A plumb line, also called a plummet, is a cord with a non-magnetic weight attached to one end. When the cord is held in such a way that the weight can dangle freely, an exact vertical can be determined. Painters and carpenters use plumb lines to keep their work straight. It is difficult, while in the middle of a project, to determine a true horizontal or vertical line without an objective measuring tool, so a plumb line is employed. A plumb line applies the law of gravity to find right angles, to indicate the most direct route from top to bottom, and to keep things plumb. A plumb line doesn’t change or move with the whims of the carpenter. It remains true, and all work must line up with it or risk being crooked.
The term plumb line is used in Scripture in several contexts. The Lord pictures Himself as a builder in Isaiah 28: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16). This is a promise of an unshakeable kingdom, with the Messiah in charge. Jesus Christ is the “precious cornerstone” (see Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6). As the Lord builds His kingdom, He will ensure it is perfect in every way: “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line” (Isaiah 28:17). There will be no crookedness/sin in the kingdom of Christ.
When the Jews returned from captivity in Babylon, they began to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. For a time, the work languished, and God sent the prophets Zechariah and Haggai to spur the people on to finish the rebuilding. The message was encouraging: do not despair over the small beginnings; God will see to it that the temple is completed, and Zerubbabel the governor will oversee the project. “Whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel” (Zechariah 4:10, ESV).
Amos 7:7–8 says, “This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, ‘What do you see, Amos?’ ‘A plumb line,’ I replied. Then the Lord said, ‘Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.’” When God said He was setting a plumb line among His people, He was declaring an end to their attempts to justify their crooked ways. The Lord was setting the standard. God does not negotiate His laws. He does not change with the whims of culture (Numbers 23:19). God’s moral law is the plumb line against which we determine right and wrong (John 17:17). Just as a carpenter’s plumb line is not subject to the opinions or the frustration of the worker, so God’s moral standards are not subject to the opinions of man. Wise people are those who line up their lives according to God’s plumb line rather than trying to move it to satisfy their own agendas.
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus announces to Peter and the other disciples that “on this rock” He would build His church. Peter understood that Jesus was the rock on which the church would be built. Peter also recognized that Jesus was referencing Isaiah 8:14, and that Jesus was the Messiah, the rock of offense (1 Peter 2:8). And Peter also understood that the psalmist had indicated that the Messiah would be the cornerstone (1 Peter 2:7). Paul uses this same imagery when he explains that the church was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, saying that believers are “fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19–20).
The Hebrew prophets had illustrated the Messiah’s role using an architectural word picture. While the Messiah would be the rock over which the nation of Israel would stumble (Isaiah 8:14), He would also be the cornerstone of something new (Psalm 118:22). God would do something significant to fulfill His promise to Abraham that in Abraham all the peoples of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3b). One of the ways God would fulfill that promise was by Jesus building His church and serving as its cornerstone. In construction, the cornerstone was the first stone laid by which the entire building had a point of reference and could base its structure. After the cornerstone was placed, the foundation was laid. Paul explains that the church was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20).
God’s household (Ephesians 2:19), which is made up of Jews and Gentiles—people from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 5:9)—is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Himself being the cornerstone.
The writer identified as Agur says, “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him” (Proverbs 30:5, NKJV).
Agur’s statement that every word of God is pure indicates that the Lord’s words and His promises are worthy of our trust because they are tested, tried, and proven to be true. In the original Hebrew, the term translated as “pure” means “proven to be true or trustworthy, flawless.” The word is associated with smelting, or being refined and purified by fire, as in Psalm 12:6: “And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.” God’s Word contains no mixture of impurities, error, or imperfection.
Every word refers to every declaration and revelation in the inspired record or, in other words, everything God has said in Scripture. God’s Word is the ultimate, infallible, reliable source of truth. Every single word is flawless, perfect, and sincere. There is not the slightest hint of falsehood, corruption, or deficiency in it.
The Lord’s promises have stood up to every possible real-world test. “Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them,” states the psalmist (Psalm 119:140). We can put our trust in God and His Word to protect us like a shield: “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection” (2 Samuel 22:31, NLT; see also Psalm 18:30).
Besides offering protection, every word of God is pure in that it provides light and direction to those who trust in it: “The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes” (Psalm 19:8). God’s Word is “a lamp” to guide our feet and “a light” to illuminate our path (Psalm 119:105).
God’s Word is pure, and it is sure to accomplish the Lord’s intended purpose (Jeremiah 1:12; 23:29; Isaiah 46:10–11; 55:10–11; 1 Thessalonians 2:13). “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled,” declares Joshua 21:45. Every word God speaks to humanity is given for a purpose that He will fulfill: “But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. . . . I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord” (Ezekiel 12:25).
God’s Word is alive, powerful, and able to penetrate to the depths of the human soul (Hebrews 4:12; John 6:63; 1 Peter 1:23). Through His Word, God reveals Himself to humanity. We come to know who God is and enter into a relationship with Him through His Word (Luke 24:27, 44–45; John 5:39). God teaches, rebukes, corrects, prepares, and equips us for every good work through His Word (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Every word from God is to be received as pure spiritual milk—nourishment for our souls—so that by it we might grow up into the full experience of salvation (1 Peter 2:2).
God’s Word is pure and therefore has a purifying effect on those who love and obey it (Psalm 119:9; Ephesians 5:26). Jesus told His disciples they had “already been pruned and purified by the message” that He had delivered to them (John 15:3, NLT). The apostle Paul explained that, as followers of Christ, we are made “holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word” to be presented as His bride, “a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish” (Ephesians 5:26–27, NLT).
Every word of God is pure reminds us that the Bible in its original autograph is infallible and inerrant. Everything in it is truth. Its author is God, who makes no mistakes. His Word is the final authority (Psalm 119:89; Galatians 3:10).
Because every word of God is pure, flawless, and complete, Agur says in Proverbs 30:6, “Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” How can we attempt to improve on what is already perfect? For this reason, we are warned not to add to or take anything away from God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Revelation 22:18).
The term plumb line is used in Scripture in several contexts. The Lord pictures Himself as a builder in Isaiah 28: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16). This is a promise of an unshakeable kingdom, with the Messiah in charge. Jesus Christ is the “precious cornerstone” (see Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6). As the Lord builds His kingdom, He will ensure it is perfect in every way: “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line” (Isaiah 28:17). There will be no crookedness/sin in the kingdom of Christ.
When the Jews returned from captivity in Babylon, they began to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. For a time, the work languished, and God sent the prophets Zechariah and Haggai to spur the people on to finish the rebuilding. The message was encouraging: do not despair over the small beginnings; God will see to it that the temple is completed, and Zerubbabel the governor will oversee the project. “Whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel” (Zechariah 4:10, ESV).
Amos 7:7–8 says, “This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, ‘What do you see, Amos?’ ‘A plumb line,’ I replied. Then the Lord said, ‘Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.’” When God said He was setting a plumb line among His people, He was declaring an end to their attempts to justify their crooked ways. The Lord was setting the standard. God does not negotiate His laws. He does not change with the whims of culture (Numbers 23:19). God’s moral law is the plumb line against which we determine right and wrong (John 17:17). Just as a carpenter’s plumb line is not subject to the opinions or the frustration of the worker, so God’s moral standards are not subject to the opinions of man. Wise people are those who line up their lives according to God’s plumb line rather than trying to move it to satisfy their own agendas.
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus announces to Peter and the other disciples that “on this rock” He would build His church. Peter understood that Jesus was the rock on which the church would be built. Peter also recognized that Jesus was referencing Isaiah 8:14, and that Jesus was the Messiah, the rock of offense (1 Peter 2:8). And Peter also understood that the psalmist had indicated that the Messiah would be the cornerstone (1 Peter 2:7). Paul uses this same imagery when he explains that the church was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, saying that believers are “fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19–20).
The Hebrew prophets had illustrated the Messiah’s role using an architectural word picture. While the Messiah would be the rock over which the nation of Israel would stumble (Isaiah 8:14), He would also be the cornerstone of something new (Psalm 118:22). God would do something significant to fulfill His promise to Abraham that in Abraham all the peoples of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3b). One of the ways God would fulfill that promise was by Jesus building His church and serving as its cornerstone. In construction, the cornerstone was the first stone laid by which the entire building had a point of reference and could base its structure. After the cornerstone was placed, the foundation was laid. Paul explains that the church was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20).
God’s household (Ephesians 2:19), which is made up of Jews and Gentiles—people from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 5:9)—is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Himself being the cornerstone.
The writer identified as Agur says, “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him” (Proverbs 30:5, NKJV).
Agur’s statement that every word of God is pure indicates that the Lord’s words and His promises are worthy of our trust because they are tested, tried, and proven to be true. In the original Hebrew, the term translated as “pure” means “proven to be true or trustworthy, flawless.” The word is associated with smelting, or being refined and purified by fire, as in Psalm 12:6: “And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.” God’s Word contains no mixture of impurities, error, or imperfection.
Every word refers to every declaration and revelation in the inspired record or, in other words, everything God has said in Scripture. God’s Word is the ultimate, infallible, reliable source of truth. Every single word is flawless, perfect, and sincere. There is not the slightest hint of falsehood, corruption, or deficiency in it.
The Lord’s promises have stood up to every possible real-world test. “Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them,” states the psalmist (Psalm 119:140). We can put our trust in God and His Word to protect us like a shield: “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection” (2 Samuel 22:31, NLT; see also Psalm 18:30).
Besides offering protection, every word of God is pure in that it provides light and direction to those who trust in it: “The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes” (Psalm 19:8). God’s Word is “a lamp” to guide our feet and “a light” to illuminate our path (Psalm 119:105).
God’s Word is pure, and it is sure to accomplish the Lord’s intended purpose (Jeremiah 1:12; 23:29; Isaiah 46:10–11; 55:10–11; 1 Thessalonians 2:13). “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled,” declares Joshua 21:45. Every word God speaks to humanity is given for a purpose that He will fulfill: “But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. . . . I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord” (Ezekiel 12:25).
God’s Word is alive, powerful, and able to penetrate to the depths of the human soul (Hebrews 4:12; John 6:63; 1 Peter 1:23). Through His Word, God reveals Himself to humanity. We come to know who God is and enter into a relationship with Him through His Word (Luke 24:27, 44–45; John 5:39). God teaches, rebukes, corrects, prepares, and equips us for every good work through His Word (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Every word from God is to be received as pure spiritual milk—nourishment for our souls—so that by it we might grow up into the full experience of salvation (1 Peter 2:2).
God’s Word is pure and therefore has a purifying effect on those who love and obey it (Psalm 119:9; Ephesians 5:26). Jesus told His disciples they had “already been pruned and purified by the message” that He had delivered to them (John 15:3, NLT). The apostle Paul explained that, as followers of Christ, we are made “holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word” to be presented as His bride, “a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish” (Ephesians 5:26–27, NLT).
Every word of God is pure reminds us that the Bible in its original autograph is infallible and inerrant. Everything in it is truth. Its author is God, who makes no mistakes. His Word is the final authority (Psalm 119:89; Galatians 3:10).
Because every word of God is pure, flawless, and complete, Agur says in Proverbs 30:6, “Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” How can we attempt to improve on what is already perfect? For this reason, we are warned not to add to or take anything away from God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Revelation 22:18).
The Bible tells us that when Christ returns to the earth He will establish Himself as king in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David (Luke 1:32–33). The unconditional covenants demand a literal, physical return of Christ to establish the kingdom. The Abrahamic covenant promised Israel a land, a posterity and ruler, and a spiritual blessing (Genesis 12:1–3). The Palestinian covenant promised Israel a restoration to the land and occupation of the land (Deuteronomy 30:1–10). The Davidic covenant promised Israel a king from David’s line who would rule forever—giving the nation rest from all their enemies (2 Samuel 7:10–13).
At the second coming, these covenants will be fulfilled as Israel is re-gathered from the nations (Matthew 24:31), converted (Zechariah 12:10–14), and restored to the land under the rule of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks of the conditions during the millennium as a perfect environment physically and spiritually. 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). The Bible also tells us that only believers will enter the millennial kingdom. Because of this, it will be a time of obedience (Jeremiah 31:33), holiness (Isaiah 35:8), truth (Isaiah 65:16), and the knowledge of God (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). Christ will rule as king (Isaiah 9:3–7; 11:1–10). Nobles and governors will also rule (Isaiah 32:1; Matthew 19:28), and Jerusalem will be the political center of the world (Zechariah 8:3).
