
Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.


John 15:18,19

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you…

John 17:14,16

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world…

James 4:4

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.


“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.

So how do we follow Him today? The same way the disciples did long ago. They heard the words of Jesus and believed them. They took His words and obeyed them. They confessed their sins to Jesus as their Lord and God. They believed that He died to take the punishment of their sins and rose from the dead to give them new life. They followed His example and command to tell others the truth about sin, righteousness, and judgment. When we follow Him in “the way,” we can be assured of following Him all the way to heaven.

It goes without saying that the only things of eternal value in this world are those that are eternal. Life in this world is temporal, not eternal, and therefore, the only part of life that has eternal value is that which lasts through eternity. Clearly, the most important thing in this world that has true eternal value is having a relationship with Jesus Christ, as the free gift of eternal life comes only through Him to all those who believe (John 3:16). As Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Everyone is going to live somewhere for all of eternity, Christians and non-Christians alike. And the only eternal destiny other than the one in heaven with Christ is one that provides everlasting punishment for those who reject Him (Matthew 25:46).

Regarding the abundant material things this world offers, which many tenaciously seek after, Jesus taught us not to store up for ourselves earthly treasures that can be destroyed or stolen (Matthew 6:19–20). After all, we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it. Yet our core Christian values often get overlooked in our diligent quest for success and material comfort, and in the midst of these earthly pursuits we often forget about God. Moses addressed this issue 3,500 years ago as his people were about to enter the Promised Land. He warned them not to forget about God, for he knew once they “built fine houses and settled down” their hearts would become proud and they would forget about Him (Deuteronomy 8:12–14). There is certainly no eternal value in living our lives for ourselves, looking to get out of life all that we can, as the world system would have us believe.

Yet there can be significant eternal value in what we do with our lives during the exceedingly short time we are here on earth. Although Scripture makes it clear that our earthly good works will not save us or keep us saved (Ephesians 2:8–9), it is equally clear that we will be eternally rewarded according to what we have done while here on earth. As Christ Himself said, “For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done” (Matthew 16:27). Indeed, Christians are God’s workmanship, “created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10, emphasis added). These “good works” pertain to serving the Lord the best we can with what He has given us and with full dependence on Him.

The apostle Paul discusses the quality of the works that can bring eternal rewards. Equating Christians to “builders” and the quality of our works with the building materials, Paul informs us that the good materials that survive God’s testing fire and have eternal value are “gold, silver, and costly stones,” whereas using the inferior materials of “wood, hay and straw” to build upon the foundation that is Christ have no eternal value and will not be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:11–13). Essentially, Paul is telling us that not all of our conduct and works will merit rewards.

There are many ways our service to the Lord will bring us rewards. First, we need to recognize that every true believer has been set apart by God and for God. When we received God’s gift of salvation, we were given certain spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11). And if we think our gifts are insignificant, we need to remember that, as Paul told the church in Corinth, the body of Christ is made up of many parts. And “God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be . . . and those parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable” (1 Corinthians 12:14, 18, 22 emphasis added). If you are exercising your spiritual gifts, you are playing a significant role in the body of Christ and doing that which has eternal value.

Every member of Christ’s body can make meaningful contributions when we humbly seek to edify the body and to glorify God. Indeed, every little thing can add to the beautiful mosaic of what God can do when we each do our part. Remember, on earth Christ has no body but ours, no hands but ours, and no feet but ours. Spiritual gifts are God’s way of administering His grace to others. When we show our love for God by obeying His commandments, when we persevere in the faith despite all opposition and persecution, when in His name we show mercy to the poor and sick and less fortunate, and when we help alleviate the pain and suffering that is all around us, then we are indeed building with the “gold, silver, and costly stones” that have true eternal value.

The Bible is full of references to the inheritance believers have in Christ. Ephesians 1:11 says, "In [Christ] we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will" (ESV). Other passages that mention a believer’s inheritance include Colossians 3:24 and Hebrews 9:15. Our inheritance is, in a word, heaven. It is the sum total of all God has promised us in salvation. Words related to inheritance in Scripture are portion and heritage.

First Peter 1:4 describes this inheritance further, saying that we have been born again "into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you." According to the apostle Peter, our inheritance is distinguished by four important qualities:

Our inheritance in Christ is imperishable. What we have in Christ is not subject to corruption or decay. In contrast, everything on earth is in the process of decaying, rusting, or falling apart. The law of entropy affects our houses, our cars, and even our own bodies. Our treasure in heaven, though, is unaffected by entropy (Matthew 6:19–20). Those who have been born again are born "not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God" (1 Peter 1:23).

Our inheritance in Christ is unspoiled. What we have in Christ is free from anything that would deform, debase, or degrade. Nothing on earth is perfect. Even the most beautiful things of this world are flawed; if we look closely enough, we can always find an imperfection. But Christ is truly perfect. He is "holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens" (Hebrews 7:26), and our inheritance in Him is also holy, blameless, exalted, and pure. No earthly corruption or weakness can touch what God has bestowed. Revelation 21:27 says that "nothing impure will ever enter [the New Jerusalem], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful."

Our inheritance in Christ is unfading. What we have in Christ is an enduring possession. As creatures of this world, it is hard for us to imagine colors that never fade, excitement that never flags, or value that never depreciates; but our inheritance is not of this world. Its glorious intensity will never diminish. God says, "I am making everything new!" (Revelation 21:5).

Our inheritance in Christ is reserved. What we have in Christ is being "kept" in heaven for us. Your crown of glory has your name on it. Although we enjoy many blessings as children of God here on earth, our true inheritance—our true home—is reserved for us in heaven. Like Abraham, we are "looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Hebrews 11:10). The Holy Spirit guarantees that we will receive eternal life in the world to come (2 Corinthians 1:22). In fact, "when you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance" (Ephesians 1:13–14).

It is common today to hear believers speak of a difference between joy and happiness. The teaching usually makes the following points: 1) Happiness is a feeling, but joy is not. 2) Happiness is fleeting, but joy is everlasting. 3) Happiness depends on circumstances or other people, but joy is a gift from God. 4) Happiness is worldly, but joy is divine. 

Solomon tried the world’s brand of happiness and found it to be lacking: “I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.’ But that also proved to be meaningless. ‘Laughter,’ I said, ‘is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?’” (Ecclesiastes 2:1–2). The joy of the world is hollow, but the joy of the Lord is rich and abundant. The world’s happiness will fade with time, but God’s people will be happy forever.

“Those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Isaiah 35:10).

Jesus prayed for His followers, "Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name" (John 17:11). We are secure, being guarded by the Almighty Himself, and surely our inheritance is equally secure. No one can steal it from us. John 10:28–29: "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand." See also Matthew 6:20.

As God’s children, "adopted" into His family, we have been assured an inheritance from our Heavenly Father. "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory" (Romans 8:17). This heavenly heritage is God’s purpose and will for us (Ephesians 1:11). We receive the promise of our inheritance by hearing the word of truth and believing in Christ (Ephesians 1:13).

One day, we will take possession of our portion, our heritage, our full inheritance. John Calvin writes of our inheritance, "We do not have the full enjoyment of it at present. . . . We walk . . . in hope, and we do not see the thing as if it were present, but we see it by faith. . . . Although, then, the world gives itself liberty to trample us under foot, as they say; although our Lord keeps us tried with many temptations; although he humbles us in such a way that it may seem we are as sheep appointed to the slaughter, so that we are continually at death’s door, yet we are not destitute of a good remedy. And why Seeing that the Holy Spirit reigns in our hearts, we have something for which to give praise even in the midst of all our temptations. . . . [Therefore,] we should rejoice, mourn, grieve, give thanks, be content, wait" (from Calvin’s Ephesian sermons, delivered in Geneva, 1558—59).

When we understand and value the glory that awaits us, we are better able to endure whatever comes our way in this life. We can give God praise even during trials because we have His guarantee that we will receive all He has promised: "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Revelation 21:4 gives us a brief but beautiful description of our inheritance: "‘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." God and man will dwell together. Everything will be made new. The bejeweled city, New Jerusalem, will be our residence. The river of life will issue from God’s throne. The healing tree of life with twelve kinds of fruit will grow there, too. There will be no night there, because the eternal light of the Lamb will fill the new heaven and new earth and shine upon all the heirs of God.

David writes, "Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; / you make my lot secure. / The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; / surely I have a delightful inheritance" (Psalm 16:5–6). And that is why "we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).
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James 1:2 says, “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials.” Christians can be happy, even in the midst of difficulties, because we know “the testing of our faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (verses 3–4). As we persevere through trials, with God’s help, our faith strengthens and matures. By God’s grace we can be happy despite our circumstances.

Joy is often presented as “true” contentment based on faith. Happiness, in contrast, is often thought of as “false” or “superficial” emotion dependent on circumstances. 
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Nations, countries, and kingdoms of this world rise and fall. Even those that once seemed unshakable—like the kingdom of Egypt, the Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire—eventually crumbled after centuries of amassing power, wealth, and widespread dominance. But the kingdom of God possesses a strength and permanence of an entirely different kind. This is why Hebrews 12:28 says, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

The word translated “cannot be shaken” comes from the Greek term asaluetos, which describes something that is firm, stable, and unmovable. The kingdom of God is permanent. No rival or weapon can threaten its existence or thwart its advance. Jesus uses the same Greek root word to describe how, in the end times, even the creation will be less stable than the kingdom of God: “Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29; 2 Peter 3:10, 12).

This kingdom that cannot be shaken refers to the rule of God. His kingdom is not limited to a single nation or future event but encompasses His sovereign reign over all things. This involves His reign over creation, as Psalm 47:7 reads, “For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.” It also includes His reign over Israel, as Isaiah 33:22 declares, “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.” Additionally, God reigns over Gentile nations, as Daniel 4:17 affirms: “The Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” While the kingdom of God may at times be less visible, less acknowledged, and less respected, it is nevertheless present, sustained, and victorious.

God promised that a descendant of David will preside over His kingdom. Through the prophet Nathan, God told David, “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–13; cf. Isaiah 9:6–7).

Jesus is the promised King from David’s line. He inaugurated God’s kingdom during His earthly ministry, as Mark records: “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (Mark 1:14–15).

Jesus also taught that, while the kingdom had come near, its full realization lies in the future. When Christ returns to the earth, He will establish Himself as king in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David (Luke 1:32–33). It will be a time of peace (Micah 4:2–4; Isaiah 32:17–18), joy (Isaiah 61:7, 10), and comfort (Isaiah 40:1–2). “With righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth” (Isaiah 11:4).

A powerful contrast between the kingdom that cannot be shaken and the teetering kingdoms of this world appears in the vision God gave to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2—a multi-tiered statue representing a succession of world empires. Each earthly kingdom, whether represented by gold, silver, bronze, or iron, was destined for destruction. The king of Babylon saw how “a rock was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands” (Daniel 2:34, NLT). The rock struck the image, and “the whole statue was crushed into small pieces. . . . Then the wind blew them away without a trace” (Daniel 2:35, NLT). And then the rock grew into the unshakeable kingdom: “The rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth” (Daniel 2:35, NLT).

Kingdoms in this world will rise and fall, yet the kingdom of God is everlasting. In Daniel’s words, “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever” (Daniel 2:44).

Despite all appearances and the might and grandeur of history’s great empires, God’s kingdom is the only kingdom that cannot be shaken.
Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,” or, as the NET puts it, “Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth.” To set one’s mind on something is to choose to think about it, influencing one’s goals and guiding one’s course of action. The first part of the chapter is worth quoting in full to give the proper context:

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 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. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:1–17).

Colossians was written by the apostle Paul to the church in the city of Colossae. The culture of Colossae was thoroughly pagan and immoral, as it was in most of the Roman world—and as it is in much of the world today. The Christians in Colossae, however, could no longer take their cues from the world around them. They had to take direction from “above.” Although physically in the world, they were not to believe the same things that the culture around them did. They were not to behave according to the standards of the culture around them. That would be taking their cues from “below.”

Paul describes the “below” culture in a number of words and concepts: anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, lying. The “above” culture, in contrast, is characterized by compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, peace, singing, worship, and gratitude.

How are we to cultivate the values that are from above while living below? It takes a concentrated effort. We must “set our minds” to it. We are inundated with messages that promote the “below” behavior. If we listen to the radio, overhear conversations at work, read billboards, watch the news, read the newspaper, flip through a magazine at the doctor’s office, watch TV programs or movies, etc., we will be constantly directed to embrace values that are clearly from below. Even if the messages we receive are not overtly immoral, the perspective is one that excludes God and prioritizes things as though life on earth is all that matters—our happiness and fulfillment (the “right” to be happy) are top priority. If we want to be directed “from above,” we must make an effort to counteract the messages that are omnipresent in our culture. To set our minds on things above, we must read and meditate on Scripture, attend church, listen to uplifting music, and read things that turn our hearts toward God. This is a recurring theme in Scripture:

Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Matthew 6:19–20, 33: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. . . . Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

1 Timothy 6:17: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

Following his contrast of things below and things above in Colossians 3, Paul goes on to give a list of standards for Christian behavior that make absolutely no sense in today’s culture. Everything about the individualist, self-centered priorities that have high value today run counter to the type of restraint and sacrifice that Paul enjoins in verses 18–22:

“Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.”

The only way that a person can live according to the above dictates is if he or she is taking directions from somewhere other than the secular culture. Thinking on “things above” (the truths of God’s Word) not only guides us in what we should do but gives the reasons we should do it (grace, our position in Christ, our eternal reward, etc.). As we believe the truth “from above” more than the lies “from below,” we will start to act like creatures born from above, who have been raised with Christ (Colossians 3:1) and seated with Him at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 2:6).

In 2 Corinthians 5:1–8, the apostle Paul discusses the future hope and glorious reality that awaits believers in heaven. He begins by describing a spiritual, eternal dwelling place that God has prepared for believers after they die and depart this earth: “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1, ESV).

In this passage, Paul refers explicitly to the believer’s body. The temporary body—the “tent”—will be destroyed, but the resurrection body—the “house not made with hands”—will be everlasting (see Philippians 3:21; Romans 8:11, 23).

Being a tentmaker by trade (Acts 18:1–3), Paul considered the tent (skēnous in Greek) a fitting analogy for the temporary nature of our current earthly, mortal bodies. The human body is temporal, weak, and prone to decay, much like the simple, insubstantial, non-permanent structures Paul made with his hands.

Tents serve a purpose, but they are not meant to be permanent dwelling places. By contrast, our future heavenly bodies will be permanent, beautiful, and glorious. They are our “forever home” that will never show signs of weakness or decay (see Philippians 3:20–21). They are “made for us by God himself and not by human hands”

(2 Corinthians 5:1, NLT).


Elsewhere, Paul further compares our earthly bodies to our future heavenly ones:

“The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. . . .


Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever.

Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory.

They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies. . . .


What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later”

(1 Corinthians 15:40–46, NLT).


Right now, we live in a tent, but our permanent home is a house and “our citizenship is in heaven”

(Philippians 3:20).


This “house not made with hands” is durable, built to weather every storm, and spiritual. Because it is “a building from God,” it is His gift—the gift of eternal life (John 3:16; 4:10; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 9:15; Ephesians 2:8–9). Paul explains, “Our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever” (1 Corinthians 15: 50, NLT). To live forever, “our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies” (1 Corinthians 15: 54, NLT). While we are on earth, an inner, spiritual transformation begins at salvation and continues our whole lives through the process of sanctification (John 17:17; Romans 6:3–10; 8:29; 2:1–21; 1 Corinthians 1:2). But the outer transformation of our bodies will not take place until the resurrection.

Paul’s mention of a house not made with human hands emphasizes the hope of resurrection life and the assurance of eternal life with God. It echoes Jesus’ description of His own resurrection body. Foreseeing His death and resurrection, Jesus said, “I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands” (Mark 14:58).

As Christians, we need not fear death or the destruction of our bodies. No matter what happens to these mortal tents we live in now, we will inherit imperishable, glorified bodies. The house not made with hands in which we will dwell completes the transformation and redemption that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. After Jesus was resurrected, He told His disciples, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). Since Jesus rose from the dead and is alive, we know that death cannot claim us. We will live forever with Him (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 2:5; Revelation 20:4).

One day, this tent will be taken down. When we die, our physical bodies will be destroyed. They will go to the grave and return to dust (see Genesis 3:19; Psalm 90:3; Job 34:15). But our spirit will go to be with Christ (see Ecclesiastes 12:7; Philippians 1:20–24; 2 Corinthians 5:8–10; 2 Peter 1:13). Then, when Jesus returns for His church, He will raise our dead bodies in glory. Body and spirit will be joined together for all eternity, comprising a glorious building from God, a house not made with hands (1 Corinthians 15:35–58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18).

The book of Ecclesiastes uses the phrase chasing after the wind at least seven times. Ecclesiastes 1:14 speaks of chasing the wind as it relates the theme of the whole book: “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Chasing the wind is a metaphor for pursuing futility. The author of Ecclesiastes learned that pursuing meaningless things—things that do not have eternal significance—is only chasing after the wind.

Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes as a personal benediction, sharing what life had taught him. He had begun well. Chosen by God from infancy to be the next king after his father, David (2 Samuel 12:25; 1 Chronicles 28:6; 29:1), Solomon had everything he could need for a lifetime of success. He had power, position, prosperity, and great wisdom: all gifts from the God who loved him (2 Chronicles 1:7–12). Yet, despite those gifts, he began to drift away from God’s commands (1 Kings 11:3–4). He wrote Ecclesiastes at the end of his life as he reflected upon lessons learned.

His first mistake in chasing after the wind was to multiply foreign wives for himself in direct disobedience to God’s orders in Deuteronomy 17:16–17. The custom in other nations of the day was for kings to marry daughters or sisters of foreign kings in order to form alliances with those countries. Rather than trust in the God who had blessed him so abundantly, Solomon followed the world’s custom, believing that he could secure peace with the nations around Israel. He also collected thousands of horses and chariots, importing them from Egypt, also in direct disobedience to God’s law. Solomon learned too late that seeking meaning through abundance was only chasing the wind (Ecclesiastes 2:11).



In Ecclesiastes, Solomon lists the various vain pursuits

that are

equivalent to chasing after the wind:



• All things done “under the sun,”

that is, in a human life

lived apart from any consideration of God (1:14)

• Pursuing wisdom and the understanding of madness and folly (1:16–17)

• Rewarding oneself with pleasure (2:10–11)

• Seeking immortality (2:16–17)

• Thinking one can control the outcome of his life (2:26)

• Envious competition with one’s neighbor (4:4)

• Trying to make a lasting name for oneself (4:16)



Solomon’s conclusion was that, apart from seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness (see Matthew 6:33), life has no meaning. The things we pour our lives into on earth won’t last. Our projects, our hard work, our rivalries, alliances, and successes—nothing will last. We can’t hang on to the rewards of this world any more than we can grasp the wind.

Beginning with chapter 5 in Ecclesiastes, Solomon’s tone changes. He shares wise instruction, much as he did in the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 1:1). By the end of the book, he has detailed all the avenues we take in our pursuit of meaning and pleasure and concludes that it is all chasing after the wind. His regal life of opulence, his foolish disobedience, and his subsequent wisdom are summed up in his final words: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14). Any pursuit that does not have as its aim the furtherance of God’s plan is merely chasing after the wind (1 Corinthians 10:31).
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The things of this life that we can see with our eyes and touch with our hands seem like permanent realities. Yet the Bible says that earthly things and worldly experiences are only temporary. The apostle Paul urged believers to develop an eternal perspective so that even in suffering and affliction we can have hope: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

In the original language, the term translated as “unseen” in 2 Corinthians 4:18 refers to invisible things that cannot be seen or perceived by sight. Eternal refers to that which is everlasting, perpetual, and continuing forever. The spiritual realities of heaven, which we cannot see now, are actually the only “real” things that will last forever.

Paul was determined not to fixate on his immediate surroundings or his troubles. He said, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17, NLT). Instead, Paul concentrated on God’s heavenly promises (Hebrews 11:13–14) and the hope of eternal life (Titus 1:2; 3:7).

In Romans 8:18–30, Paul expounded on the hope of heaven. He said that the things we suffer here on earth are not worth comparing to the glory of heaven (verses 18–22). The Holy Spirit—whom we receive through salvation—gives us a foretaste of heaven and fills us with longing and eager anticipation (verse 23) as we wait for the future redemption of our bodies in heaven (verse 23). Paul states, “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:24–25).

Paul looked forward to his heavenly home (see 2 Corinthians 5:1–8), copying the example of the great Old Testament heroes of faith who looked “forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God” (Hebrews 11:10, NLT). Like Moses, Paul “kept his eyes on the one who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27, NLT).

How do we fix our sights on the unseen, eternal realities? We must look with eyes of faith: “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1, NLT). Likewise, we do this by locking our gaze “on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne” (Hebrews 12:2, NLT).

Paul urged the Colossians to set their sights on “the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory” (Colossians 3:1–4, NLT).

Besides the trouble and corruption we see in this world, we can see our natural bodies experiencing decay (Romans 8:19–23). Yet when these earthly “tents” eventually give out and die, we will have new, glorious, resurrection bodies. Right now, our resurrection bodies are unseen but eternal, incorruptible, and glorious. When we reach heaven, our old, dying bodies will “be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:1–10). The true reality for Christians is that “we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control” (Philippians 3:20–21, NLT).