Revelation 20:2-7 gives the precise time period of the millennial kingdom.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/weather/article/orange-haze-envelops-toronto-as-wildfire-smoke-expands-across-southern-ontario-live-updates-here
During a Passover Seder, Jewish tradition mandates drinking exactly four cups of wine to represent God’s four promises of redemption in the Exodus story. In Israel, a single Seder is held on the first night, whereas in the Diaspora, the Seder is traditionally celebrated for two nights. [1, 2, 3]
If your query "one for israel" refers to the specific ministry ONE FOR ISRAEL, they teach that the four cups of wine and the Passover story beautifully foreshadow the redemptive work of Yeshua (Jesus). The third cup, in particular, is known as the Cup of Redemption, representing God's promise to take Israel as His own people. [1, 2, 3]
You can read more about their theological perspective and the meaning of the holiday on the ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry page. [1]
Second to saving the world at Calvary, I think that the Passover miracle is God’s favorite. He talks about it often in Scripture, and made Passover month the beginning of the whole year (Exodus 12:2). He even defines Himself by the event: At the beginning of the ten commandments He introduces Himself like this: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery”.
He used to call Himself “The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob”, or “I AM” up to this point… But “The One who brought you out of Egypt” is what He calls Himself repeatedly from the Exodus onwards, literally hundreds of times. God is passionate about the whole Passover saga, and the more we dig into the story, the more we discover that it’s full of rich beauty, meaning and power…
The Passover miracle is recalled with wonder throughout many of the Psalms, and although many Jewish people see Sinai as the defining moment of the Old Testament, I would venture to say that God sees the Passover as the cornerstone of the story of Israel. As will be explained below, it is the moment in history when the Jewish race became the Jewish faith. Plus, it is a huge neon sign pointing to the coming release which would be bought with the blood of another spotless lamb – our Savior Jesus.
The God of FreedomI love the fact that our God is all about freedom; He freely gave everyone freedom to choose at every stage in the Passover story described in the book of Exodus. Even though He famously hardened Pharaoh’s heart, it was after some serious choices on Pharaoh’s part to harden his own heart first.1 God just consolidated his free choice.
He also gave freedom to His people, Israel, about whether to go along with the plan or not. They were not rescued from the Angel of Death by force—He gave an “opt in” clause: to have death pass over your house, you must sacrifice a lamb and daub its blood on your doorframe.
This was an act of faith. It was an active response to a command of God, which had a promise… and all who believed it was true and acted accordingly were saved. That means that those who escaped from Egypt had freely chosen to obey God and follow Him by faith—not just because of their ancestry.
This is the moment that the people of Israel became a faith community.
As we mentioned, the ten commandments are introduced by God’s reminder that He loves to set slaves free, and the very first command when He subsequently lays down the rest of the Torah is this:
“These are the laws you are to set before them: If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.” (Exodus 21:1-2).
What a strange subject with which to start a new code of government, spiritual life and ethics! But God is determined that His people should not be in slavery—they should be free. This is the message of Passover. That is what the exodus was all about. God is serious about making His people free.
God-Appointed Memory AidsRemembering is very important to God. He jogs our memory all the time in the Bible, urging us, “Remember!” I think one of Satan’s best strategies is dimming our memory. If we remember what God has done, what He has said and who He is, we can have faith in Him today and trust for tomorrow. The opposite is often true as well. The Passover Seder meal is a multi-sensory teaching experience, instituted by God Himself, in order to prevent the people from forgetting. It involves sight, smell, taste and touch, and was designed to teach generation after generation the amazing story, and to keep it alive in the Jewish collective memory.
Today the family celebration is based around four cups of wine and a “haggadah” or “telling” which is like an order of service. There are different ideas about what each of the four cups represents, but generally the first cup is about sanctification, and being set apart for God, the second is the time to tell the story, the third is drunk after the meal, when Jewish people usually say grace for their food, and the last one is “hallel” or praise, after the songs and Psalms of thanksgiving.
Each item of food on the table symbolizes something in the story—the dry, unleavened matzah bread represents the dryness of slavery, in contrast with the richness and blessing of wine, which represents freedom. It is also commonly believed that yeast represents sin, and that this is a time to do away with all yeast, and all sin. The bitterness of the bitter herbs speak of the suffering, and so on. Each aspect of the evening helps the Jewish people to remember the miracles God did for them and even to re-live them. It is not so much about recalling some historical event lost in the sands of time, as actually re-living the story and making it part of life today… and hope for the future.
It was this very Passover seder that was the last supper that Yeshua ate with His disciples, in the traditional Jewish way (read more about the first Passover). It was unleavened, passover bread that He broke, when he told His disciples to “do this in remembrance of me”, and it was one of the four cups of wine that He drank when he spoke of it representing His blood. We drink it to remember the blood that bought our freedom, and caused death to “pass over” us as well. He is in every way the embodiment and fulfillment of the Passover story. And we will remember what He did for us each time we eat the bread and drink the cup.
Passover: The Four Stages of Liberation“I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. Therefore, say to the Israelites:
‘I am the LORD, and
– I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
– I will free you from being slaves to them, and
– I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.
– I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.
Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.” (Exodus 6:5-7)
Jewish tradition states that the four cups represent the four aspects of redemption listed in these verses from Exodus:
1. I will bring you out from under the yoke of the EgyptiansThis is the first stage of liberation—the practical and actual rescue from captivity. It is the physical transition out of Egypt and towards the Promised Land. As believers, we can see that when Yeshua paid for our sin on the cross, we were made free from condemnation, and can start our journey of a life walking with God. The fact that the Jewish people went through water might also parallel the believer’s baptism as part of the liberation process.
2. I will free you from being slaves to themThis second stage is more about mental liberation. Even when freed, humans and animals can sometimes still act as if they are not. Sometimes this is called institutionalisation. We get so used to living in a cage, we don’t know how to walk in freedom. Here, God promises to free Israel of the slave mindset, and we too need to be liberated from a mind that has been in bondage to sin. We need to understand more and more that we really are free, and learn how to live accordingly.
3. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgementThe Exodus story is full of the supernatural. I often wonder if these miracles happened today what we might think… are we willing to accept God in all His supernatural wonder? His mighty outstretched arm? Some of the miracles and judgments are hard to accept—especially when seen from the perspective of the ordinary Egyptian. This is our God: mighty in wonders, unfathomable, unstoppable, and unlike anything we could possibly understand. But this is our rescuer. He wants us to embrace Him and His redemption, and let Him decide how things must be done.
4. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your GodThe ultimate goal is relationship. God wants intimacy with His people. The desert can be seen to represent walking in intimacy with God, and in fact God looks back at that time right after the exodus as something of a honeymoon with His people:
“This is what the LORD says:“‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown. Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest”. Jeremiah 2:1-3
“Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.” Hosea 2:14-15 2
A pastor once said, “a dessert is something you want and don’t need, but the desert is something you don’t want, but you do need”. Desert life is not easy, but it’s often where our walk with God gets deeper and more intimate. One day we will be in the promised place of ultimate rest but until then, life with God is not always going to be a walk in the park. It’s a time to learn about our rescuer, and grow in our ability and willingness to trust, love and follow Him. We are with Him, and He is with us. We are His people, and He is our God. We are bonded in relationship, and that is our joy and His.
Jesus our Passover lamb: more Glorious Stories To Come!So while this is just the very tip of the iceberg when thinking about the Passover story and its fulfillment in Yeshua our Messiah, it’s easy to see why this event is so pivotal, and such a perfect foreshadowing of our salvation story. God reminds Israel of who He is and what He’s done for them over and over again by adding the events to His name: “You know, me—the one who brought you out of Egypt”… And like all of us, the Israelites needed a lot of reminding. But Jeremiah writes something curious about this description of God:
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but it will be said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where He had banished them.’ For I will restore them to the land I gave their ancestors.” Jeremiah 16:14-16 (23:7-8 says much the same thing).
The story of God and the Israelites is not over yet. God has indeed brought the Israelites out from the land of the north (Russia and surrounding area) and out of all the countries they had been banished to for almost two thousand years. He is still not widely known by name for this action. But the days are coming…
The physical, practical and actual restoration of Israel took place last century. Now we prayerfully anticipate and work towards the spiritual restoration of Israel.
Happy Passover, and God’s richest blessings to you as we celebrate the resurrection of our sacrificial Passover Lamb that bought our freedom.
[1] Pharaoh hardens his own heart by his free choice on two occasions (Exodus 8:15, 8:32) before God hardens his heart (Exodus 9:12). Then Pharaoh once again freely chooses again to harden his own heart, along with his officials (9:34). After that God hardens his heart four more times, so that His glory can be seen (10:1, 20, 27, 11:10, 14:8)
[2] The picture of sitting under your own vine is a Biblical image of freedom, rest and peace (Micah 4:4 and Zechariah 3:10).
The phrase the law and the prophets refers to the entire Hebrew Bible, what we call the Old Testament. Jesus spoke of “the law and the prophets” multiple times, such as when He listed the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:40). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus pointed to His absolute perfection, saying, “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).
On the Emmaus Road, Jesus taught two disciples “everything written about himself in the Scriptures, beginning with the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets” (Luke 24:27, CEV). Clearly, all Scripture, indicated by “the law and the prophets,” pointed to Jesus. The same passage also contains a three-fold division of the Old Testament: “the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (verse 44), but the two-fold division of “the law and the prophets” was also customary (Matthew 7:12; Acts 13:15; 24:14; Romans 3:21).
The books of the law, properly speaking, would comprise the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The prophets, in the two-fold division, would include the rest of the Old Testament. Although it may seem strange that poetic books such as Job or Proverbs would be included in the “prophets” category, it was common for the Jews to see any writer of Scripture as a prophet. Further, many of the psalms are clear messianic prophecies.
When Philip invited his friend Nathanael to meet Jesus, he referred to the whole of Hebrew Scripture in its two-fold division: “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about—Jesus of Nazareth” (John 1:45, NET). Philip was right that all of Scripture has a common theme: the Messiah, the Son of God, who is Jesus.
Context
Sharing in the Lord's Supper
…24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.…
Berean Standard Bible · Download
Cross References
In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying,
Matthew 26:27
Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.
Mark 14:23
Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
Luke 22:20
In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.
“This cup is the new covenant in My blood;
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. / It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. / “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. …
Hebrews 8:8-13
But God found fault with the people and said: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. / It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide by My covenant, and I disregarded them, declares the Lord. / For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. …
Hebrews 9:15
Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
do this, as often as you drink it,
1 Corinthians 10:16
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?
1 Corinthians 10:21
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.
Matthew 26:29
I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
in remembrance of Me.”
Luke 22:19
And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
Exodus 12:14
And this day will be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD, as a permanent statute for the generations to come.
2 Timothy 2:8
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David, as proclaimed by my gospel,
Luke 22:20
In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.
Matthew 26:28
This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 14:24
He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
Hebrews 9:15
Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Treasury of ScriptureAfter the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
This.
1 Corinthians 11:27,28
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord…
the new.
Luke 22:20
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
2 Corinthians 3:6,14
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life…
Hebrews 9:15-20
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance…
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1 Corinthians 11
1. He reproves them, because in holy assemblies,
4. their men prayed with their heads covered,
6. and women with their heads uncovered;
17. and because generally their meetings were not for the better, but for the worse;
21. as, namely, in profaning with their own feast the Lord's supper.
25. Lastly, he calls them to the first institution thereof.
In Jewish tradition, the Passover Seder features four cups of wine representing God's promises in Exodus 6:6-7. The third cup, consumed after the meal, is historically known as the "Cup of Redemption." [1, 2, 3]
Jesus famously took this third cup during the Last Supper to establish the "New Covenant" in His blood, transforming a symbol of historical Exodus deliverance into one of spiritual salvation for the forgiveness of sins. You can study the full context of the Last Supper scriptures and their Passover roots on Bible Hub. [1, 2, 3]
Witnessing to All Nations
(Mark 13:9–13; Luke 21:10–19)
9Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, 11and many false prophets will arise and deceive many.
12Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. 13But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
The Abomination of Desolation
(Mark 13:14–23; Luke 21:20–24)
15So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’a spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. 18And let no one in the field return for his cloak.
19How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! 20Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath. 21For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. 22If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
23At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible. 25See, I have told you in advance.
The Return of the Son of Man
(Mark 13:24–27; Luke 21:25–28)
26So if they tell you, ‘There He is, in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27For 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. 28Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
29Immediately 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.b’
30At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,c and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.d 31And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
(Mark 13:28–31; Luke 21:29–33)
32Now learn this lessone from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near,f right at the door. 34Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
Readiness at Any Hour
(Genesis 6:1–7; Mark 13:32–37; Luke 12:35–48)
36No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,g but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. 39And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
42Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
45Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time? 46Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
48But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’ 49And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. 51Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Footnotes:
15 a See Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31, and Daniel 12:11.