What is visible now is transient, fleeting, short-lived. But what is unseen is eternal and will never fade. We have “a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and . . . an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for [us], who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this [we] greatly rejoice, though now for a little while [we] may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials”

(1 Peter 1:3–6).




Habakkuk 2:4 includes the well-known

statement


“the righteous will live by faith.”


What does this mean?


The context helps us to understand God’s intent in this passage. The whole verse reads, “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.” “His soul” is a symbolic reference to Babylonia. This nation had become proud or “puffed up.” As a result, they were unrighteous and facing God’s judgment. In contrast, the righteous (or the “just”) would live by faith in God. By contrast, the righteous are humble in God’s eyes and will never face God’s judgment.

Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted three times in the New Testament. Paul quotes it in Romans 1:17, emphasizing the idea that righteousness by faith is for both Jews and Gentiles: “For in the gospel a righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”

Then, in Galatians 3:11, we read, “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” Here, Paul stresses that we are justified or made right before God by faith. The Law has no ability to justify anyone. As Habakkuk had recorded, people have always been saved by faith, not by works. Habakkuk 2:4 is also quoted in Hebrews 10:38.

In the third century, Rabbi Simla noted that Moses gave 365 prohibitions and 248 positive commands. David reduced them to eleven commands in Psalm 15; Isaiah made them six (33:14-15); Micah bound them into three (6:8); and Habakkuk condensed them all to one, namely—“The righteous shall live by faith” (from P. L. Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, #1495).

Christians are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and we walk in faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Only by faith in Christ are we made righteous (Romans 5:19). Paul further expounds on this truth in Galatians 2:16, saying, “We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” It is Christ’s righteousness that saves us, and the only way to receive that gift is to trust in Him. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36).

In 2 Corinthians 4:17, the apostle Paul presents a beautiful and emphatic contrast between present afflictions and future glory: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (ESV). Before analyzing the meaning of “eternal weight of glory,” it is essential to understand the broader context of the epistle.

In 2 Corinthians, Paul addresses the challenges faced by the Corinthians and defends his apostolic ministry against accusations and opposition. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul emphasizes the grace and mercy of God, which sustained Paul and his fellow-laborers during times of toil, weariness, scorn, danger, and constant exposure to death (see 2 Corinthians 4:7–10; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:23–27). Their suffering was not in vain: “So death is at work in us, but life in you” (2 Corinthians 4:12).

Despite these hardships, which continued for the duration of his life, Paul characterizes his trials and tribulations as “light” and “momentary.” The word light denotes something that is easy to bear or of little weight (cf. Matthew 11:30 and 2 Corinthians 1:17). Paul’s use of this term conveys the relative insignificance of present afflictions when juxtaposed with the eternal weight of glory.

Furthermore, the term momentary emphasizes the brevity and fleeting nature of present afflictions (cf. James 4:14). Paul contrasts the temporary nature of suffering with the eternal nature of the glory that awaits believers (see Romans 8:29–30). Even if we were to suffer for the rest of our lives, our afflictions are still momentary because this life will come to an end (2 Corinthians 4:16). And when it does, we will be glorified with Christ (Romans 8:17).

Next, Paul juxtaposes the light and momentary affliction with an “eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” The word weight signifies the substantiality, significance, and overwhelming nature of the future glory that believers will experience (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9, 13:12; 1 John 3:2). Hence, it conveys a sense of immeasurable value and magnitude.

This “eternal weight of glory” stands in stark contrast to the fleeting and transitory nature of present afflictions. The word eternal signifies the everlasting and unending nature of the glory that believers will inherit. It also highlights the incomparable duration and permanence of our future glory.

In Romans 8:18, Paul expresses a similar idea, declaring that the “sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (ESV). This passage reinforces the idea that present afflictions, though seemingly significant, pale in comparison to the future glory that believers will partake in.

In 1 Peter 1:6–7, the apostle notes that suffering has a redemptive purpose: “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (ESV). This passage aligns with the theme of present afflictions preparing believers for an eternal weight of glory, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 4:17.

Second Corinthians 4:17 reminds us that present afflictions, though at times severe, are light and momentary when contrasted with the immeasurable weight of glory that awaits believers. This provides immense comfort to those enduring trials, assuring them their suffering is purposeful and temporary, while their future glory is eternal and incomparable.

May this passage inspire and strengthen our faith as we endure various trials, always mindful of the surpassing glory that awaits us in Jesus Christ.
​
When Habakkuk wrote, “The righteous shall live by his faith,” he was echoing a timeless truth first modeled in Abraham’s life (Genesis 15:6). The righteous man will “live” in that he will not face God’s judgment; rather, in return for his faith in God, he has been given eternal life.

Salvation by grace through faith is at the heart of the Christian religion. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). The statement has three parts— salvation, grace, and faith—and they are equally important. The three together constitute a basic tenet of Christianity.

The word salvation is defined as “the act of being delivered, redeemed, or rescued.” The Bible tells us that, since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, each person is born in sin inherited from Adam: “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Sin is what causes all of us to die. Sin separates us from God, and sin destines each person to eternal separation from Him in hell. What each of us needs is to be delivered from that fate. In other words, we need salvation from sin and its penalty.

How are we saved from sin? Most religions throughout history have taught that salvation is achieved by good works. Others teach that acts of contrition (saying we are sorry) along with living a moral life is the way to atone for our sin. Sorrow over sin is certainly valuable and necessary, but that alone will not save us from sin. We may repent of our sins, also valuable and necessary, and determine to never sin again, but salvation is not the result of good intentions. The road to hell, as the saying goes, is paved with good intentions. We may fill our lives with good works, but even one sin makes us a sinner in practice, and we are already sinners by nature. No matter how well-intentioned or “good” we may be, the fact is that we simply do not have the power or the goodness to overcome the sin nature we have inherited from Adam. We need something more powerful, and this is where grace comes in.

The grace of God is His undeserved favor bestowed on those He has called to salvation through His love (Ephesians 2:4–5). It is His grace that saves us from sin. We are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Being justified, we are vindicated and determined to be sinless in the eyes of God. Our sin no longer separates us from Him and no longer sentences us to hell. Grace is not earned by any effort on our part; otherwise, it could not be called grace. Grace is free. If our good works earned salvation, then God would be obligated to pay us our due. But no one can earn heaven, and God’s blessings are not His obligation; they flow from His goodness and love. No matter how diligently we pursue works to earn God’s favor, we will fail. Our sin trips us up every time. “By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight” (Romans 3:20, NKJV).

The means God has chosen to bestow His grace upon us is through faith. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Salvation is obtained by faith in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, in what He has done—specifically, His death on the cross and His resurrection. But even faith is not something we generate on our own. Faith, as well as grace, is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). He bestows saving faith and saving grace upon us in order to redeem us from sin and deliver us from its consequences. So God saves us by His grace through the faith He gives us. Both grace and faith are gifts. “Salvation belongs to the LORD” (Psalm 3:8, ESV).

By grace, we receive the faith that enables us to believe that He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and provide the salvation we cannot achieve on our own. Jesus, as God in flesh, is the “author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Just like the author of a book creates it from scratch, Jesus Christ wrote the story of our redemption from beginning to end. “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (Ephesians 1:4–6). The Lord died for our sins and rose for our justification, and He forgives, freely and fully, those who accept His gift of grace in Christ—and that acceptance comes through faith. This is the meaning of salvation by grace through faith.

The phrase “I count everything as loss” in Philippians 3:8 would be literally translated as “I count all things as dung.” Paul has good reason for strong language in the context of Philippians 3. Paul had just listed several things that might have given him confidence in the flesh: he was a duly circumcised, law-keeping, zealous Pharisee of the stock of Benjamin. “But,” he says, “whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7). And he continues: “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:8, KJV).

Paul begins Philippians 3 by urging his readers to avoid those who would require a Christian to undergo circumcision. Circumcision was meant to be a sign of the Abrahamic Covenant for the people of Israel. Jewish males had to be circumcised eight days after their birth (Genesis 17:10–12; Leviticus 12:2–3). The Old Testament requirement of circumcision led to a debate among the Christians in the early church (Acts 15:1–2), resulting in the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:6). At the council, the church leaders ruled that circumcision was not required for salvation in Christ. God was blessing those who believed in Jesus with the Holy Spirit, regardless of whether they were circumcised (Acts 15:7–20). Gentile believers had been baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13), and they did not need the external rite of circumcision.

It is in this context that Paul counts “all things as dung.” Paul sees the Judiazers (those who required circumcision) as “mutilators of the flesh” who were forcing an unnecessary rule on Gentile Christians (Philippians 3:3). We are not saved by fleshly acts, and we should “put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:4). If anyone had reason to boast in the flesh, it was Paul. He had achieved much before Christ found him, but he considered all that as dung. He gladly gave up his earthly accolades so that he “may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in a Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:8–9). Paul was a religious leader—a good one, at that. However, that did not save him. Only the righteousness of Christ can save a person (Philippians 3:10; Ephesians 2:8–9). That righteousness is achieved through faith, not by one’s pedigree or an impressive resume of works.

Paul continues in Philippians 3:14 and puts works in its proper place: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” The works that provided self-righteousness Paul counts as dung, but the works that are a result of Christ’s righteousness he counts as worth striving after. The Philippians were righteous through faith in Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:1). Paul exhorts the them to live in a righteous manner, according to their position in Christ (Philippians 3:15–16).

Like the Philippians, we cannot work our way to heaven. It doesn’t matter how often we go to church, how many material possessions we give away, or how righteous we believe ourselves to be. Without faith in Jesus Christ, those things are like so much dung. However, the believer in Christ has been “created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Those things that are in accordance with the will of God and found in the Scriptures are worthy of striving after. (Ephesians 2:8–9).


Colossians 1:27 is a powerful verse:


“God has chosen to make

known


among the Gentiles

the glorious

riches of this mystery,


which is



Christ in you,


the


Hope of glory.”



Let’s start by clarifying that the apostle Paul is writing to believers in Jesus Christ—the “you” whom he addresses. He calls them “the Lord’s people” in the previous verse (Colossians 1:26). The “Gentiles” are non-Jewish people. A “mystery” in the New Testament is simply something that was hidden in times past but has now been revealed by God. The former mystery, now understood, is that Christ in us is the hope of our future glory.

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon certain people to empower them for service, but then He would leave again. New Testament believers have a different experience, as the Spirit indwells us permanently. The permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit given to New Testament believers was a “mystery” to the Old Testament saints. After Jesus ascended to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to live within us, never to leave (John 14:16–17; 16:7). Jesus told His disciples, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father . . . and I am in you” (John 14:20).

The Holy Spirit seals us for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). In other words, the Spirit’s presence in our hearts guarantees our ultimate salvation. Though we are in this world, we are not of it (John 17:16). God will continue to work in us until He is finished perfecting us (see Philippians 1:6). This forward-looking guarantee of perfection is what is meant by “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The J. B. Phillips translation of Colossians 1:27 puts it this way: “The secret is simply this: Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with him the hope of all glorious things to come.”

The hope of glory is the fulfillment of God’s promise to restore us and all creation (see Romans 8:19–21 and 1 Peter 5:10). This hope is not a wishful thought, but the confident, expectant, joyful knowledge that we are being changed by God and will one day see Christ face to face, having been conformed to His image (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

The hope of glory includes our resurrection: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11). It includes a heavenly inheritance: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3–4). The Spirit of Christ within us is the “deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14).

Christ’s presence in us is the hope of glory, and this truth is full of “glorious riches.” Our once dead, darkened spirits are made alive. Christ is in our hearts, and we know that there is life beyond this earthly existence—a life that will be glorious beyond all imagination.

Jesus told us to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). He linked this command to the desire of our hearts: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21; see also verses 10–20).

The Bible mentions rewards that await the believer who serves the Lord faithfully in this world (Matthew 10:41). A “great” reward is promised to those who are persecuted for Jesus’ sake (Luke 6:22–23). Various crowns are mentioned (in 2 Timothy 4:8, e.g.). Jesus says that He will bring rewards with Him when He returns (Revelation 22:12).

We are to treasure the Lord Jesus most of all. When Jesus is our treasure, we will commit our resources—our money, our time, our talents—to His work in this world. Our motivation for what we do is important (1 Corinthians 10:31). Paul encourages servants that God has an eternal reward for those who are motivated to serve Christ: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23–24).

When we live sacrificially for Jesus’ sake or serve Him by serving the body of Christ, we store up treasure in heaven. Even seemingly small acts of service do not go unnoticed by God. “If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward” (Matthew 10:42).

Everyone, but especially those with more visible gifts such as teaching, singing, or playing a musical instrument, might be tempted to use their gift for their own glory. Another temptation they face is finding their identity in others’ acknowledgment of their gift. Those who use their talents or spiritual gifts coveting the praise of men rather than seeking God’s glory receive their “payment” in full here and now. The applause of men was the extent of the Pharisees’ reward (Matthew 6:16). Why should we work for worldly plaudits, however, when we can have so much more in heaven?

The Lord will be faithful to reward us for the service we give Him (Hebrews 6:10). Our ministries may differ, but the Lord we serve is the same. “The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:8).

The rich young man loved his money more than God, a fact that Jesus incisively pointed out (Matthew 19:16–30). The issue wasn’t that the young man was rich but that he “treasured” his riches and did not “treasure” what he could have in Christ. Jesus told the man to sell his possessions and give to the poor, “and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (verse 21). The young man left Jesus sad, because he was very rich. He chose this world’s treasure and so did not lay up treasure in heaven. He was unwilling to make Jesus his treasure. The young man was religious, but Jesus exposed his heart of greed.

We are warned not to lose our full reward by following after false teachers (2 John 1:8). It is important to be like the Bereans, who “examined the Scriptures every day” to check what Paul was teaching (Acts 17:11). In studying God’s Word, we can know the truth and better recognize falsehood.

The treasures that await the child of God will far outweigh any trouble, inconvenience, or persecution we may face (Romans 8:18). We can serve the Lord wholeheartedly, knowing that God is the One keeping score, and His reward will be abundantly gracious. “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).

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.

The question is why Jesus would let most people wonder about the meaning of His parables. The first instance of this is in His telling the parable of the seed and the soils. Before He interpreted this parable, He drew His disciples away from the crowd. They said to Him, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?” (Matthew 13:10).



Jesus answered them,


“Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven

has been given to you, but not to them.

Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance.


Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

This is why I speak to them in parables”


(Matthew 13:11–13).


In the case of Jesus’ story-telling, a prophecy of Isaiah was being fulfilled:


Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand. . . .
You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.


(Matthew 13:13–15, quoting Isaiah 6:9–10)


Jesus continues speaking to His disciples: “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew 13:10–17).

From this point on in Jesus’ ministry, when He spoke in parables, He explained them only to His disciples. But those who had continually rejected His message were left in their spiritual blindness to wonder as to His meaning. He made a clear distinction between those who had been given “ears to hear” and those who persisted in unbelief—ever hearing, but never actually perceiving and “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). The disciples had been given the gift of spiritual discernment by which things of the spirit were made clear to them. Because they accepted truth from Jesus, they were given more and more truth. The same is true today of believers who have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth (John 16:13). He has opened our eyes to the light of truth and our ears to the sweet words of eternal life.

Our Lord Jesus understood that truth is not sweet music to all ears. Simply put, there are those who have neither interest in nor regard for the deep things of God. So why, then, did He speak in parables? To those with a genuine hunger for God, the parable is both an effective and memorable vehicle for the conveyance of divine truths. Our Lord’s parables contain great volumes of truth in very few words—and His parables, rich in imagery, are not easily forgotten. So, then, the parable is a blessing to those with willing ears. But to those with dull hearts and ears that are slow to hear, the parable is also an instrument of both judgment and mercy.

In Romans 1—8 Paul lays out God’s plan for how people can become righteous. Paul’s explanation culminates in Romans 8:35 with the question, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” In Romans 1:1—3:20 Paul makes the case for the universal need for God’s righteousness as revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. All of humanity is unrighteous and in need of salvation. No matter one’s ethnicity or heritage, all are in sin and have fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), and the wages of that sin is death (Romans 6:23) or separation from God.

Before Paul asks the question of who shall separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35), Paul explains that the universal human problem is that all are already separated from God. He explains elsewhere that we are by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). But Paul announces that the good news about Jesus Christ—the gospel—is God’s way to save all those who believe in Jesus (Romans 1:17). Paul explains how all have become unrighteous through Adam (Romans 5:12–21), and he provides hope in Romans 3:21—4:25, recounting how God made a way for all to be righteous in His sight by believing in Jesus. By faith and not by works God provides justification (or the declaration of righteousness) for all who believe in Him (Romans 3:28). God’s grace has always been applied to human need by faith in Him, and Paul illustrates this by referring to Abraham, who was also justified by faith in the Lord (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4).

Paul explains further in Romans 5—8 that this provision of grace through faith has tremendous implications for those who believe in Jesus, and that God’s grace is an expression of God’s love. God demonstrated His love for us even while we were in sin—Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Now that we have believed in Christ, we are connected to His love in a way we never were before.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? In Romans 5 Paul discusses how we came to be separated from God in the first place—because of Adam’s sin, all who are descended from Adam are under the curse of sin. Adam was created in the image of God, but when Adam sinned, something was added to his nature. When Adam had children, they were now in Adam’s likeness, not just God’s (Genesis 5:3). Even though humanity would still have the image of God (Genesis 9:6), people would also have a sinful nature and be separated from God. Through Adam sin entered the world and made us all sinners (Romans 5:12), but through Christ we have the gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17).

If God loves us this much, and we receive His expression of love in grace through faith, then who shall separate us from the love of Christ? This is exactly the question that Paul asks and answers at the end of Romans 8. In Romans 6 Paul shows that we are no longer in bondage to sin—we have new natures, and we are dead to sin but alive in Christ (Romans 6:11). Because we have new life, we should behave like we have new life (Romans 6:12). Despite the new expectation, Paul understands that we still also have the old nature—the flesh (Romans 7:18). There is an ongoing conflict in the believer between the new nature, which is pursuing the good, and the old nature, which is pursuing sin (Romans 7:19–25).

Ultimately, Christ sets us free from the old nature (Romans 7:24–25), yet we can still set our minds on this old way of life and fail in our walk. Paul urges believers not to live this way—we have been set free and should not again allow ourselves to be in bondage. But because we do sometimes, we may lose our confidence that God has delivered us. Because of this tendency to doubt, Paul affirms that we can know we are in Christ because His Spirit is in us (Romans 8:9–11). This assurance of our salvation is not from our works but from the Holy Spirit testifying that we are His (Romans 8:16). God’s purpose in our lives is guaranteed (Romans 8:28–31). What God has promised, He will fulfill.

It is in this context that Paul asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”—the answer is that nothing at all can separate us from His love. After an extensive list of things that cannot separate us from His love (Romans 8:35–39), Paul adds that “no other created thing” can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:39). It is important to realize that we are created things and that even we cannot separate ourselves from the love of Christ. We didn’t deserve to receive the love of Christ in the first place, and we don’t deserve to keep it. He gave us His love by grace through faith, and nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

When a Christian utters the phrase all things work together for good, he or she is referring to a portion of one of the most quoted, claimed verses in the New Testament, Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”


Or, as the KJV translates it,



“And we know that all things

work together

for good to them that love God,

to them who are

the called according to his purpose.”



God works all things together for good—both

His good and our good.


As God is glorified, His people benefit.


In Romans 8, Paul contrasts a life lived in selfish pursuits (the flesh) and one lived in league with, or in accordance with, God (the Spirit). He impresses upon readers that our sovereign God is all-knowing, all-wise, and all-powerful.

Those who love God can trust His goodness, His power, and His will to work out all things for our good. We journey together with Him.

The promise that God works all things together for good does not mean that all things, taken by themselves, are good. Some things and events are decidedly bad. But God is able to work them together for good. He sees the big picture; He has a master plan.

Neither does the promise that God works all things together for good mean we will acquire all that we want or desire. Romans 8:28 is about God’s goodness and our confidence that His plan will work out as He sees fit. Since His plan is always good, Christians can take confidence that, no matter our circumstances or environments, God is active and will conclude things according to His good and wise design. With this knowledge we can learn to be content (see Philippians 4:11).

The fact that God works all things together for good means God’s plan will not be thwarted. In fact, we are part of His plan, having been “called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). When we trust God and His way, we can be sure that He is active and powerful on our behalf (see Ephesians 3:20).

God knows the future, and His desires will be accomplished. “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please’” (Isaiah 46:10). Even when things seem chaotic and out of control, God is still in charge. We sometimes worry about what’s happening to us because we do not know what is best for us. But God does.

The principle of God working all things together for good is well illustrated in the Old Testament account of Joseph’s life. Early in Joseph’s life, Joseph’s jealous brothers sold him into slavery. In Egypt, Joseph rises to a position of responsibility. Then, he is unjustly imprisoned and forgotten about by his friends. God gifts him the ability to interpret dreams, and through that ability Joseph is once again raised to a place of honor and power. When drought forces Joseph’s brothers to seek food elsewhere, they travel to Egypt and encounter Joseph, who eventually saves them from starvation and grants them a livelihood in his new land.