29 b Or and the celestial bodies will be shaken; see Isaiah 13:10, Isaiah 34:4, and Joel 2:10.
30 c Or the sky; twice in this verse
30 d See Daniel 7:13–14.
32 e Or this parable
33 f Or it is near
36 g BYZ and TR do not include nor the Son.
The title "Son of David" is a significant messianic designation found throughout the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, and is deeply rooted in the Old Testament promises and prophecies. This title underscores the fulfillment of God's covenant with David and highlights the messianic expectations of the Jewish people.
Old Testament Foundations
The promise of a "Son of David" originates in the Davidic Covenant, as recorded in 2 Samuel 7:12-16. God promises King David that He will establish the throne of his kingdom forever through his offspring: "When your days are complete and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom" (2 Samuel 7:12). This covenantal promise is reiterated in 1 Chronicles 17:11-14 and is echoed in the Psalms, particularly in Psalm 89:3-4 and Psalm 132:11-12, which affirm the enduring nature of David's lineage and throne.
The prophets also speak of a future ruler from David's line who will bring justice and peace. Isaiah 11:1-2 prophesies, "Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him." Jeremiah 23:5-6 further declares, "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as king and will administer justice and righteousness in the land."
New Testament Fulfillment
In the New Testament, the title "Son of David" is explicitly applied to Jesus Christ, affirming Him as the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies. The Gospel of Matthew opens with a genealogy that traces Jesus' lineage back to David, emphasizing His rightful claim to the title (Matthew 1:1-17). The angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary in Luke 1:32-33 also highlights Jesus' Davidic heritage: "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David."
Throughout His ministry, Jesus is frequently addressed as the "Son of David," particularly in contexts where His messianic identity and authority are recognized. In Matthew 9:27, two blind men cry out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" acknowledging His power to heal. Similarly, in Matthew 15:22, a Canaanite woman appeals to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!" These instances reflect the widespread expectation that the Messiah, as a descendant of David, would possess divine authority and compassion.
The triumphal entry into Jerusalem further cements Jesus' identity as the "Son of David." The crowds shout, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" as they welcome Him as the promised King (Matthew 21:9). This acclamation fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 and underscores the recognition of Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.
Theological Significance
The title "Son of David" carries profound theological implications. It affirms Jesus as the legitimate heir to David's throne, fulfilling the covenantal promises made to David. It also highlights the continuity of God's redemptive plan, as Jesus embodies the hope and expectations of Israel for a righteous and eternal King. As the "Son of David," Jesus not only fulfills the Old Testament prophecies but also inaugurates the Kingdom of God, offering salvation and restoration to all who believe in Him.
In Revelation 22:16, Jesus Himself declares, "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star," affirming His eternal kingship and divine authority. The title "Son of David" thus encapsulates the messianic hope and the fulfillment of God's promises through Jesus Christ, the Savior and King.
Paul’s Concern for the Jews
1I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit. 2I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise!a Amen.
God’s Sovereign Choice
(Genesis 25:19–28; Malachi 1:1–5)
6It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”b 8So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring. 9For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”c
10Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. 11Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, 12not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”d 13So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”e
14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! 15For He says to Moses:
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”f
16So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”g 18Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
19One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?” 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”h 21Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?
22What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction? 23What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory— 24including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles? 25As He says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people,
and I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved,”i
26and,
“It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not My people,’
they will be called
‘sons of the living God.’”j
27Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the Israelites is like the sand of the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
28For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth
thoroughly and decisively.”k
29It 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.”l
Israel’s Unbelief
30What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33as it is written:
“See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense;m
and the one who believes in Him
will never be put to shame.”n
Footnotes:
5 a Or forever blessed
7 b Genesis 21:12
9 c Genesis 18:14
12 d Genesis 25:23
13 e Malachi 1:2–3
15 f Exodus 33:19
17 g Exodus 9:16 (see also LXX)
20 h Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9
25 i Hosea 2:23
26 j Hosea 1:10
28 k Isaiah 10:22–23 (see also LXX)
29 l Isaiah 1:9 (see also LXX)
33 m Isaiah 8:14
33 n Isaiah 28:16 (see also LXX)
The Law (Torah / תּוֹרָה)
Also known as the Pentateuch, it comprises the first five books of the Bible and provides foundational teachings, history, and commandments: [1, 2, 3]
The Prophets (Nevi'im / נְבִיאִים)
This section is traditionally split into two sub-categories: [1]
Jesus Our Apostle and High Priest
1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.a
3For Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4And every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
5Now Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,b testifying to what would be spoken later. 6But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmlyc to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
Do Not Harden Your Hearts
(Psalm 95:1–11)
7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear His voice,
8do not harden your hearts,
as you did in the rebellion,
in the day of testing in the wilderness,
9where your fathers tested and tried Me,
and for forty years saw My works.
10Therefore I was angry with that generation,
and I said,
‘Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known My ways.’
11So I swore on oath in My anger,
‘They shall never enter My rest.’”d
The Peril of Unbelief
12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. 13But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first. 15As it has been said:
“Today, if you hear His voice,
do not harden your hearts,
as you did in the rebellion.”e
16For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? 19So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.
In Romans 11 Paul makes a compelling observation—an affirmation he refers to as a mystery—that a partial hardening has happened until “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25, ESV). The context helps us understand the meaning of the partial hardening and what is the fullness of the Gentiles.
In the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul catalogs the mercies of God in God’s provision of righteousness through the gospel. First, in Romans 1:1—3:20 Paul considers the universal human need for God’s righteousness, as all are unrighteous and separated from God. Then in Romans 3:21—4:25 Paul lays out how God applied righteousness through faith to all who believe in Jesus, outlining three different and significant types of descendants of Abraham: 1) ethnic Israel (Romans 4:1), 2) believing Gentiles (Romans 4:11), and 3) believing Jews (Romans 4:12). These three sets of descendants of Abraham are especially important for understanding the partial hardening and the fullness of the Gentiles that Paul talks about in Romans 11.
Romans 5—8 discusses the implications of that righteousness applied in freeing believers from the penalty and bondage of sin (Romans 5—7) and assuring them of a present and future of reconciliation and peace with God (Romans 8). At the end of Romans 8 is a powerful affirmation of the believer’s eternal security—God will keep His promises to those who have believed in Jesus Christ, and they will never be separated from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35).
While discussing these mercies of God, Paul seems to anticipate that his readers might wonder why, if God is so faithful to restore those who believe in Jesus, God’s promises of restoration to Israel do not seem to be fulfilled yet. Simply put, if God is faithful, and if His promises to believers are trustworthy, then why is He not keeping His promises to Israel? It is to answer this concern that Paul writes Romans 9—11, as he introduces the ideas of a partial hardening of Israel and the fullness of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25).
In Romans 9 Paul expresses his love for his Jewish brethren (Romans 9:1–5) and recognizes that the covenant promises are to be fulfilled to a specific group of Abraham’s descendants. Paul shows the distinct groups by highlighting God’s choosing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and affirms that God’s blessing would be for those descendants who believe in the Messiah (Romans 9:33). Salvation would not only be for believing Jews, though, as Gentiles could also call upon the name of the Lord for salvation (Romans 10:12–13). While there are believing Jews and Gentiles, Paul explains that the nation of Israel as a whole has not yet received her Messiah (Romans 10:18—11:10), but they will one day be saved through believing in their Messiah (Romans 11:26).
In the meantime, Paul explains that there is a partial hardening of the nation—that many will refuse the Messiah—until the fullness of the Gentiles occurs. Israel’s hardening will continue until the divinely set number of Gentiles are saved: “Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ” (Romans 11:25, NLT).
Paul recognized that Israel’s failure to accept the Messiah when He came offering the kingdom represented blessing for the Gentiles because, instead of setting up that kingdom on earth at that time, Christ died to pay for the sins of all. In so doing, Christ fulfilled the promise God made to Abraham that in Abraham’s seed all the peoples of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12:3b). That partial hardening of Israel also represented a shift in focus to the announcement of salvation to the Gentiles. Paul acknowledged himself as an apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13) and sought that many Gentiles would come to know Christ so those promises could be fulfilled and then the Jewish people might return to their Messiah (Romans 11:14–15). Paul alluded to this in 2 Timothy 4:17 when he expressed gratitude for God’s sustaining him so that Paul might fulfill his ministry and that all the Gentiles might hear.
Even though God’s promises to save the nation of Israel are not presently being fulfilled, Paul recognizes that God will keep those promises after the fullness of the Gentiles. Paul seems to be building on the foundation of Daniel 9, in which is revealed a 490-year prophetic timeline after which God will accomplish His covenant blessings for Israel. After the first 483 years of the timeline, the Messiah was cut off (Daniel 9:26a), signaling a shift in the focus away from Israel as Gentiles (Rome) would dominate, and there would be wars and desolation. But one day in the future, the ruler who would be known as the Antichrist would make a seven-year agreement with Israel. That last seven years of the timeline would begin to return the focus back to Israel and would conclude the times of the Gentiles of which Jesus spoke in Luke 21:24.
The fullness of the Gentiles in Romans 11:25 reminds us of God’s global focus (with the universal proclamation of the gospel of salvation) and chronology (with the times of the Gentiles not yet complete). One day, the fullness of the Gentiles will be complete, and God will deliver the nation of Israel. Anyone who might have doubts about God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises can consider these passages as important reminders that God has a detailed plan that He is fulfilling patiently and carefully.
After the arrest of John the Baptist, “Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14–15, ESV). Jesus’ exhortation for His listeners to repent indicated that they needed to change their minds. That He told them to believe in the gospel indicated how they needed to change their minds. Mark refers to Jesus’ message as “the gospel of God” (verse 14, ESV) or “the good news of God.” It was good news that the kingdom was at hand, and Jesus was preparing His listeners for how to be part of that kingdom.
Many in Jesus’ audience thought they were already righteous and would gain entrance to the kingdom of God because of their connection to Abraham and Moses and because they were keeping the laws God had given to Israel through Moses. Matthew 5—7 records Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus taught that His listeners should change their minds about how they could be part of His kingdom. Their connection to Abraham and Moses wasn’t enough, and their supposedly righteous deeds were not enough. Those things are not what God requires as the standard of righteousness. Instead, Jesus explained that they needed to have a true, internal righteousness, and they did not yet have that. It wasn’t just a king that they needed—they needed a savior. Sadly, only a few would recognize that need.
Jesus proclaimed that the people needed to repent and believe in the gospel because the kingdom of God was at hand. God’s eternal kingdom is currently based in heaven. But, in passages like 2 Samuel 7 and Revelation 19—20, God promises that His kingdom will at some point in the future come to earth in a physical form. The kingdom was at hand, or near, because Jesus the King had come to earth, presenting the kingdom and the good news about that kingdom and how one can be part of it—by believing in the gospel. Unfortunately, Jesus’ audience wasn’t yet prepared for the kingdom, because they hadn’t yet recognized that they needed the Messiah to make them righteous, and that Jesus was the Messiah.
Jesus’ message was truly good news, and the people needed to change their minds from unbelief to belief. They needed to believe in the Lord—as Abraham had done many years prior (Genesis 15:6)—to gain the righteousness that would allow them to be part of God’s kingdom. They needed to repent (change their minds about how they could enter the kingdom) and believe in the gospel now, because the kingdom of God was close at hand. Of course, some did change their minds about how they could be righteous, and they believed in Jesus, but most of the leaders and the nation as a whole did not believe (Mark 3:22–30). Because of that rejection, Jesus delayed the kingdom and shifted His focus and ministry to providing the sacrifice to pay for the sins of the people.
One day Jesus will return to the earth as King (Revelation 19—20), and, because of what the Bible tells us about the future, we know that we also need to “repent and believe in the gospel for the kingdom of God is at hand.” We need to change our minds from unbelief to belief and recognize that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our own works (Ephesians 2:8–9). When we believe in Christ, we are already transferred to His kingdom (Colossians 1:13), and, because His kingdom isn’t on earth yet, we ought to set our mind on the things above where He is, rather than on the things of earth (Colossians 3:1–4).
https://reformjudaism.org/alan-goodis
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus declares, "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". In the original Hebrew context, "The Law and the Prophets" refers to the entire Old Testament (Tanakh): the Torah (Instructions) and the Nevi'im (Prophets). [1, 2, 3]
In ancient Hebrew and Aramaic thought, fulfilling the Law (le-kayyem) meant interpreting it correctly and living it out exactly as God intended. Jesus was not changing or discarding the scriptures; instead, he was bringing them to their complete intended meaning and accomplishing all that was written about him
In addition to Jesus’ specific claims about Himself, His disciples also acknowledged the deity of Christ. They claimed that Jesus had the right to forgive sins—something only God can do—as it is God who is offended by sin (Acts 5:31; Colossians 3:13; Psalm 130:4; Jeremiah 31:34). In close connection with this last claim, Jesus is also said to be the one who will “judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1). Thomas cried out to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Paul calls Jesus “great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13) and points out that prior to His incarnation Jesus existed in the “form of God” (Philippians 2:5-8). God the Father says regarding Jesus: “Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever” (Hebrews 1:8). John states that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word [Jesus] was God” (John 1:1). Examples of Scriptures that teach the deity of Christ are many (see Revelation 1:17, 2:8, 22:13; 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Peter 2:6-8; Psalm 18:2, 95:1; 1 Peter 5:4; Hebrews 13:20), but even one of these is enough to show that Christ was considered to be God by His followers.
Jesus is also given titles that are unique to YHWH (the formal name of God) in the Old Testament. The Old Testament title “redeemer” (Psalm 130:7; Hosea 13:14) is used of Jesus in the New Testament (Titus 2:13; Revelation 5:9). Jesus is called Immanuel—“God with us”—in Matthew 1. In Zechariah 12:10, it is YHWH who says, “They will look on me, the one they have pierced.” But the New Testament applies this to Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19:37; Revelation 1:7). If it is YHWH who is pierced and looked upon, and Jesus was the one pierced and looked upon, then Jesus is YHWH. Paul interprets Isaiah 45:22-23 as applying to Jesus in Philippians 2:10-11. Further, Jesus’ name is used alongside God’s in prayer “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2). This would be blasphemy if Christ were not deity. The name of Jesus appears with God’s in Jesus’ commanded to baptize “in the name [singular] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19; see also 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Actions that can be accomplished only by God are credited to Jesus. Jesus not only raised the dead (John 5:21, 11:38-44) and forgave sins (Acts 5:31, 13:38), He created and sustains the universe (John 1:2; Colossians 1:16-17). This becomes even clearer when one considers YHWH said He was alone during creation (Isaiah 44:24). Further, Christ possesses attributes that only deity can have: eternality (John 8:58), omnipresence (Matthew 18:20, 28:20), omniscience (Matthew 16:21), and omnipotence (John 11:38-44).
Now, it is one thing to claim to be God or to fool someone into believing it is true, and something else entirely to prove it to be so. Christ offered many miracles as proof of His claim to deity. Just a few of Jesus’ miracles include turning water to wine (John 2:7), walking on water (Matthew 14:25), multiplying physical objects (John 6:11), healing the blind (John 9:7), the lame (Mark 2:3), and the sick (Matthew 9:35; Mark 1:40-42), and even raising people from the dead (John 11:43-44; Luke 7:11-15; Mark 5:35). Moreover, Christ Himself rose from the dead. Far from the so-called dying and rising gods of pagan mythology, nothing like the resurrection is seriously claimed by other religions, and no other claim has as much extra-scriptural confirmation.
There are at least twelve historical facts about Jesus that even non-Christian critical scholars will admit:
1. Jesus died by crucifixion.
2. He was buried.
3. His death caused the disciples to despair and lose hope.
4. Jesus’ tomb was discovered (or was claimed to be discovered) to be empty a few days later.
5. The disciples believed they experienced appearances of the risen Jesus.
6. After this, the disciples were transformed from doubters into bold believers.
7. This message was the center of preaching in the early Church.
8. This message was preached in Jerusalem.
9. As a result of this preaching, the Church was born and it grew.
10. Resurrection day, Sunday, replaced the Sabbath (Saturday) as the primary day of worship.
11. James, a skeptic, was converted when he also saw the resurrected Jesus.
12. Paul, an enemy of Christianity, was converted by an experience which he believed to be an appearance of the risen Jesus.
Even if someone were to object to this specific list, only a few are needed to prove the resurrection and establish the gospel: Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and appearances (1 Corinthians 15:1-5). While there may be some theories to explain one or two of the above facts, only the resurrection explains and accounts for them all. Critics admit that the disciples claimed they saw the risen Jesus. Neither lies nor hallucinations can transform people the way the resurrection did. First, what would they have had to gain? Christianity was not popular and it certainly did not make them any money. Second, liars do not make good martyrs. There is no better explanation than the resurrection for the disciples’ willingness to die horrible deaths for their faith. Yes, many people die for lies that they think are true, but people do not die for what they know is untrue.
In conclusion, Christ claimed He was YHWH, that He was deity (not just “a god” but the one true God); His followers (Jews who would have been terrified of idolatry) believed Him and referred to Him as God. Christ proved His claims to deity through miracles, including the world-altering resurrection. No other hypothesis can explain these facts. Yes, the deity of Christ is biblical.
The name of God, as revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures, is YHWH (the closest English equivalents to the Hebrew letters). Ancient Hebrew did not have vowels, so the exact pronunciation of YHWH is uncertain. The majority of Hebrew and Christian scholars believe the name to be Yahweh, pronounced /ˈyä-wā/, with Yehowah, pronounced /yi-ˈhō-və/, being the second most popular possibility.
There are movements that strongly emphasize using God’s name in the context of prayer and worship (and, of course, only the name of God that they believe to be correct). However, there is no biblical command that limits our vocabulary to Yahweh when addressing God. Anyone who says that God must be addressed only by the name YHWH is speaking without biblical warrant.
Moses himself refers to God as “Elohim” in Exodus 3:15. Later, in Exodus 4:13, Moses addresses God directly as “Adonai.” So, God’s personal name, or His covenant name, is not the only acceptable way to refer to Him or to address Him. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God inspired the human authors of Scripture to refer to Him using generic terms for “God” and “Lord.” Beyond YHWH, God chose to reveal Himself using many other names and titles. Clearly, using God’s personal, covenant name is not required in every context.
YHWH is as close to a personal name as God has revealed to us. The Divine Name was revealed to Moses and was unknown before his time: “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord [YHWH] I did not make myself fully known to them” (Exodus 6:3). The name YHWH seems to refer to God’s self-existence, being linked to I AM THAT I AM in Exodus 3:14.
God told Moses that “this is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation” (Exodus 3:15; cf. Exodus 15:3). This name would distinguish Israel’s God from all false gods. It is the unique name of Israel’s God throughout Jewish history. Israel was not to be tricked into thinking that God’s name might actually be Molech or Dagon or Baal Peor.
All other “names” for God, such as Elohim, Adonai, El-Gibhor, and Our Father, are probably best viewed as titles, rather than personal names, per se. It is quite proper to address God by His titles, as they in no way supplant His personal name, YHWH. References to “the name of our God” (in Psalm 44:20, for example), are oblique references to God’s personal name, YHWH.
In addition to Jesus’ specific claims about Himself, His disciples also acknowledged the deity of Christ. They claimed that Jesus had the right to forgive sins—something only God can do—as it is God who is offended by sin (Acts 5:31; Colossians 3:13; Psalm 130:4; Jeremiah 31:34). In close connection with this last claim, Jesus is also said to be the one who will “judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1). Thomas cried out to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Paul calls Jesus “great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13) and points out that prior to His incarnation Jesus existed in the “form of God” (Philippians 2:5-8). God the Father says regarding Jesus: “Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever” (Hebrews 1:8). John states that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word [Jesus] was God” (John 1:1). Examples of Scriptures that teach the deity of Christ are many (see Revelation 1:17, 2:8, 22:13; 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Peter 2:6-8; Psalm 18:2, 95:1; 1 Peter 5:4; Hebrews 13:20), but even one of these is enough to show that Christ was considered to be God by His followers.
Jesus is also given titles that are unique to YHWH (the formal name of God) in the Old Testament. The Old Testament title “redeemer” (Psalm 130:7; Hosea 13:14) is used of Jesus in the New Testament (Titus 2:13; Revelation 5:9). Jesus is called Immanuel—“God with us”—in Matthew 1. In Zechariah 12:10, it is YHWH who says, “They will look on me, the one they have pierced.” But the New Testament applies this to Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19:37; Revelation 1:7). If it is YHWH who is pierced and looked upon, and Jesus was the one pierced and looked upon, then Jesus is YHWH. Paul interprets Isaiah 45:22-23 as applying to Jesus in Philippians 2:10-11. Further, Jesus’ name is used alongside God’s in prayer “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2). This would be blasphemy if Christ were not deity. The name of Jesus appears with God’s in Jesus’ commanded to baptize “in the name [singular] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19; see also 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Actions that can be accomplished only by God are credited to Jesus. Jesus not only raised the dead (John 5:21, 11:38-44) and forgave sins (Acts 5:31, 13:38), He created and sustains the universe (John 1:2; Colossians 1:16-17). This becomes even clearer when one considers YHWH said He was alone during creation (Isaiah 44:24). Further, Christ possesses attributes that only deity can have: eternality (John 8:58), omnipresence (Matthew 18:20, 28:20), omniscience (Matthew 16:21), and omnipotence (John 11:38-44).
Now, it is one thing to claim to be God or to fool someone into believing it is true, and something else entirely to prove it to be so. Christ offered many miracles as proof of His claim to deity. Just a few of Jesus’ miracles include turning water to wine (John 2:7), walking on water (Matthew 14:25), multiplying physical objects (John 6:11), healing the blind (John 9:7), the lame (Mark 2:3), and the sick (Matthew 9:35; Mark 1:40-42), and even raising people from the dead (John 11:43-44; Luke 7:11-15; Mark 5:35). Moreover, Christ Himself rose from the dead. Far from the so-called dying and rising gods of pagan mythology, nothing like the resurrection is seriously claimed by other religions, and no other claim has as much extra-scriptural confirmation.
The third chapter of Exodus describes the encounter between Moses and God about the Lord’s name: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’; and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you”’” (Exodus 3:13–14, NASB).
The phrase I am who I am in the Hebrew is YHWH, often translated as “LORD,” “Yahweh,” or “Jehovah,” and is referred to in theology as the tetragrammaton (“a word having four letters”). The literal translation of the term is “I be that I be,” a statement that makes reference to God’s self-existence—He is not dependent upon anything else for His existence.
One of the foundational Christian doctrines is that Jesus is God. He is the Jehovah/YHWH/Yahweh described in Exodus 3. This teaching can be difficult to grasp because the Bible also says there is only one God: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
The Bible’s claim that only a single God exists is called monotheism. The doctrine of Jesus being God does not mean that more than one God exists (polytheism) or that the Christian doctrine of the Trinity equates to there being three gods (tritheism) or that there is one God who represents Himself as one person in three different ways or modes (modalism).
Instead, Christianity teaches that there is one God who exists in triune fashion as three Persons within one God, i.e., one “what” but three “who’s”; a plurality of Persons who are one in essence. Referencing the depth of this doctrine, A. W. Tozer writes, “Our sincerest effort to grasp the incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity must remain forever futile, and only by deepest reverence can it be saved from actual presumption. We cover our deep ignorance with words, but we are ashamed to wonder, we are afraid to whisper ‘mystery’” (The Knowledge of the Holy, p. 18).
The Bible affirms the Son of God’s place in the Godhead in both the Old and New Testaments. One passage affirming the Son’s deity in the Old Testament is Psalm 2: “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!’ . . . Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Psalm 2:1–3, 12, NASB).
In the New Testament, Jesus affirms His deity in many places. In His general teachings, He refers to Himself in the same way God is described in the Old Testament and does the same in twenty of His parables. Examples include the following:
God in the Old Testament
I AM (Exodus 3:14–15; Isaiah 48:12)
The Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
The Light (Psalm 27:1)
The Rock (Psalm 18:2)
Ruler of all (Isaiah 9:6)
Judge of all nations (Joel 3:12)
The Bridegroom (Isaiah 62:5; Hosea 2:16)
God’s Word never passes away (Isaiah 40:8)
The Sower (Jeremiah 31:27; Ezekiel 36:9)
First and the Last (Isaiah 48:12)
Jesus’ Reference to Himself
I AM (John 8:58)
The Shepherd (John 10:11)
The Light (John 8:12)
The Rock (Matthew 7:24)
Ruler of all (Matthew 28:18)
Judge of all (John 5:22)
The Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1)
Jesus’ words never pass away (Mark 13:31)
The Sower (Matthew 13:3–9)
First and the Last (Revelation 1:17–18)
Jesus said many things that equated Himself with Yahweh: “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) and “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). He asked God, “Glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5). He said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17).