Throughout his life, Joseph trusted God no matter his good or bad circumstances. Joseph experienced plenty of bad things: kidnapping, slavery, false accusations, wrongful imprisonment, rejection, and famine. But in the end God brought things to a wonderful, life-affirming conclusion. God blessed Joseph’s entire family through those painful circumstances and through Joseph’s faith. (You can read about Joseph’s life beginning in Genesis 37.)

Paul’s life is another testament to how God works all things together for good. Paul suffered shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonment, murder attempts, temporary blindness, and more—all within God’s plan to spread the gospel (see Acts 9:16 and 2 Corinthians 11:24–27). Through it all, God was steadfastly working to bring about good and glorious results.

After promising that God works all things together for our good, Romans 8 concludes with the wonderful fact that God trumps everything that comes against Him and those who belong to Him. The Christian is assured that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35–39). God’s love is everlasting, and His wisdom is infinite. It doesn’t matter who or what attempts to thwart God’s plan; no one and nothing can. God will work all things together for the good of those who love Him. Our decision to align our will with God’s and to always trust Him will be rewarded.






Romans 1:9

God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching

the gospel of His Son,

is my witness how constantly I remember you


1 Corinthians 14:15

What then shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.


John 4:24
God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

Habakkuk 3:18
yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!

Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

1 Thessalonians 5:16
Rejoice at all times.

Psalm 63:11
But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by Him will exult, for the mouths of liars will be shut.

Romans 5:11
Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Psalm 62:7
My salvation and my honor rest on God, my strong rock; my refuge is in God.

2 Samuel 22:3
My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation. My stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence.

Luke 2:11
Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!

Psalm 25:5
Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; all day long I wait for You.

Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

1 Samuel 2:1
At that time Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, for I rejoice in Your salvation.

Psalm 35:9
Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.

Psalm 103:1
Of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Luke 2:11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Isaiah 12:2,3
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation…

Isaiah 45:21,22
Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me…

​

 


​In Philippians 2:12-13, Paul writes,


“Therefore, my dear friends,

as you

have always obeyed –

not only in my presence,


but now much more in my absence –

continue to work out

your salvation with fear and trembling,


for it is God who works in you

to will and to

act according to his purpose.”


This text is often misused to instill fear into people, warning them that it means that they can lose salvation. What does it mean to work out our salvation with fear and trembling?

The Greek word translated "fear" in this context can equally mean "reverence" or "respect." Paul uses the same phrase in (2 Corinthians 7:15) where he refers to Titus as being encouraged by the Corinthians’ reception of him “with fear and trembling,” that is, with great humility and respect for his position as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul himself came to the Corinthian church in “weakness and fear, and with much trembling”

(1 Corinthians 2:3),

mindful of the great and awesome nature of the work in which he was engaged.

The sense in which we are to work out our salvation in fear and trembling is twofold. First, the Greek verb rendered “work out” means "to continually work to bring something to completion or fruition." We do this by actively pursuing obedience in the process of sanctification, which Paul explains further in the next chapter of Philippians. He describes himself as “straining” and “pressing on” toward the goal of Christlikeness (Philippians 3:13-14). The “trembling” he experiences is the attitude Christians are to have in pursuing this goal—a healthy fear of offending God through disobedience and an awe and respect for His majesty and holiness. "Trembling" can also refer to a shaking due to weakness, but this is a weakness of higher purpose, one which brings us to a state of dependency on God. Obedience and submission to the God we revere and respect is our “reasonable service” (Romans 12:1-2) and brings great joy.

Psalm 2:11 sums it up perfectly:

“Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.”

We work out our salvation by going to the very source of our salvation—the Word of God—wherein we renew our hearts and minds (Romans 12:1-2), coming into His presence with a spirit of reverence and awe.

​In 2 Corinthians 4:7, Paul makes a beautiful statement that “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.” The context helps us understand what is the treasure in earthen vessels (other translations say “jars of clay”). Paul is exhorting his readers that, even though there is great difficulty in their ministry, he is encouraged (2 Corinthians 4:1). He acknowledges that in his ministry he had received mercy and that he and the others who shared that ministry are not losing heart (in this case he is also referring to Timothy, see 2 Corinthians 1:1). They could have confidence because they were walking in the truth of God’s Word and not in their own cleverness or craftiness (2 Corinthians 4:2). Because their confidence was in His truth and not their own ability, they could fulfill their ministry with good conscience even as God could observe their actions (2 Corinthians 4:2).

Even though Paul and Timothy’s gospel-proclaiming ministry was at times met with rejection, it was not because of any flaw in the good news itself. Unbelievers suffer from a blindness of the mind and are unable to see the “light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:3–4). Because of this great need, the message of the gospel is so important. They weren’t proclaiming or promoting themselves; rather, they were serving others by proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5). The light that Paul and Timothy were proclaiming had come from God—that same God who had originally created light (Genesis 1:3) and who had determined that Christ would come to provide light to humanity (John 1:4–9). God had accomplished the creation of light and the coming of Jesus. What He determines shall happen; it will indeed take place, and God had shone light in Paul’s and Timothy’s hearts that they would be equipped to present the wonderful truth of Jesus Christ and the eternal life He provides (2 Corinthians 4:6). It is for this reason that Paul explains that they have the treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7) and why that is significant.

Paul says elsewhere that, if he will boast, he will boast in the Lord (2 Corinthians 10:17). He is doing exactly that here when he says that they have the treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7). The marvel that Paul is communicating is that, even as Paul and Timothy (and presumably the other disciples) were proclaiming Christ, they were not fulfilling this responsibility in their own power. Instead, God had provided the life, the power, and the message. Paul understood that those who were doing the actual proclaiming were simply earthen vessels—with no glory or merit of their own. As he said to the Corinthians in his previous letter, “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7). Such lowly and humble people were given an incredible treasure—the personal and lifegiving knowledge of Jesus Christ in their own lives and the good news to proclaim to others. This shows how surpassing is the strength and power of God, and those who hear the message can be encouraged that the power is from God and His truth. The power does not originate in the cleverness or strength of people.

As God uses broken and imperfect people, we can also be encouraged that God can use us to accomplish important things and that, when we use the tools He provides, the power is not our own, but His. We are simply earthen vessels jars of clay; the treasure is God’s gift inside.





The Valley of Vision


This is the burden against the Valley of Vision:

What ails you now,

that you have all gone up to

the rooftops,

O city of commotion,

O town of revelry?


Your slain did not die by the sword,

nor were they killed in battle.

All your rulers have fled together,

captured without a bow.

All your fugitives were captured together,

having fled to a distant place.

Therefore I said,

“Turn away from me, let me weep bitterly!

Do not try to console me

over the destruction of the daughter of my people.”

For the Lord GOD of Hosts has set a day

of tumult and trampling and confusion in the Valley of Vision--

of breaking down the walls

and crying to the mountains.

Elam takes up a quiver, with chariots and horsemen,

and Kir uncovers the shield.

Your choicest valleys are full of chariots,

and horsemen are posted at the gates.

He has uncovered

the defenses of Judah.


On that day you looked to the weapons in the House of the Forest. You saw that there were many breaches in the walls of the City of David. You collected water from the lower pool. You counted the houses of Jerusalem and tore them down to strengthen the wall. You built a reservoir between the walls for the waters of the ancient pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or consider Him who planned it long ago.



On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts

called for weeping and wailing,

for shaven heads

and the wearing of sackcloth.


But look, there is joy and gladness,

butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep,

eating of meat and drinking of wine:


“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”


The LORD of Hosts has revealed in my hearing:

“Until your dying day,

this sin of yours will never be atoned for,”

says the Lord GOD of Hosts.




A Message for Shebna

This is what the Lord GOD of Hosts says: “Go, say to Shebna, the steward in charge of the palace: What are you doing here, and who authorized you to carve out a tomb for yourself here—to chisel your tomb in the height and cut your resting place in the rock?

Look, O mighty man! The LORD is about to shake you violently. He will take hold of you, roll you into a ball, and sling you into a wide land. There you will die, and there your glorious chariots will remain—a disgrace to the house of your master. I will remove you from office, and you will be ousted from your position.

On that day I will summon My servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your robe and tie your sash around him. I will put your authority in his hand, and he will be a father to the dwellers of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

I will drive him like a peg into a firm place, and he will be a throne of glory for the house of his father.

So they will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house: the descendants and the offshoots—all the lesser vessels, from bowls to every kind of jar.

In that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, the peg driven into a firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and fall, and the load upon it will be cut down.”
Indeed, the LORD has spoken.





To the Church in Laodicea

(Colossians 2:1–5)


To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:


These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness,

the Originator of God’s creation.


I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other! So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!

You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.

To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”





The Seventh Day

(Exodus 16:22–30; Hebrews 4:1–11)


Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work.

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.

Man and Woman in the Garden

This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD

 God made them.

Now no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth, nor had any plant of the field sprouted, for the LORD God had not yet sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.

But springs welled up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.

Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, where He placed the man He had formed. Out of the ground the LORD God gave growth to every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. And in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it branched into four headwaters:

The name of the first river is the Pishon;

it winds through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.

And the gold of that land is pure, and bdellium and onyx are found there.

The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the whole land of Cush.

The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Assyria.


And the fourth river is the Euphrates.


Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.

And the LORD God commanded him, “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”
The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”

And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs
 and closed up the area with flesh.

And from the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man, He made a woman and brought her to him.

And the man said:

“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for out of man she was taken.”

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,

and they will become one flesh.

And the man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.








God’s Anger against Israel


When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;

he was exalted in Israel.


But he incurred guilt through Baal,

and he died.


Now they sin more and more

and make for themselves cast images,


idols skillfully made from their silver,


all of them the work of craftsmen.



People say of them,


“They offer human sacrifice

and kiss the calves!”



Therefore they will be like the morning mist,

like the early dew that vanishes,


like chaff blown from a threshing floor,

like smoke through an open window.


Yet I am the LORD your God

ever since the land of Egypt;


you know no God but Me,

for there is no Savior besides Me.


I knew you in the wilderness,

in the land of drought.


When they had pasture,

they became satisfied;


when they were satisfied,

their hearts became proud,

and as a result they forgot Me.


So like a lion I will pounce on them;

like a leopard I will lurk by the path.


Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them,

and I will tear open their chests.


There I will devour them like a lion,

like a wild beast tearing them apart.





Death and Resurrection

(1 Corinthians 15:50–58)


You are destroyed, O Israel,
because you are against Me--
against your helper.

Where is your king now
to save you in all your cities,
and the rulers to whom you said,
“Give me a king and princes”?

So in My anger I gave you a king,
and in My wrath I took him away.

The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;
his sin is stored up.

Labor pains come upon him,
but he is an unwise son.
When the time arrives,

he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb.