In addition, Jesus accepted worship nine times in the gospels, forgave sins, and commanded His disciples to pray in His name. Jesus never said—as other prophets did—“Thus says the Lord”; rather, Jesus said, “I say,” and commanded His disciples to baptize in His name.
The New Testament writers also refer to Jesus as God many times (e.g., Matthew 3:16–17; John 1:1–3,14; John 20:28; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:5–8, 9–11; Colossians 1:16–19; 2:9–10; 1 Timothy 6:15; 2 Peter 1:1; Hebrews 1:8; 13:8; Revelation 1:8, 17; 2:8; 17:14; 19:16; 21:6; 22:13).
In conclusion, the teaching of Scripture is that Jesus is indeed Yahweh, the I AM, the God of the Old Testament.
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.
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.
Quoting from the Septuagint, the apostle Paul referred to Isaiah’s prophecy in Romans 15:8–13. Paul specifically acknowledged Jesus Christ as the root of Jesse in whom the Gentiles put their hope: “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope’” (verse 12). And in the book of Revelation, Jesus states, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16).
Isaiah’s use of the phrase root of Jesse calls into focus the humanity of Jesus. The Messiah would possess human ancestry. It also underscores Christ’s humble origins. As a shepherd from Bethlehem, Jesse occupied a relatively humble station in life. King Saul often used the phrase the son of Jesse to refer to David in a derogatory manner (1 Samuel 20:27, 30–31; 22:7–8). The Jesse Tree is an Advent custom that originates from Isaiah’s prophecy of the root of Jesse. Instead of perishing, Jesse’s family grew into a branch that bore fruit in the form of Messiah: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). During Advent, some use a Jesse Tree to represent the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
The Divisions of the 70 Weeks
In verse 24, Gabriel says, “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city.” Almost all commentators agree that the seventy “sevens” should be understood as seventy “weeks” of years, in other words, a period of 490 years. These verses provide a sort of “clock” that gives an idea of when the Messiah would come and some of the events that would accompany His appearance.
The prophecy goes on to divide the 490 years into three smaller units: one of 49 years, one of 434 years, and one 7 years. The final “week” of 7 years is further divided in half. Verse 25 says, “From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’” Seven “sevens” is 49 years, and sixty-two “sevens” is another 434 years:
49 years + 434 years = 483 years
The Purpose of the 70 Weeks
The prophecy contains a statement concerning God’s six-fold purpose in bringing these events to pass. Verse 24 says this purpose is 1) “to finish transgression,” 2) “to put an end to sin,” 3) “to atone for wickedness,” 4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” 5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and 6) “to anoint the most holy.”
Notice that these results concern the total eradication of sin and the establishing of righteousness. The prophecy of the 70 weeks summarizes what happens before Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom. Of special note is the third in the list of results: “to atone for wickedness.” Jesus accomplished the atonement for sin by His death on the cross (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17).
The Fulfillment of the 70 Weeks
Gabriel said the prophetic clock would start at the time that a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem. From the date of that decree to the time of the Messiah would be 483 years. We know from history that the command to “restore and rebuild Jerusalem” was given by King Artaxerxes of Persia c. 444 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:1-8).
The first unit of 49 years (seven “sevens”) covers the time that it took to rebuild Jerusalem, “with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble” (Daniel 9:25). This rebuilding is chronicled in the book of Nehemiah.
Converting the 360-day year used by the ancient Jews, 483 years becomes 476 years on our solar calendar. Adjusting for the switch from B.C. to A.D., 476 years after 444 B.C. places us at A.D. 33, which would coincide with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–9). The prophecy in Daniel 9 specifies that, after the completion of the 483 years, “the Anointed One will be cut off” (verse 26). This was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified.
Daniel 9:26 continues with a prediction that, after the Messiah is killed, “the people of the ruler who will come will destrIn Leviticus 23:1–2, the Lord told Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: These are my appointed times, the times of the LORD that you will proclaim as sacred assemblies” (CSB). “Appointed times” were the holy days, feasts, and festivals that God required the people of Israel to set aside as consecrated to the Lord and to observe faithfully throughout the year.
Part of ancient Israel’s commitment to worship and holy living involved the proper observance of sacred days and annual religious gatherings. The appointed times corresponded with the Jewish calendar and were tied to lunar and solar cycles.
The Lord called these solemn observances “my appointed times,” indicating that the focus of the gatherings would be on Him. They included the weekly Sabbath and the monthly new moon festival. The annual spring festivals were the Lord’s Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Firstfruits, and the Feast of Weeks, which was called Pentecost in the New Testament. The fall festivals consisted of the Feast of Trumpets or New Year’s Day, the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths.
The Sabbath (Leviticus 23:3) was an important religious celebration for the Hebrews because it was observed every week as a sign of Israel’s covenant relationship with God (Exodus 31:12–17). On the Sabbath, the Israelites were forbidden to do any work at all, whether plowing or reaping (Exodus 34:21), baking or food preparation (Exodus 16:23), lighting a fire (Exodus 35:3), or gathering wood (Numbers 15:32–36). Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word that means “to rest, to cease from labor.” The Sabbath remembered God’s rest on the seventh day following the six days of creation (Exodus 20:11) as well as God’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15).
The new moon observance marked the first day of every new month. During the new moon festivals, several different sacrifices were offered (Numbers 28:11–15), trumpets were blown (Numbers 10:10), all labor and trade were suspended (Nehemiah 10:31), and feasts were enjoyed (1 Samuel 20:5).
The appointed time of the Passover (Leviticus 23:4–5) was at the beginning of the bright season of the year when the moon was full in the first month of spring. The name Passover originates from the Hebrew term pesach, meaning “to leave or spare by passing over.” This great festival commemorated Israel’s salvation and deliverance from Egypt. Along with the Feast of Weeks and Tabernacles, it was one of three annual pilgrimage festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16) in which all Jewish males were required to travel to Jerusalem to worship.
The seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6–8) immediately followed Passover and was always celebrated as an extension of the Passover feast. During this week, the Israelites ate only unleavened bread to commemorate Israel’s hurried departure from Egypt. On the second day, Israel incorporated the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9–14) when the priest presented the first sheaves of grain from the spring harvest as a wave offering to the Lord. The Jews could not partake of their crops until the first fruits had been given. This act symbolized that the first and the best of everything belongs to God and that Israel would put the Lord first in every part of life. It was also an expression of thanksgiving for God’s gift of the harvest and for supplying their daily bread.
The next appointed time on the Jewish calendar was the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 15—22; Deuteronomy 16:9–10), which fell in late spring, on the fiftieth day (or a full seven weeks) after the Feast of Firstfruits. In the New Testament, this commemoration is called “Pentecost” (Acts 2:1), from the Greek word meaning “fifty.” As one of the harvest feasts, the Feast of Weeks involved offering the first loaves of bread made from the wheat harvest to the Lord. On this day, the Israelites also read from the book of Ruth and the Psalms.
The Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23–25; Numbers 29:1–6) or Rosh Hashanah (New Year’s Day), which was observed in the fall, marked the start of a new agricultural and civil year in Israel. This appointed time was announced with the blast of trumpets, commencing ten days of solemn dedication and repentance before the Lord.
The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26–32; Numbers 29:7–11) or Yom Kippur was the highest and holiest day of the Lord’s appointed times, falling ten days after the Feast of Trumpets. This day called for solemn fasting, deep repentance, and sacrifice. Only on this day, once a year, could the high priest enter the holy of holies in the tabernacle or temple and make an atoning blood sacrifice for the sins of all the people of Israel. As a complete Sabbath, no work was done on the Day of Atonement.
Five days later, Israel celebrated its most joyous appointed time of the year with the fall harvest festival (Sukkot), also known as the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33–36, 40, 42–43; Numbers 29:12–40) or Feast of Booths. During this week-long celebration, the Jewish people built small, makeshift shelters where they lived and ate their meals as a reminder of God’s provision and care during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness when they lived and worshiped in temporary tents.
The Lord’s appointed times were celebrations of God’s divine protection and provision. Each one recognized different aspects of God’s work of salvation in the lives of His people. Ultimately, these holy days, feasts, and festivals found their fulfillment in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Israel’s Messiah, Jesus Christ. Together, these observances prophetically convey the message of the cross, the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and the glorious promise of His second coming. As we gain a richer, fuller understanding of the Lord’s appointed times, we are rewarded with a more complete and unified picture of God’s plan of salvation as presented throughout the whole of Scripture.
oy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The “ruler who will come” is a reference to the Antichrist, who, it seems, will have some connection with Rome, since it was the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem.
The Final Week of the 70 Weeks
Of the 70 “sevens,” 69 have been fulfilled in history. This leaves one more “seven” yet to be fulfilled. Many scholars believe that we are now living in a huge gap between the 69th week and the 70th week. The prophetic clock has been paused, as it were. The final “seven” of Daniel is what we usually call the tribulation period.
Daniel’s prophecy reveals some of the actions of the Antichrist, the “ruler who will come.” Verse 27 says, “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’” However, “in the middle of the ‘seven,’ . . . he will set up an abomination that causes desolation” in the temple. Jesus warned of this event in Matthew 24:15. After the Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel, a time of “great tribulation” begins (Matthew 24:21, NKJV).
Daniel also predicts that the Antichrist will face judgment. He only rules “until the end that is decreed is poured out on him” (Daniel 9:27). God will only allow evil to go so far, and the judgment the Antichrist will face has already been planned out.
Conclusion
The prophecy of the 70 weeks is complex and amazingly detailed, and much has been written about it. Of course, there are various interpretations, but what we have presented here is the dispensational, premillennial view. One thing is certain: God has a time table, and He is keeping things on schedule. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and we should always be looking for the triumphant return of our Lord (Revelation 22:7).
2 a Literally just as Moses in all His house; SBL just as Moses in His house
5 b Numbers 12:7
6 c NE, WH, BYZ, and TR include to the end.
11 d Psalm 95:7–11 (see also LXX)
15 e Psalm 95:7–8
◄ Zechariah 4 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The Vision of the Lampstand and Olive Trees
1Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me, as a man is awakened from his sleep.
2“What do you see?” he asked.
“I see a solid gold lampstand,” I replied, “with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven spouts to the lamps. 3There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4“What are these, my lord?” I asked the angel who was speaking with me.
5“Do you not know what they are?” replied the angel.
“No, my lord,” I answered.
6So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts. 7What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”
8Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you. 10For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyesa of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb lineb in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
11Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?” 12And I questioned him further, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes from which the golden oilc pours?”
13“Do you not know what these are?” he inquired.
“No, my lord,” I replied.
14So he said, “These are the two anointed onesd who are standing beside the Lord of all the earth.”e
down the middle of the main street of the city.
Ezekiel 47:1-2
Then the man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. / Next he brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and there I saw the water trickling out from the south side.
Zechariah 14:8
And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea and the other half toward the Western Sea, in summer and winter alike.
Psalm 46:4
There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
On either side of the river stood a tree of life,
Genesis 2:9
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.
Proverbs 3:18
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.
Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month.
Ezekiel 47:12
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”
Isaiah 27:6
In the days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill the whole world with fruit.
Psalm 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Isaiah 19:22-25
And the LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; He will strike them but heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and He will hear their prayers and heal them. / In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt, and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. / In that day Israel will join a three-party alliance with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing upon the earth. …
Jeremiah 33:6
Nevertheless, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal its people and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.
Isaiah 2:2-4
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. / And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. / Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor train anymore for war.
Ezekiel 47:12
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”
Genesis 2:9
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.
Zechariah 14:8
And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea and the other half toward the Western Sea, in summer and winter alike.
Psalm 46:4
There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
Treasury of ScriptureIn the middle of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bore twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
the midst.
Revelation 22:1
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Revelation 21:21
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Ezekiel 47:1,12
Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar…
the tree of life.
Revelation 22:14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Revelation 2:7
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Genesis 2:9
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
healing.
Revelation 21:24
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Psalm 147:3
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
Isaiah 6:10
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
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Revelation 22
1. The river of the water of life.
2. The tree of life.
5. The light of the city of God is himself.
7. Jesus Is Coming.
9. The angel will not be worshipped.
18. Nothing may be added to the word of God, nor taken away.
◄ Revelation 22 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The River of Life
1Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
3No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him. 4They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. 5There 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.
Jesus Is Coming
6Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soona take place.”
7“Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book.b”
8And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things. 9But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
10Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of prophecy in this book, because the time is near. 11Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”
12“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
14Blessed are those who wash their robes,c so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates. 15But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”
17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.
Nothing May Be Added or Removed
18I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this book.
20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21The grace of the Lord Jesusd be with all the saints.e
Amen.f
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem
Joel 2:28-29
And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. / Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
Acts 2:17-18
‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. / Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Ezekiel 39:29
And I will no longer hide My face from them, for I will pour out My Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.”
a spirit of grace and prayer,
Hebrews 4:16
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.
Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. / And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Ephesians 6:18
Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.
and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced.
John 19:37
And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.”
Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
Psalm 22:16
For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child,
Jeremiah 6:26
O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as you would for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.
Amos 8:10
I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation. I will cause everyone to wear sackcloth and every head to be shaved. I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and its outcome like a bitter day.
Luke 7:12
As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.
and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Exodus 11:4-6
So Moses declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt, / and every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle. / Then a great cry will go out over all the land of Egypt. Such an outcry has never been heard before and will never be heard again.
Exodus 12:29-30
Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock. / During the night Pharaoh got up—he and all his officials and all the Egyptians—and there was loud wailing in Egypt; for there was no house without someone dead.
Psalm 78:51
He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
John 19:34
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
Treasury of ScriptureAnd I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look on me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
I will pour.
Proverbs 1:23
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Isaiah 32:15
Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.
Isaiah 44:3,4
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: …
the house.
Zechariah 12:7
The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.
the spirit.
Psalm 51:12
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
of supplications.
Jeremiah 31:9
They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Jeremiah 50:4
In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.
Romans 8:15,26
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father…
they shall look.
Psalm 22:16,17
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet…
John 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 19:34-37
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water…
they shall mourn.
Jeremiah 6:26
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
Amos 8:10
And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.
Matthew 24:30
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
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Zechariah 12
1. Jerusalem a cup of trembling to herself,
3. and a burdensome stone to her adversaries.
6. The victorious restoring of Judah.
10. The repentance of Jerusalem.
The Davidic Line refers to the genealogical lineage of King David, a central figure in the history of Israel and a pivotal character in biblical prophecy. This line is significant in both the Old and New Testaments, as it is associated with the promises of God regarding the Messiah, who is to come from David's descendants.
Biblical Foundation
The Davidic Covenant, found in 2 Samuel 7:12-16, establishes the foundation for the Davidic Line. God promises David, "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" (2 Samuel 7:12-13). This covenant assures that David's lineage will have an everlasting kingdom, a promise that is reiterated throughout the Scriptures.
Historical Kingship
The Davidic Line begins with David himself, who was anointed by the prophet Samuel as king over Israel (1 Samuel 16:13). David's reign is marked by military victories, the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital, and the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant to the city. His son Solomon succeeded him, known for his wisdom and for building the First Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6:1).
Following Solomon, the kingdom was divided, yet the Davidic Line continued in the southern kingdom of Judah. Notable kings from this line include Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah, each of whom sought to lead the people back to the worship of Yahweh. Despite periods of apostasy and exile, the line persisted, fulfilling God's promise of an enduring dynasty.
Messianic Prophecy
The prophets of Israel frequently spoke of a future king from the Davidic Line who would bring salvation and peace. Isaiah prophesied, "A shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit" (Isaiah 11:1), indicating a future leader from David's family. Jeremiah also affirmed this hope: "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as king and will administer justice and righteousness in the land" (Jeremiah 23:5).
New Testament Fulfillment
The New Testament presents Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. The genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 trace Jesus' lineage back to David, underscoring His rightful place in the Davidic Line. The angel Gabriel announced to Mary, "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David" (Luke 1:32).
Throughout His ministry, Jesus is recognized as the "Son of David," a messianic title affirming His role as the promised King. His death and resurrection are seen as the ultimate fulfillment of the promises made to David, establishing an eternal kingdom not of this world.
Footnotes:
6 a Or suddenly or quickly; similarly in verses 7, 12, and 20
7 b Or scroll; also in verses 9, 10, 18, 19
14 c BYZ and TR Blessed are those who do His commandments
21 d WH and BYZ the Lord Jesus Christ; TR our Lord Jesus Christ
21 e SBL, WH, NE, and TR do not include the saints.
21 f SBL, WH, NE, and NA do not include Amen.
Footnotes:
10 a Or facets
10 b Or the chosen capstone
12 c Hebrew from which the gold
14 d Hebrew the two sons of new oil
14 e See Revelation 11:4.
God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and told him to go to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery. In response, Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13).
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14).
The phrase translated “I am who I am” in Hebrew is ehyeh asher ehyeh. The word ehyeh is the first person common singular of the verb to be. It would be used in any number of normal situations: “I am watching the sheep,” “I am walking on the road,” or “I am his father.” However, when used as a stand-alone description, I AM is the ultimate statement of self-sufficiency, self-existence, and immediate presence. God’s existence is not contingent upon anyone else. His plans are not contingent upon any circumstances. He promises that He will be what He will be; that is, He will be the eternally constant God. He stands, ever-present and unchangeable, completely sufficient in Himself to do what He wills to do and to accomplish what He wills to accomplish.
When God identified Himself as I AM WHO I AM, He stated that, no matter when or where, He is there. It is similar to the New Testament expression in Revelation 1:8, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” This is true of Him for all time, but it would have been especially appropriate for a message in Moses’ day to a people in slavery and who could see no way out. I AM was promising to free them, and they could count on Him!
Moses and Aaron delivered the message to Pharaoh: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:1–2).
Pharaoh stood in opposition to the LORD. Pharaoh was not willing to concede that there was a power higher than himself. He was not willing to yield his plans to the One who was all-powerful and all-sufficient. In essence, Pharaoh was saying “I am who I am, and therefore I will not yield to another.” This seems to be the besetting sin of humanity. God is “The Great I AM,” but we continually want to be our own “I AM.” We make plans and determine that we will fulfill them no matter what. Even evidence to the contrary does not readily convince us of our weakness and contingency.
One of Frank Sinatra’s signature songs was “I Did It My Way.” The final lines of the song, written by Paul Anka, express a common refrain of mankind:
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way.
Likewise, the final stanza of the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley expresses much the same sentiment:
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
God is the only One who can accurately describe Himself as “I AM.” Jesus claimed the title I AM for Himself in John 8:58. For the rest of us, “I am” is a false claim to self-sufficiency. We are not eternally constant or ever-present. Our only hope is to abandon claims of our own sovereignty and sufficiency and cast ourselves upon the mercy of I AM.
The book of Romans addresses the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in the context of the gospel. In the early chapters, the apostle Paul focuses on the universality of sin, the inadequacy of the law to save, and the doctrine of justification by faith. While teaching that believers are justified by faith alone (Romans 3:21–31), Paul makes this foundational statement, “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (verse 28). Yet, not wanting readers to misunderstand, Paul clarifies, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31, NKJV).
A misconception existed among believers in Paul’s day and persists to this day. Some suppose that if justification (and salvation) comes by faith and not by observing the law, then the moral law is diminished in importance, rendering it obsolete or irrelevant. Paul wanted his readers to understand that faith does not nullify or void the law but instead reinforces it. The Greek verb (histanomen) translated as “we establish” in Romans 3:31 comes from a verb that means “to confirm or assert the legal validity; to uphold; to stand; to make firm.” The NLT renders Paul’s statement this way: “Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law” (Romans 3:31, NLT).
Salvation “by grace through faith” (see Ephesians 2:8–9; Galatians 2:16) establishes the law in several ways: First, through Jesus Christ’s perfect fulfillment of the law’s requirements and His sacrificial death to pay its penalties.
God sent His Son, “born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). Jesus came to fulfill the law in every way (Matthew 5:17; Romans 10:4). Paul states, “Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. . . . The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith” (Galatians 3:23–24, NLT).
Jesus gave His life on the cross to satisfy the requirements of the law and end sin’s control over humanity (see Romans 8:3–4; see also 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 9:15). He took the punishment we deserved under the law for our sins: “Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing” (Galatians 3:13, NLT).
Second, “we establish the law” through the Holy Spirit’s work of writing God’s law on our hearts. Citing from Jeremiah 31:31–34, the writer of Hebrews quotes, “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Hebrews 8:10; see also Hebrews 10:16; 2 Corinthians 3:3). Through faith in Jesus, God’s indwelling Spirit enables us to say like Paul and the psalmist, “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law” (Romans 7:22; cf. Psalm 1:2; Psalm 119:35).
Once we trust in Christ for salvation, the law no longer condemns us to a life of sin and death. Instead, we are set free to be guided by the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit (see Romans 8:2). Our faith does not make us lawless; rather, it produces in us a new obedience. We have a desire to follow God’s law, which grows from love and gratitude, rather than fear of punishment or mere rule-keeping.
Third, “we establish the law” through Christian discipleship, that is, our voluntary adherence to the law as a guide for godly living, not as a means of justification (see Matthew 28:19–20; Luke 9:23–24; Romans 13:1–7; 1 Peter 2:13–17; Titus 3:1). Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). Many of the ceremonial or civil aspects of the Mosaic Law are no longer necessary or binding, but the moral laws—the ethical standards rooted in God’s character—remain valid and are established through faith. For example, faith does not eliminate the moral obligation to love God and others (see Matthew 22:36–40) but enables us to live out these commands with new power and motivation. In this sense, our faith establishes the law.
The law reveals sin, sets a standard of righteousness, and exposes humanity’s need for grace. Christ, through His obedience and sacrifice, fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law (Romans 8:4). Through faith in Jesus, believers receive the righteousness of God the law demands, not through works, but as a gift of grace (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:21–22; Philippians 3:9). Thus, faith does not set aside the law’s requirements but establishes them in Christ.
Far from nullifying God’s law, faith in Christ affirms its proper role—pointing to Christ, revealing sin, and guiding believers in righteous living. The law is not our adversary, but our partner: it exposes our need for God and His grace. Through His grace, we are empowered to fulfill the law’s true intent. For Christians today, faith should lead neither to lawlessness nor to legalism, but to a transformed life in which we establish the law in heart, mind, and daily devotion to Christ.
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV).
The key to understanding any verse of Scripture is context. There is the immediate context—the verses before and after it, as well as the larger context of Scripture—how the verse fits into the overall story. There is also the historical and cultural context—how the verse was understood by its original audience in light of their history and culture. Because context is so important, a verse whose meaning and application seem straightforward when quoted in isolation may mean something significantly different when it is taken in context.
When approaching 2 Chronicles 7:14, one must first consider the immediate context. After Solomon dedicated the temple, the Lord appeared to him and gave him some warnings and reassurances. “The Lord with Lord appeared to him at night and said: ‘I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.’ When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:12–14).
The immediate context of 2 Chronicles 7:14 shows that the verse is tied up with Israel and the temple and the fact that from time to time God might send judgment upon the land in the form of drought, locusts, or pestilence.
A few verses later God says this: “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the Lord with Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord with Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them’” (2 Chronicles 7:19–22).
No doubt Solomon would have recognized this warning as a reiteration of Deuteronomy 28. God had entered into a covenant with Israel and promised to take care of them and cause them to prosper as long as they obeyed Him. He also promised to bring curses upon them if they failed to obey. Because of the covenant relationship, there was a direct correspondence between their obedience and their prosperity, and their disobedience and their hardship. Deuteronomy 28 spells out the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. Again, divine blessing and divine punishment on Israel were conditional on their obedience or disobedience.
We see this blessing and cursing under the Law play out in the book of Judges. Judges chapter 2 is often referred to as “The Cycle of the Judges.” Israel would fall into sin. God would send another nation to judge them. Israel would repent and call upon the Lord. The Lord would raise up a judge to deliver them. They would serve the Lord for a while and then fall back into sin again. And the cycle would continue.
In 2 Chronicles 7, the Lord simply reminds Solomon of the previous agreement. If Israel obeys, they will be blessed. If they disobey, they will be judged. The judgment is meant to bring Israel to repentance, and God assures Solomon that, if they will be humble, pray, and repent, then God will deliver them from the judgment.
In context, 2 Chronicles 7:14 is a promise to ancient Israel (and perhaps even modern-day Israel) that, if they will repent and return to the Lord, He will rescue them. However, many Christians in the United States have taken this verse as a rallying cry for America. (Perhaps Christians in other countries have done so as well.) In this interpretation, Christians are the people who are called by God’s name. If Christians will humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face, and repent, then God will heal their land—often a moral and political healing is in view as well as economic healing. The question is whether or not this is a proper interpretation/application.