I will ransom them from the power of Sheol;
I will redeem them from Death.

Where, O Death, are your plagues?
Where, O Sheol, is your sting?

Compassion is hidden from My eyes.



Judgment on Samaria

Although he flourishes among his brothers,

an east wind will come--

a wind from the LORD

rising up from the desert.

His fountain will fail,

and his spring will run dry.

The wind will plunder his treasury
of every precious article.

Samaria will bear her guilt
because she has rebelled against her God.

They will fall by the sword;

their little ones will be dashed to pieces,

and their pregnant women ripped open.
​


Before the official tabernacle was built, “Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the ‘tent of meeting.’ Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp” (Exodus 33:7). As Moses visited this tent of meeting to intercede for the people of Israel, “the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses” (verse 9). Moses’ position of favor with God is evident in the fact that “the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (verse 11).

However, later in the same chapter, Moses requests to see God’s glory, and God replies, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. . . . But . . . you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (Exodus 33:19–20). To protect Moses, God put him “in a cleft in the rock” and covered him with His hand as He passed by (verse 22). “Then,” God promised, “I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen” (verse 23).

This passage prompts several questions. Does God really have a “hand,” “face,” and “back”? Why could Moses speak to God “face to face” in verse 11 but could not see God’s “face” in verse 23? What is fatal about seeing God’s “face”?

We know from Scripture (e.g., John 4:24) that God is spirit. Spirits do not possess physicality. So, when Moses spoke “face to face” with God in Exodus 33:11, there are only two possible ways to understand it: either Moses was speaking to the pre-incarnate Son of God (a Christophany); or the passage is using a figure of speech called anthropomorphism, in which human qualities are applied to God. While a Christophany is certainly possible, it is probably better to view the chapter as using figures of speech.

The terms face, hand, and back in Exodus 33 should not be taken literally, and face to face, being idiomatic, is also metaphorical.

In verse 11 the idiom face to face can be simply understood to mean “intimately.”

Moses spoke with God familiarly, as a man speaks to a friend.

In verses 20 and 23,

face and back are in reference to

God’s “glory” and “goodness”


(verses 18–19).


Since God is spirit, and since glory and goodness

are both intangibles,

we can take face and back to signify

varying

“degrees” of glory. God’s hand (verse 22)

is an obvious

reference to God’s “protection.”


In the Bible, God often communicates using terms easily understood in the human experience. God’s use of anthropomorphism in Exodus 33 was a perfect way to describe what was happening. As humans, we know the importance of one’s face. To readily identify someone, we study his or her face. It is also the face of a person that reveals the most information about his or her character, mood, and personality.


However, if all we catch is a glimpse of a person

from behind,


we are left without a lot of valuable information.


It is difficult to identify a person from behind;


we know very little about a person if all

we can see is a back view.



When God told Moses,


“You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live”


(Exodus 33:20),


He was saying that truly seeing God as He is,

in the fullness of His glory,

is more than mortal man can tolerate


(cf. Isaiah 6:5).



Therefore, to protect Moses, God was only going to reveal that portion of His majesty and power that was humanly possible to absorb. God communicated this plan to Moses in a way we can all understand: “You cannot look Me full in the face [it is impossible for you to know everything about Me], but I will allow you to see my back [I will reveal to you a small portion of My nature so as not to overwhelm you].”

All of this makes Jesus’ words to Philip all the more amazing: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). When Jesus walked this earth, His glory veiled, we could look Him in the face. “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). On one brief occasion, Jesus’ glory was revealed in this world, at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:2). Interestingly, Moses was there, speaking to the glorified Lord, face to face (Matthew 17:3).

​The account of Elijah and the prophets of Baal is recorded in 1 Kings 18.

After Israel had gone more than three years without rain as a judgment for their idolatry, the prophet Elijah confronts the evil king Ahab and challenges him to a spiritual showdown.


The king was to have all Israel

gather at

Mt. Carmel, along with the 450 prophets

of the false god Baal

and the 400 prophets of the false goddess Asherah

(verse 19).


On Mt. Carmel, Elijah said to the people of Israel, “How long will you waver between two opinions?

If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21).

The people remained noncommittal at that point. Elijah then challenged the prophets of Baal to prepare a bull as an offering for their god—Elijah would do the same—with this catch: they could light no fire on their altar. The God who answered with fire from the sky would be considered the true God (verses 22–25).

The people agreed that this was a good plan, and the prophets of Baal went first.

The pagan prophets cried out and danced around their altar from morning till noon with no answer from Baal. Elijah began to mock them, saying, “Shout louder! . . . Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27).

So the prophets of Baal “shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice” (1 Kings 18:28–29). Despite hours of effort, nothing happened. The historian’s comment hints at the emptiness of Baal-worship: “There was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention” (verse 29).

Elijah then called the people to him as he repaired the altar of the Lord. He used twelve stones and dug a trench around the altar. He then placed wood on the altar and laid the cut pieces of the bull on it. Elijah then had the people douse the altar with twelve large jars of water. The water soaked the sacrifice and the wood and filled the trench (1 Kings 18:30–35).

Once the sacrifice was ready, Elijah prayed, “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again” (1 Kings 18:36–37). Then God did what Baal could never do: the fire of the LORD fell from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, “and also licked up the water in the trench” (verse 38). The people of Israel bowed down and declared the Lord as God (verse 39).

Elijah then commanded the people to put the prophets of Baal to death, in keeping with God’s command in Exodus 22:20. Following this event, the Lord finally ended the drought and sent rain upon the land (1 Kings 18:45).

The miraculous event of fire from heaven was an answer to the prayer of Elijah. God was seeking to turn the hearts of His people back to Himself. He used a time of drought to get their attention and then, through His prophet, performed a dramatic miracle right before their eyes. No one who witnessed that event doubted that the Lord was God and that Baal was a powerless wannabe. The repentance of the Israelites was soon followed by God’s provision of rain.

James teaches us that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16), and he uses Elijah’s prayer life as a case in point: “Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops” (James 5:17–18).

Lightning and thunder are indications of the


Power of Yahweh and His might


"The thunder of his power who can understand?" (Job 26:14); "The God of glory thundereth" (Psalm 29:3). Yahweh also confused the Philistines with thunder (1 Samuel 7:10), and His foes were "visited of Yahweh of hosts with thunder" (Isaiah 29:6). Thunder was regarded as the voice of Yahweh: "God thundereth with the voice of his excellency" (Job 37:4), and God spoke to Jesus in the thunder (bronte, John 12:29).



The Resurrection of Christ

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and in which you stand firm. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephasa and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth.

For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.


​
John the Baptist’s


statement that


“He must increase, but I must decrease”


(John 3:30, ESV)



is simple but remarkable, and it is one of the most imitable statements ever made


In the narrative we find that

disciples of John

expressed concern to him that

many were


following

Jesus and being baptized by Him


(John 3:26)



Because John’s ministry was as a


forerunner to the Messiah,


John’s ministry had begun

much earlier,

and many were following John


So it was concerning to some that Jesus was preaching the same message and baptizing

and that some were bypassing John altogether and going straight to Jesus.


John responded by reminding his followers that one has nothing unless it has been granted from heaven

(John 3:27),


​ implying that

Jesus had obtained His following rightly and that it was a heavenly blessing.


John also was implying that, if his own ministry was granted from heaven, its conclusion could also likewise be determined by God’s plan. In making these statements,


John showed tremendous humility and understanding of


God’s design


He also reminded his disciples that he had never claimed to be the Christ but that he was simply announcing the arrival of the Christ (John 3:28). John added that his being in such proximity to the Christ gave him great joy (John 3:29), so he was not disturbed in the least by the growth of Jesus’ following. It was by design, and John was rejoicing about that.

In this context, John made his definitive statement that “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30, NKJV), or, as the NIV has it, “He must become greater; I must become less.” With this statement John acknowledges that it was by design that Jesus should become more prominent and that John’s own ministry should begin to decrease. Malachi 3:1 had prophesied a forerunner to the Messiah, and John was that forerunner, according to Jesus (Matthew 11:10). It is natural that the forerunner—the one who goes before—or the messenger of the Messiah would step out of the way once Jesus began to fulfill His own ministry. That is exactly what John was doing, and he gently helped his own disciples understand that.

So often, it is easy for us to want to hold onto our own positions or roles. We expend a great deal of effort trying to protect those roles and keep them for ourselves. John shows us by his example that there is a much better way. John shows us how to graciously step aside to allow others to fulfill their roles. Even more importantly, when John says, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” he is modeling for us how to exalt God and humble ourselves before God. This is obviously an important characteristic in God’s sight. God opposes the proud but gives grace to those who are humble (James 4:6). When we get out of the way and let God accomplish what He intends, then much is accomplished. On the other hand, when we step in and try to help God along, we may find ourselves actually working against what God desires to do. Recall how, after Jesus prophesied how He would die (Matthew 16:21), Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him, denying that Jesus would die as He prophesied (Matthew 16:22). Peter then heard the dreaded words, “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23), because Peter was pursuing his own interests rather than God’s interests.

Unlike Peter in that situation, John understood that Jesus must increase and that John must decrease. Because John had the proper esteem for Christ, he could humble himself and step out of the way. This is an incredible lesson and example of humility for us.





The Resurrection of the Dead

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith. In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised.

For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.




The Order of Resurrection


But Christ has

indeed been raised from

the dead,


the firstfruits of those

who have fallen asleep


For since death came through a man,


the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man



For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

But each in his own turn:

Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.


Then the end will come,

when He hands over the kingdom to

God the Father after

He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.


For He must reign until He has put all His enemies

under His feet.

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.


For


“God has put everything under His feet.”


 Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him.

And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.





The Resurrection Body



But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised?


With what kind of body will they come?”


You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.


And what you sow is not the body that will be,

but just a seed,

perhaps of wheat or something else.


But God gives it a body as He has designed, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body.




Not all flesh is the same:


Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another,

birds another, and fish another.


There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies.

But the splendor of the heavenly bodies

is of one degree,

and the splendor of the earthly bodies is of another.


The sun has one degree of splendor, the moon another,

and the stars another;


and star differs from star in splendor.



So will it be with the resurrection of the dead:

What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable.


It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory.

It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.


It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.



So it is written:


“The first man Adam became


a living being”; the


last Adam


a life-giving spirit





The spiritual,


however, was not first,


but the natural,

and


then the spiritual



The first man was of the dust of the earth,

the second man from heaven.

As was the earthly man, so also are those

who are of the earth;

and as is the heavenly man, so also are

those who are of heaven.

And just as we have borne the likeness

of the earthly man,


so also shall we bear the likeness of

the heavenly man







Where, O Death, Is Your Victory?
​
(Hosea 13:9–14)



Now I declare to you, brothers, that


flesh and blood cannot

inherit

the kingdom of God,

nor does the

perishable inherit the imperishable


Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality,

 then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”



“Where, O Death, is your victory?