The first problem that the modern-day, “Westernized” interpretation encounters is that the United States does not have the same covenant relationship with God that ancient Israel enjoyed. The covenant with Israel was unique and exclusive. The terms that applied to Israel simply did not apply to any other nation, and it is improper for these terms to be co-opted and applied to a different nation.
Some might object that Christians are still called by God’s name and in some ways have inherited the covenant with Israel—and this may be true to some extent. Certainly, if a nation is in trouble, a prayerful and repentant response by Christians in that nation is always appropriate. However, there is another issue that is often overlooked.
When ancient Israel repented and sought the Lord, they were doing so en masse. The nation as a whole repented. Obviously, not every single Israelite repented and prayed, but still it was national repentance. There was never any indication that a small minority of the nation (a righteous remnant) could repent and pray and that the fate of the entire nation would change. God promised deliverance when the entire nation repented.
When 2 Chronicles 7:14 is applied to Christians in the U.S. or any other modern nation, it is usually with the understanding that the Christians in that nation—the true believers in Jesus Christ who have been born again by the Spirit of God—will comprise the righteous remnant. God never promised that if a righteous remnant repents and prays for their nation, that the nation will be saved. Perhaps if national repentance occurred, then God would spare a modern nation as He spared Nineveh at the preaching of Jonah (see Jonah 3)—but that is a different issue.
Having said that, it is never wrong to confess our sins and pray—in fact, it is our duty as believers to continuously confess and forsake our sins so that they will not hinder us (Hebrews 12:1) and to pray for our nation and those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1–2). It may be that God in His grace will bless our nation as a result—but there is no guarantee of national deliverance. Even if God did use our efforts to bring about national repentance and revival, there is no guarantee that the nation would be politically or economically saved. As believers, we are guaranteed personal salvation in Christ (Romans 8:1), and we are also guaranteed that God will use us to accomplish His purposes, whatever they may be. It is our duty as believers to live holy lives, seek God, pray, and share the gospel knowing that all who believe will be saved, but the Bible does not guarantee the political, cultural, or economic salvation of our nation.
Each of the twelve sons of Israel / Jacob received a blessing from his father just before Jacob’s death. The twelve sons were the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the blessing contained prophetic information about the future of each tribe. In the case of the tribe of Judah, Jacob prophesied, “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk” (Genesis 49:8–12).
Each part of Jacob’s prophecy for the tribe of Judah reveals something about the people of that tribe, their history, and the spiritual application we can draw from it. In verse 8, Jacob prophesies that Judah’s brothers would praise him. Judah’s name signifies praise and was given him by his mother, her heart being filled with praises to God for him (Genesis 29:35). The strength and power of the tribe is also foretold in verse 8. Verse 9 uses the imagery of both a lion and the lion’s cub to portray the tribe of Judah. Judah was comparable to a young lion for his strength, courage, and vitality and to a mature lion in that the line of Judah contained those of national prominence and kingship, including David and Solomon.
The scepter not departing from Judah until “he comes to whom it belongs” is a Messianic prophecy. The name “Shiloh” appears in this verse in several translations, a word that refers to the Messiah. Commentators differ on the exact meaning of this somewhat obscure passage, but all agree that He who comes to obtain the obedience of the nations can be none other than Christ. The rest of the passage, verses 11–12, refers to the great abundance of riches that would belong to the tribe of Judah. So wealthy and blessed would they be that they would be able to tie a donkey to the choicest grapevine and allow him to eat his fill, an indication of the abundance that would belong to Judah.
The second application of verses 11–12, and the one that pertains to Christians today, is the abundance of spiritual riches available to us in Christ, the great quantity of spiritual blessings flowing from the love of God, which come to us through Christ, which are comparable to wine and milk. The riches include His word and His statutes and Christ Himself, the Bread of Life. These may also be applied to Christ and to His human nature, which was like a garment dipped in blood through His sufferings and death. Isaiah 63:1–3 contains this same imagery. It can also refer to His church and His people whose garments are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:13–14).
Toronto was blanketed under an eerie orange sky Wednesday as a thick, choking cover of smoke from hundreds of wildfires in northern Ontario pushed the city’s air quality to worst in the world, prompting health warnings and event cancellations. Air quality warnings from Environment Canada stretched from Thunder Bay east to Kingston and south to London. Evacuation orders have been issued for several First Nations communities in northwestern Ontario. Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a social media post Wednesday night that his government was “in close contact with provincial, municipal and Indigenous partners and stands ready to provide any additional support as needed.” Read morearrow icon Updated 22 hrs agolink icon Lightning flickers across southern B.C. amid dire wildfire warnings By Chuck Chiang The Canadian Press Open fire and campfire bans coming into effect in B.C. amid dry lightning threat A CPKC train passes the Brunswick Creek wildfire burning in the mountains, in Boston Bar, B.C., on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press VANCOUVER - Lightning strikes were flickering across British Columbia’s southern Interior on Wednesday afternoon, as a weather system that firefighters fear will trigger a surge in ignitions began to make its presence felt. Environment Canada meteorologist Colin Fong said the focus will be on the severity and frequency of dry lightning over the next few days, with parched conditions on the ground ripe for new wildfires in the province’s south. “That’s pretty much the main story for this week,” Fong said of the threat of dry lightning in southern B.C., stretching into Friday. Read more from The Canadian Press
Toronto turns orange under a sky choked by Ontario wildfire smoke: ‘Is this the apocalypse?’The city had the worst air quality in the world on Wednesday, prompting health warnings and event cancellations.
Updated 3 hrs ago
July 15, 2026
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The view of the smoke from Ontario forest fires that shrouded the Toronto skyline in haze on Wednesday.
Steve Russell/Toronto Star
By Manuela VegaBusiness Reporter, Daniyah YaqoobStaff Reporter, and Xavier MesquitaStaff ReporterToronto was blanketed under an eerie orange sky Wednesday as a thick, choking cover of smoke from hundreds of wildfires in northern Ontario pushed the city’s air quality to worst in the world, prompting health warnings and event cancellations.
Air quality warnings from Environment Canada stretched from Thunder Bay east to Kingston and south to London. Evacuation orders have been issued for several First Nations communities in northwestern Ontario.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a social media post Wednesday night that his government was “in close contact with provincial, municipal and Indigenous partners and stands ready to provide any additional support as needed.”
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW“Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their communities, not knowing if their homes will survive,” Carney said, thanking firefighters, first responders and local leaders for their work.
Early morning kayakers take in the sunrise as smoke from Ontario forest fires blankets the Beaches in Toronto on July 16, 2026.
Steve Russell/Toronto StarA video posted online showed orange flames engulfing a stalled CN train near Armstrong, about 250 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, with crew members trapped inside before they were evacuated.
Smoke plumes stretched south across the U.S.-Canada border, prompting health warnings in New York state and through the U.S. Northeast and Midwest. Mayor Zohran Mamdani told residents of New York City that “air quality has reached unhealthy levels in parts of NYC due to smoke from Canadian wildfires,” in a social media post as the city overtook Toronto for the world’s worst air quality Wednesday night.
CanadaThis terrifying video shows Northern Ontario train surrounded by raging wildfire flamesThousands of visitors were told to evacuate a remote Minnesota wilderness area accessible only by boat due to wildfires burning in the state. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz thanked Premier Doug Ford and “our Canadian allies” after two groups of American YMCA campers were rescued from the fires near the U.S. Canada border. Ford replied, “That’s what neighbours are for.”
In Toronto, outdoor events were cancelled, including World Cup watch parties for Argentina’s 2-1 semifinal match win over England at FIFA Fan Festival, Nathan Phillips Square and the University of Toronto. The city closed its outdoor pools and children’s wading pools.
“Is this the apocalypse now? What’s going on here?” said Pat Kehs, a tourist in Toronto from Washington, D.C., as he awoke Wednesday and looked out of his hotel window. “This morning it was like a war zone,” he said, adding he was surprised to see conditions change so fast after enjoying sunny, blue skies for the past few days.
At the second coming, these covenants will be fulfilled as Israel is re-gathered from the nations (Matthew 24:31), converted (Zechariah 12:10–14), and restored to the land under the rule of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks of the conditions during the millennium as a perfect environment physically and spiritually. 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). The Bible also tells us that only believers will enter the millennial kingdom. Because of this, it will be a time of obedience (Jeremiah 31:33), holiness (Isaiah 35:8), truth (Isaiah 65:16), and the knowledge of God (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). Christ will rule as king (Isaiah 9:3–7; 11:1–10). Nobles and governors will also rule (Isaiah 32:1; Matthew 19:28), and Jerusalem will be the political center of the world (Zechariah 8:3).
Revelation 20:2-7 gives the precise time period of the millennial kingdom.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/weather/article/orange-haze-envelops-toronto-as-wildfire-smoke-expands-across-southern-ontario-live-updates-here
During a Passover Seder, Jewish tradition mandates drinking exactly four cups of wine to represent God’s four promises of redemption in the Exodus story. In Israel, a single Seder is held on the first night, whereas in the Diaspora, the Seder is traditionally celebrated for two nights. [1, 2, 3]
If your query "one for israel" refers to the specific ministry ONE FOR ISRAEL, they teach that the four cups of wine and the Passover story beautifully foreshadow the redemptive work of Yeshua (Jesus). The third cup, in particular, is known as the Cup of Redemption, representing God's promise to take Israel as His own people. [1, 2, 3]
You can read more about their theological perspective and the meaning of the holiday on the ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry page. [1]
Second to saving the world at Calvary, I think that the Passover miracle is God’s favorite. He talks about it often in Scripture, and made Passover month the beginning of the whole year (Exodus 12:2). He even defines Himself by the event: At the beginning of the ten commandments He introduces Himself like this: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery”.
He used to call Himself “The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob”, or “I AM” up to this point… But “The One who brought you out of Egypt” is what He calls Himself repeatedly from the Exodus onwards, literally hundreds of times. God is passionate about the whole Passover saga, and the more we dig into the story, the more we discover that it’s full of rich beauty, meaning and power…
The Passover miracle is recalled with wonder throughout many of the Psalms, and although many Jewish people see Sinai as the defining moment of the Old Testament, I would venture to say that God sees the Passover as the cornerstone of the story of Israel. As will be explained below, it is the moment in history when the Jewish race became the Jewish faith. Plus, it is a huge neon sign pointing to the coming release which would be bought with the blood of another spotless lamb – our Savior Jesus.
The God of FreedomI love the fact that our God is all about freedom; He freely gave everyone freedom to choose at every stage in the Passover story described in the book of Exodus. Even though He famously hardened Pharaoh’s heart, it was after some serious choices on Pharaoh’s part to harden his own heart first.1 God just consolidated his free choice.
He also gave freedom to His people, Israel, about whether to go along with the plan or not. They were not rescued from the Angel of Death by force—He gave an “opt in” clause: to have death pass over your house, you must sacrifice a lamb and daub its blood on your doorframe.
This was an act of faith. It was an active response to a command of God, which had a promise… and all who believed it was true and acted accordingly were saved. That means that those who escaped from Egypt had freely chosen to obey God and follow Him by faith—not just because of their ancestry.
This is the moment that the people of Israel became a faith community.
As we mentioned, the ten commandments are introduced by God’s reminder that He loves to set slaves free, and the very first command when He subsequently lays down the rest of the Torah is this:
“These are the laws you are to set before them: If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.” (Exodus 21:1-2).
What a strange subject with which to start a new code of government, spiritual life and ethics! But God is determined that His people should not be in slavery—they should be free. This is the message of Passover. That is what the exodus was all about. God is serious about making His people free.
God-Appointed Memory AidsRemembering is very important to God. He jogs our memory all the time in the Bible, urging us, “Remember!” I think one of Satan’s best strategies is dimming our memory. If we remember what God has done, what He has said and who He is, we can have faith in Him today and trust for tomorrow. The opposite is often true as well. The Passover Seder meal is a multi-sensory teaching experience, instituted by God Himself, in order to prevent the people from forgetting. It involves sight, smell, taste and touch, and was designed to teach generation after generation the amazing story, and to keep it alive in the Jewish collective memory.
Today the family celebration is based around four cups of wine and a “haggadah” or “telling” which is like an order of service. There are different ideas about what each of the four cups represents, but generally the first cup is about sanctification, and being set apart for God, the second is the time to tell the story, the third is drunk after the meal, when Jewish people usually say grace for their food, and the last one is “hallel” or praise, after the songs and Psalms of thanksgiving.