Where, O Death, is your sting?”


The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.


​
In John 3:6,


Jesus tells Nicodemus,


"Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the


Spirit gives birth to spirit."


This verse explains the difference

between


physical life and spiritual life



"Flesh gives birth to flesh"


This refers to our natural, physical birth. It means we are born into a physical world with a human nature that is prone to sin and separated from God.


"Spirit gives birth to spirit"


 This refers to being "born again" (or regenerated) by the Holy Spirit. Spiritual rebirth is a divine transformation where the Holy Spirit gives you spiritual life, making you a child of God.




 We cannot enter the Kingdom of God

on our own


because physical efforts

cannot


produce spiritual results



​
This spiritual rebirth

occurs

when you place your

​

Faith in Jesus Christ


as



Your Savior




1 Samuel 2:10

Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. "Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed."



1 Samuel 12:18

So Samuel called to Yahweh; and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.



The seventh bowl. The seventh bowl is emptied into the atmosphere. A loud voice in heaven says, “It is done!” (Revelation 16:17). The seventh bowl results in flashes of lightning and an earthquake so severe that “no earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake” (verse 18). Jerusalem is split into three parts, and the cities of the world collapse (verse 19). Islands are flooded, and mountains disappear (verse 20). Giant hailstones, “each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people” (verse 21). Those under judgment “cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible” (verse 21).

One of the angels of the seven bowl judgments then shows John the fate of Babylon the Great (Revelation 17), as God avenges “the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people, of all who have been slaughtered on the earth” (Revelation 18:24). The world mourns the fall of Babylon (chapter 18), but heaven rejoices (chapter 19). Jesus Christ then returns in glory to defeat the armies of the Antichrist at Armageddon (Revelation 19:11–21) and to set up His kingdom on earth (Revelation 20:1–6).


Together, the seals, trumpets, and bowls of the end times comprise “the great day of [God’s] wrath” (Revelation 6:17) and serve to judge the Antichrist’s kingdom of wickedness. Revelation 16:5–7 declares of God, “You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve. . . . Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”






Mary’s Song

​
(1 Samuel 2:1–11)


Then Mary said:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.

For the Mighty One has done great things for me.
Holy is His name.

His mercy extends to those who fear Him,
from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who are proud
in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
but has exalted the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped His servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful,

as He promised to our fathers

to Abraham and his descendants forever.”





How Majestic Is Your Name!


For the choirmaster. According to Gittith.

 A Psalm of David.

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

You have set Your glory

above the heavens.

From the mouths of children and infants

You have ordained praise

on account of Your adversaries,

to silence the enemy and avenger.

When I behold Your heavens,

the work of Your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which You have set in place--

what is man that You are mindful of him,

or the son of man that You care for him?

You made him a little lower than the angels;

You crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler of the works of Your hands;

You have placed everything under his feet:

all sheep and oxen,

and even the beasts of the field,

the birds of the air and the fish of the sea,

all that swim the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

The Mission of John the Baptist


(Isaiah 40:1–5; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20; John 1:19–28)



In those days John the Baptist came,

preaching in

the wilderness of Judea

and saying,


“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”


This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:


“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,


‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for Him.’”



John wore a garment of camel’s hair,

with a

leather belt around his waist.


His food was locusts and wild honey.


People went out to him from

Jerusalem and all

Judea and the whole region around the Jordan.

Confessing their sins,

they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.


But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”






The Baptism of Jesus

(Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22; John 1:29–34)


At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.

But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”


“Let it be so now,”


Jesus replied


 “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” 


Then John permitted Him


As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water.


Suddenly the heavens were opened,

​
 and He saw the


Spirit of God

descending like a dove and resting

on Him.


And a voice from heaven said,



“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”




 Isaiah 40:3 


in water

 in the Holy Spirit and in fire

 the heavens were opened to Him

 he saw; see John 1:32–33




John 1:24-28
Then the Pharisees who had been sent / asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” / “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know. …

Luke 7:29-30
All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John. / But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.

Matthew 21:25-27
What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ / But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.” / So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

Matthew 12:34
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 23:33
You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?

Psalm 140:3
They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah

Luke 3:7
Then John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

1 Thessalonians 1:10
and to await His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.

Romans 2:5
But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Acts 13:10
and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

Romans 9:27-29
Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved. / For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth thoroughly and decisively.” / It is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.”

Romans 11:25-27
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. / And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob. / And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

Galatians 3:7-9
Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham. / The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” / So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Philippians 3:2
Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh!

1 Thessalonians 2:15-16
who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men, / hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.

Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 12:24
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

Matthew 15:12
Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

Matthew 12:34
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Matthew 23:33
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Jeremiah 6:10
To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

Jeremiah 51:6
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.

Ezekiel 3:18-21
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand…

Romans 5:9
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

1 Thessalonians 1:10
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

2 Thessalonians 1:9,10
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; …





John 7


​Jesus Teaches at the Feast



After this, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee.

He did not want to travel in Judea,

because the Jews there were trying to kill Him.

However, the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near.


So Jesus’ brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples there may see the works You are doing.

For no one who wants to be known publicly acts in secret. Since You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.”


For even His own brothers did not believe in Him.


Therefore Jesus told them, “Although your time is always at hand, My time has not yet come.

The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I testify that its works are evil.

Go up to the feast on your own. I am not going up to this feast,

because My time has not yet come.”


Having said this, Jesus remained in Galilee.


But after His brothers had gone up to the feast, He also went—not publicly, but in secret.

So the Jews were looking for Him at the feast and asking, “Where is He?”

Many in the crowds were whispering about Him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
But others replied, “No, He deceives the people.”

Yet no one would speak publicly about Him for fear of the Jews.

About halfway through the feast, Jesus went up to the temple courts and began to teach.

The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?”


My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me.

If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own.


He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory,

but He who seeks the glory

of the One who sent Him is a man of truth;

in Him there is no falsehood.


Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?”


“You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?”


Jesus answered them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed.

But because Moses gave you circumcision, you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath (not that it is from Moses, but from the patriarchs.)

If a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses will not be broken, why are you angry with Me for making the whole man well on the Sabbath?


Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”




Is Jesus the Christ?



Then some of the people of Jerusalem began to say, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?


Yet here He is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying anything to Him.

Have the rulers truly recognized that this is the Christ?


But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”


Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “You know Me, and you know where I am from.


I have not come of My own accord, but He who sent Me is true.


You do not know Him, but I know Him, because I am from Him and He sent Me.”


So they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

Many in the crowd, however, believed in Him and said,


“When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?”

When the Pharisees heard the crowd whispering

these things about Jesus,

they and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Him.


So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me.


You will look for Me,

but

you will not find Me;

and

where I am, you cannot come.”



At this, the Jews said to one another,


“Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him?


Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

What does He mean by saying,


‘You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,’

and,

‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”





Living Water


On the last and greatest day of the feast,


Jesus stood up

and called out in a loud voice,


“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.


Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said:


‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”


He was speaking about the Spirit,

whom

those who believed in Him

were later to receive.


For the Spirit had not yet been given,

because

Jesus had not yet been glorified.





Division over Jesus

On hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”


Others declared, “This is the Christ.”


But still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee?


Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ

will come from

the line of David and from Bethlehem,

the village where David lived?

​

So there was division in the crowd because of Jesus.


Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him.





The Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders


Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring Him in?”

“Never has anyone spoken like this man!” the officers answered.

“Have you also been deceived?” replied the Pharisees. “Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him?
But this crowd that does not know the law—they are under a curse.”

Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who himself was one of them, asked,

Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”


“Aren’t you also from Galilee?” they replied. “Look into it, and you will see that no prophet comes out of Galilee.”


Then each went to his own home.
​



Acts 17:31

For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”


Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus





 Romans 2 

(Psalm 75:1–10)


You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another.


For on whatever grounds

you judge the other, you are condemning yourself,

because you who

pass judgment do the same things.


And we know that God’s judgment against those who

do such things is based on truth.


So when you, O man, pass judgment on others,


yet do the same things,

do you think

you will escape God’s judgment?


Or do you disregard the

riches of


His kindness, tolerance, and patience,

not realizing that

God’s kindness leads you to repentance?


​
But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are

storing up wrath against yourself

for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment

will be revealed.




God “will


repay each one according to his deeds.”



To those who by perseverance

in doing good

seek glory, honor, and immortality,


He will give eternal life.



But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth

and follow wickedness,


there will be wrath and anger.


There will be trouble and distress for every human being

who does evil,


first for the Jew, then for the Greek;


but glory, honor, and peace

for

everyone who does good,


first for the Jew, then for the Greek.



For God does not show favoritism.


All who sin apart from the law will also perish

apart from the law,


and all who sin under the law will be

judged by the law.


For it is not the hearers of the law who are

righteous before God,

but it is the doers of the law who will

be declared righteous.


Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires,

they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.


So they show that the work of the law

is written on

their hearts, their consciences also


bearing witness,


and their thoughts either accusing or defending


them on the day when

God will judge men’s secrets through


Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.



Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you

rely on

the law and boast in God;



if you know His will and approve of what is superior because you

are instructed by the law;


if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind,

a light for those in darkness,

an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because

you have in the law

the embodiment of knowledge and truth--


you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?

You who preach against stealing, do you steal?


You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery?


You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?




You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?




As it is written:


“God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”



Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law,


your circumcision has become uncircumcision.


If a man who is not circumcised keeps the requirements of the law,


will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?


The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who,


even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker
.


A man is not a Jew


because he is one outwardly,


nor is circumcision

only


outward and physical



No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter

of the heart,





by the Spirit,
​


not by the written code.



Such a man’s praise does not come


from men,



but from God







Psalm 62:12


Isaiah 52:5 






 Through Jesus Christ

​

Faithfulness to His Word

God never fails to fulfill His promises. Even when circumstances look impossible or delayed (like the biblical story of Abraham and Sarah), God's plans always prevail.
​

Different Perspectives on "Failure"

Sometimes believers feel God has failed them when He answers a prayer with "no" or allows hardship. Theologically, these "no" answers are viewed as God protecting, redirecting, or refining individuals according to His grander, sovereign plan rather than their temporary desires


Jeremiah 5:3

O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain.

You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline.

They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.



Acts 7:51


You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears!

You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.



Zechariah 7:12


They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words

that the LORD of Hosts

had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets.


Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts.





Proverbs 1:24-27


Because


you refused my call, and no one took my

outstretched hand, 

because you neglected all my counsel,


and wanted none of

my correction,

in turn I will mock your calamity;




Philippians 3:9


and be found in Him,

not having my own righteousness

from the law,


but that which is through

faith in Christ,

the righteousness from God on the

basis of faith




Psalm 78:5-7


For He established a testimony in Jacob and

appointed a law in Israel,


which He commanded our fathers to

teach to their children,


that the coming generation

would know

them—even children yet to be born—to arise and

tell their own children


that they should put their confidence in God,

not forgetting His works,


but keeping His commandments.




Let the elders who rule well be considered


worthy of double honor,


especially those


who labor in preaching and teaching





Deuteronomy 6:6-7

These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.
And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.


Deuteronomy 11:18-19

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. / 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.




The message of

the


Book of Micah


is a complex mixture of



judgment and hope



On the one hand, the prophecies announce judgment upon Israel for social evils, corrupt leadership and idolatry. This judgment was expected to culminate in the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem. On the other hand, the book proclaims not merely the restoration of the nation, but the transformation and exaltation of Israel and Jerusalem. The messages of hope and doom are not necessarily contradictory, however, since restoration and transformation take place only after judgment.



An Asherah pole was a wooden

cult object

used in ancient Canaanite and Israelite religion

to honor Asherah,


the consort of either the supreme god El or

the storm god Baal



They symbolized fertility and were

typically placed near

​
altars and shrines dedicated to Baal. 



Asherah was prominent  in the ancient


Near East,


 associated with life, fertility, and

the sea



The poles were wooden—sometimes carved posts,

sometimes living trees.


Because they were associated with the

Canaanite pantheon,

the Hebrew Bible strictly forbade them.


The Old Testament views the erection of


Asherah poles as

a major source of religious corruption,


leading to condemnation by prophets

and removal by


righteous kings like Hezekiah and Josiah.



While the Bible strictly

opposes them, certain archaeological discoveries suggest

some ancient Israelites

may have worshipped Asherah alongside Yahweh

​


Micah 1:2

 "Hear, O peoples, all of you, listen, O earth and all who are in it, that the Sovereign LORD may witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple."


Micah 5:2

 "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 6:8

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."


Micah 7:18-19

"Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea."


The prophet condemns the rulers, priests, and prophets

​ of Israel

who exploit and mislead the people


It is because of their deeds that Jerusalem will be destroyed. The prophet Micah proclaims the deliverance of the people who will go from Jerusalem to Babylon and concludes with an exhortation for Jerusalem to destroy the nations who have gathered against her. The ideal ruler would come from Bethlehem to defend the nation, and the prophet proclaims the triumph of the remnant of Jacob and foresees a day when Yahweh will purge the nation of idolatry and reliance on military might. The prophet sets forth a powerful and concise summary of Yahweh’s requirement for justice and loyalty and announces judgment upon those who have followed the ways of Omri and Ahab. The book closes with a prophetic liturgy comprising elements of a lament. Israel confesses its sin and is assured of deliverance through Yahweh’s mighty acts.

God gives warnings so we will not have to suffer His wrath. Judgment is certain if God’s warnings are not heeded and His provision for sin in the sacrifice of His Son is rejected. For the believer in Christ, God will discipline us—not from hate—but because He loves us. He knows that sin destroys and He wants us to be whole. This wholeness which is the promise of restoration awaits those who remain obedient to Him.



Amos 2:4


"This is what the LORD says:


'For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath].



Because they have rejected the

law of the LORD

and

have not kept his decrees,

because

they have been led astray

by false gods,

the

gods their ancestors followed.'"



Amos 3:7


 "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing

without revealing

His plan to His servants the prophets."



Amos 9:14


"I will bring back my exiled people Israel;

they will

rebuild the ruined cities and live in them



They will plant


vineyards


and drink their wine;


they will


make gardens and eat


their fruit."




 Amos can see that beneath Israel’s

external

prosperity and power,

internally

the nation is corrupt to the core.


The sins for which

Amos chastens the people are

extensive:


neglect of God’s Word, idolatry,

pagan worship,

greed, corrupted leadership,

and

oppression of the poor.



Amos begins by pronouncing

a judgment

upon all the surrounding nations,

then upon his

own nation of Judah, and finally

the harshest

judgment is given to Israel.



His visions from God

reveal

the same emphatic message:

judgment is near.


The book ends with God’s promise

to Amos of


future restoration of the remnant



The Book of Amos ends

with a

glorious promise for the future.




“’I will plant Israel in their


own land,


never again to be


uprooted from the land I


have given them,’



says the LORD your God” (9:15).


The ultimate fulfillment


of God’s

Land Promise to Abraham


(Gen. 12:7; 15:7; 17:8)


will occur during



Christ’s millennial reign


on earth





Revelation 20:12-15

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. / The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds. / Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. …


Proverbs 11:4

Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.



Romans 11:25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Exodus 8:15
But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

Exodus 14:17
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

Romans 9:22
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

Deuteronomy 32:34
Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?

Amos 3:10
For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.
the day.

Job 21:30
That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

Proverbs 11:4
Riches profit not in the day ofwrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

2 Peter 2:9
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Romans 2:2,3
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things…

Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

​

In spite of our sin, God has made it possible

for us to be



justified--


declared righteous and sinless--


by His grace



It is essential to

understand what the Bible means

by the word


"grace."


Grace is receiving a good thing when we deserve

a bad thing.


Paul describes it that way here.


God gives to us the opportunity to be justified in


His eyes "as a gift."



As Paul has already made clear: We cannot be justified by following the works of the law.


Why?


Because none of us can do so without breaking the law.


Everyone sins in that way.


That's why God must justify us by


His grace,

as a gift we could never earn.


This


gift is given


through faith in Christ


to


"all who believe"


(Romans 3:22).


Paul adds another important word to this verse:


Redemption


God gives to us


this



gift of grace,


this opportunity


to be


included in His family and

to


participate in


His glory, through


the


redemption that is in


Christ Jesus


Redemption comes from a very specific word in the Greek.


Apolytrōs󠅍eōs literally means



"a ransom payment."



Our sin held us captive, unable to be included


in God's family



The price of our sin was death.



Jesus paid that price when He died for our sin


on the cross



He paid the ransom for us. He redeemed us.



He received the anger of God's judgment on

our sin


in His own body




Zephaniah 1:14-18
The great Day of the LORD is near—near and coming quickly. Listen, the Day of the LORD! Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter. / That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, / a day of horn blast and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers. …

Revelation 6:16-17
And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. / For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”

Isaiah 13:9-11
Behold, the Day of the LORD is coming—cruel, with fury and burning anger—to make the earth a desolation and to destroy the sinners within it. / For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. / I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.


​Hope in God's righteous judgment is a central theme throughout the Bible, offering believers assurance and comfort in the face of injustice and suffering. This hope is rooted in the character of God as a just and righteous judge who will ultimately set all things right.



The Old Testament

lays the groundwork for understanding

God's righteous judgment.


In Genesis 18:25, Abraham appeals to


God's justice, saying,


"Far be it from You to do such a thing—to

kill the

righteous with the wicked,

so that the righteous and

the wicked are

treated alike. Far be it from You!


Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?"


This rhetorical question underscores


the belief that

God's judgments are inherently just.


The Psalms frequently express hope in God's righteous judgment.




Psalm 9:7-8 declares,


"But the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment.



He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity."

Here, the psalmist finds solace in the certainty that God will judge the world with fairness and equity.


The prophets also speak of God's righteous judgment as a source of hope.

In Isaiah 11:4, it is prophesied, "But with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the meek of the earth." This vision of a future where God judges with righteousness and equity provides hope for those who are oppressed and marginalized.




New Testament Fulfillment

The New Testament continues this theme, emphasizing the hope found in God's righteous judgment through Jesus Christ. In Acts 17:31, Paul proclaims, "For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead."



The resurrection of Jesus


is presented as assurance

of the

coming judgment,


affirming

that it will be executed


with justice



Romans 2:6-8

further elaborates on this theme:


"God 'will repay each one according to his deeds.'


To those who


by perseverance in doing good

seek glory,

honor, and immortality, he will

give eternal life.
​


But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger." This passage highlights the dual nature of God's judgment, offering hope of eternal life for the righteous and warning of wrath for the wicked.




The book of Revelation

provides a vivid

depiction of God's final judgment


Revelation 20:12-13 describes the scene:

"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books."



This imagery reinforces the

certainty of


God's righteous judgment

and the hope it

brings to those whose names

are


written in the book of life



For believers,


Hope in God's righteous judgment

encourages


Perseverance and faithfulness



James 5:7-8 exhorts,


"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.



See how the farmer

waits for

the precious fruit of the soil,


being patient about it,


until it

receives the early and late rains.



You too,


be patient and strengthen

your hearts,


because the Lord’s coming is near."



The anticipation of God's righteous judgment inspires a life of


holiness and godliness.


Hope in God's righteous judgment is a profound

source of

comfort and motivation for believers.


It assures them that justice will ultimately prevail and

encourages them to live
​

in a manner that reflects the righteousness of God.
​



Romans 11:25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Exodus 8:15
But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

Exodus 14:17
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

Romans 9:22
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

Deuteronomy 32:34
Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?

Amos 3:10
For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

Job 21:30
That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

Proverbs 11:4
Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

2 Peter 2:9
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Romans 2:2,3
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things…

Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

​





Honoring True Widows


(Ruth 1:1–5)


Honor the widows who are truly widows.

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to

their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.


The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues

night and day in her petitions and prayers.

But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.
​
Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above reproach.

If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith

and is worse than an unbeliever.

A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, faithful to her husband,

and well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers,

washing the feet of the saints,

imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work.

But refuse to enroll younger widows.

For when their passions draw them away from Christ,

they will want to marry,

and thus will incur judgment because they are setting aside their first faith.

At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house

and being not only idle,

but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.

So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households,

denying the adversary occasion for slander.

For some have already turned aside to follow Satan.


If any believing woman

has dependent

widows, she must assist them and

not allow

the church to be burdened,

so that it

can help the widows who are

truly in need.




 1 Timothy 5:17 



"Let the elders who rule well be

considered


worthy of double honor,


especially those who


labor in


preaching and teaching"





The "Word"


Refers to the proclamation and instruction

of


Christian truth




Double Honor


Biblical scholars and commentators suggest

this means

a twofold recognition:


high respect/esteem and adequate


financial compensation


to support their ministry



The verse singles out church leaders

(elders)


who work diligently


at preaching and teaching,


noting that their labor entitles them to

double honor


above and beyond standard esteem.

​

Honoring Elders


Elders who lead effectively are


worthy of double honor,

especially

those who work hard

at

preaching and teaching.


For the Scripture says,

“Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” 

and,


“The worker is worthy of his wages.”



A Charge to Timothy


I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to

maintain these principles


without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality.


Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others.


Keep yourself pure.


The sins of some men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment;

but the sins of others do not surface until later.


In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even the ones

that are inconspicuous cannot remain hidden.