Each item of food on the table symbolizes something in the story—the dry, unleavened matzah bread represents the dryness of slavery, in contrast with the richness and blessing of wine, which represents freedom. It is also commonly believed that yeast represents sin, and that this is a time to do away with all yeast, and all sin. The bitterness of the bitter herbs speak of the suffering, and so on. Each aspect of the evening helps the Jewish people to remember the miracles God did for them and even to re-live them. It is not so much about recalling some historical event lost in the sands of time, as actually re-living the story and making it part of life today… and hope for the future.
It was this very Passover seder that was the last supper that Yeshua ate with His disciples, in the traditional Jewish way (read more about the first Passover). It was unleavened, passover bread that He broke, when he told His disciples to “do this in remembrance of me”, and it was one of the four cups of wine that He drank when he spoke of it representing His blood. We drink it to remember the blood that bought our freedom, and caused death to “pass over” us as well. He is in every way the embodiment and fulfillment of the Passover story. And we will remember what He did for us each time we eat the bread and drink the cup.
Passover: The Four Stages of Liberation“I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. Therefore, say to the Israelites:
‘I am the LORD, and
– I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
– I will free you from being slaves to them, and
– I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.
– I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.
Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.” (Exodus 6:5-7)
Jewish tradition states that the four cups represent the four aspects of redemption listed in these verses from Exodus:
1. I will bring you out from under the yoke of the EgyptiansThis is the first stage of liberation—the practical and actual rescue from captivity. It is the physical transition out of Egypt and towards the Promised Land. As believers, we can see that when Yeshua paid for our sin on the cross, we were made free from condemnation, and can start our journey of a life walking with God. The fact that the Jewish people went through water might also parallel the believer’s baptism as part of the liberation process.
2. I will free you from being slaves to themThis second stage is more about mental liberation. Even when freed, humans and animals can sometimes still act as if they are not. Sometimes this is called institutionalisation. We get so used to living in a cage, we don’t know how to walk in freedom. Here, God promises to free Israel of the slave mindset, and we too need to be liberated from a mind that has been in bondage to sin. We need to understand more and more that we really are free, and learn how to live accordingly.
3. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgementThe Exodus story is full of the supernatural. I often wonder if these miracles happened today what we might think… are we willing to accept God in all His supernatural wonder? His mighty outstretched arm? Some of the miracles and judgments are hard to accept—especially when seen from the perspective of the ordinary Egyptian. This is our God: mighty in wonders, unfathomable, unstoppable, and unlike anything we could possibly understand. But this is our rescuer. He wants us to embrace Him and His redemption, and let Him decide how things must be done.
4. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your GodThe ultimate goal is relationship. God wants intimacy with His people. The desert can be seen to represent walking in intimacy with God, and in fact God looks back at that time right after the exodus as something of a honeymoon with His people:
“This is what the LORD says:“‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown. Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest”. Jeremiah 2:1-3
“Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.” Hosea 2:14-15 2
A pastor once said, “a dessert is something you want and don’t need, but the desert is something you don’t want, but you do need”. Desert life is not easy, but it’s often where our walk with God gets deeper and more intimate. One day we will be in the promised place of ultimate rest but until then, life with God is not always going to be a walk in the park. It’s a time to learn about our rescuer, and grow in our ability and willingness to trust, love and follow Him. We are with Him, and He is with us. We are His people, and He is our God. We are bonded in relationship, and that is our joy and His.
Jesus our Passover lamb: more Glorious Stories To Come!So while this is just the very tip of the iceberg when thinking about the Passover story and its fulfillment in Yeshua our Messiah, it’s easy to see why this event is so pivotal, and such a perfect foreshadowing of our salvation story. God reminds Israel of who He is and what He’s done for them over and over again by adding the events to His name: “You know, me—the one who brought you out of Egypt”… And like all of us, the Israelites needed a lot of reminding. But Jeremiah writes something curious about this description of God:
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but it will be said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where He had banished them.’ For I will restore them to the land I gave their ancestors.” Jeremiah 16:14-16 (23:7-8 says much the same thing).
The story of God and the Israelites is not over yet. God has indeed brought the Israelites out from the land of the north (Russia and surrounding area) and out of all the countries they had been banished to for almost two thousand years. He is still not widely known by name for this action. But the days are coming…
The physical, practical and actual restoration of Israel took place last century. Now we prayerfully anticipate and work towards the spiritual restoration of Israel.
Happy Passover, and God’s richest blessings to you as we celebrate the resurrection of our sacrificial Passover Lamb that bought our freedom.
[1] Pharaoh hardens his own heart by his free choice on two occasions (Exodus 8:15, 8:32) before God hardens his heart (Exodus 9:12). Then Pharaoh once again freely chooses again to harden his own heart, along with his officials (9:34). After that God hardens his heart four more times, so that His glory can be seen (10:1, 20, 27, 11:10, 14:8)
[2] The picture of sitting under your own vine is a Biblical image of freedom, rest and peace (Micah 4:4 and Zechariah 3:10).
The phrase the law and the prophets refers to the entire Hebrew Bible, what we call the Old Testament. Jesus spoke of “the law and the prophets” multiple times, such as when He listed the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:40). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus pointed to His absolute perfection, saying, “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).
On the Emmaus Road, Jesus taught two disciples “everything written about himself in the Scriptures, beginning with the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets” (Luke 24:27, CEV). Clearly, all Scripture, indicated by “the law and the prophets,” pointed to Jesus. The same passage also contains a three-fold division of the Old Testament: “the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (verse 44), but the two-fold division of “the law and the prophets” was also customary (Matthew 7:12; Acts 13:15; 24:14; Romans 3:21).
The books of the law, properly speaking, would comprise the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The prophets, in the two-fold division, would include the rest of the Old Testament. Although it may seem strange that poetic books such as Job or Proverbs would be included in the “prophets” category, it was common for the Jews to see any writer of Scripture as a prophet. Further, many of the psalms are clear messianic prophecies.
When Philip invited his friend Nathanael to meet Jesus, he referred to the whole of Hebrew Scripture in its two-fold division: “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about—Jesus of Nazareth” (John 1:45, NET). Philip was right that all of Scripture has a common theme: the Messiah, the Son of God, who is Jesus.
Context
Sharing in the Lord's Supper
…24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.…
Berean Standard Bible · Download
Cross References
In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying,
Matthew 26:27
Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.
Mark 14:23
Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
Luke 22:20
In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.
“This cup is the new covenant in My blood;
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. / It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. / “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. …
Hebrews 8:8-13
But God found fault with the people and said: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. / It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide by My covenant, and I disregarded them, declares the Lord. / For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. …
Hebrews 9:15
Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
do this, as often as you drink it,
1 Corinthians 10:16
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?
1 Corinthians 10:21
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.
Matthew 26:29
I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
in remembrance of Me.”
Luke 22:19
And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
Exodus 12:14
And this day will be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD, as a permanent statute for the generations to come.
2 Timothy 2:8
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David, as proclaimed by my gospel,
Luke 22:20
In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.
Matthew 26:28
This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 14:24
He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
Hebrews 9:15
Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Treasury of ScriptureAfter the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
This.
1 Corinthians 11:27,28
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord…
the new.
Luke 22:20
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
2 Corinthians 3:6,14
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life…
Hebrews 9:15-20
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance…
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1 Corinthians 11
1. He reproves them, because in holy assemblies,
4. their men prayed with their heads covered,
6. and women with their heads uncovered;
17. and because generally their meetings were not for the better, but for the worse;
21. as, namely, in profaning with their own feast the Lord's supper.
25. Lastly, he calls them to the first institution thereof.
In Jewish tradition, the Passover Seder features four cups of wine representing God's promises in Exodus 6:6-7. The third cup, consumed after the meal, is historically known as the "Cup of Redemption." [1, 2, 3]
Jesus famously took this third cup during the Last Supper to establish the "New Covenant" in His blood, transforming a symbol of historical Exodus deliverance into one of spiritual salvation for the forgiveness of sins. You can study the full context of the Last Supper scriptures and their Passover roots on Bible Hub. [1, 2, 3]
Witnessing to All Nations
(Mark 13:9–13; Luke 21:10–19)
9Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, 11and many false prophets will arise and deceive many.
12Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. 13But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
The Abomination of Desolation
(Mark 13:14–23; Luke 21:20–24)
15So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’a spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. 18And let no one in the field return for his cloak.
19How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! 20Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath. 21For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. 22If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
23At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible. 25See, I have told you in advance.
The Return of the Son of Man
(Mark 13:24–27; Luke 21:25–28)
26So if they tell you, ‘There He is, in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27For 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. 28Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
29Immediately 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.b’
30At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,c and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.d 31And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
(Mark 13:28–31; Luke 21:29–33)
32Now learn this lessone from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near,f right at the door. 34Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
Readiness at Any Hour
(Genesis 6:1–7; Mark 13:32–37; Luke 12:35–48)
36No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,g but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. 39And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
42Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
45Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time? 46Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
48But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’ 49And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. 51Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Footnotes:
15 a See Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31, and Daniel 12:11.
29 b Or and the celestial bodies will be shaken; see Isaiah 13:10, Isaiah 34:4, and Joel 2:10.
30 c Or the sky; twice in this verse
30 d See Daniel 7:13–14.
32 e Or this parable
33 f Or it is near
36 g BYZ and TR do not include nor the Son.
The title "Son of David" is a significant messianic designation found throughout the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, and is deeply rooted in the Old Testament promises and prophecies. This title underscores the fulfillment of God's covenant with David and highlights the messianic expectations of the Jewish people.
Old Testament Foundations
The promise of a "Son of David" originates in the Davidic Covenant, as recorded in 2 Samuel 7:12-16. God promises King David that He will establish the throne of his kingdom forever through his offspring: "When your days are complete and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom" (2 Samuel 7:12). This covenantal promise is reiterated in 1 Chronicles 17:11-14 and is echoed in the Psalms, particularly in Psalm 89:3-4 and Psalm 132:11-12, which affirm the enduring nature of David's lineage and throne.
The prophets also speak of a future ruler from David's line who will bring justice and peace. Isaiah 11:1-2 prophesies, "Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him." Jeremiah 23:5-6 further declares, "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as king and will administer justice and righteousness in the land."
New Testament Fulfillment
In the New Testament, the title "Son of David" is explicitly applied to Jesus Christ, affirming Him as the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies. The Gospel of Matthew opens with a genealogy that traces Jesus' lineage back to David, emphasizing His rightful claim to the title (Matthew 1:1-17). The angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary in Luke 1:32-33 also highlights Jesus' Davidic heritage: "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David."
Throughout His ministry, Jesus is frequently addressed as the "Son of David," particularly in contexts where His messianic identity and authority are recognized. In Matthew 9:27, two blind men cry out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" acknowledging His power to heal. Similarly, in Matthew 15:22, a Canaanite woman appeals to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!" These instances reflect the widespread expectation that the Messiah, as a descendant of David, would possess divine authority and compassion.
The triumphal entry into Jerusalem further cements Jesus' identity as the "Son of David." The crowds shout, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" as they welcome Him as the promised King (Matthew 21:9). This acclamation fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 and underscores the recognition of Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.
Theological Significance
The title "Son of David" carries profound theological implications. It affirms Jesus as the legitimate heir to David's throne, fulfilling the covenantal promises made to David. It also highlights the continuity of God's redemptive plan, as Jesus embodies the hope and expectations of Israel for a righteous and eternal King. As the "Son of David," Jesus not only fulfills the Old Testament prophecies but also inaugurates the Kingdom of God, offering salvation and restoration to all who believe in Him.
In Revelation 22:16, Jesus Himself declares, "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star," affirming His eternal kingship and divine authority. The title "Son of David" thus encapsulates the messianic hope and the fulfillment of God's promises through Jesus Christ, the Savior and King.
Paul’s Concern for the Jews
1I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit. 2I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise!a Amen.
God’s Sovereign Choice
(Genesis 25:19–28; Malachi 1:1–5)
6It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”b 8So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring. 9For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”c
10Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. 11Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, 12not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”d 13So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”e
14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! 15For He says to Moses:
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”f
16So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”g 18Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
19One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?” 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”h 21Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?
22What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction? 23What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory— 24including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles? 25As He says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people,
and I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved,”i
26and,
“It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not My people,’
they will be called
‘sons of the living God.’”j
27Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the Israelites is like the sand of the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
28For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth
thoroughly and decisively.”k
29It 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.”l
Israel’s Unbelief
30What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33as it is written:
“See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense;m
and the one who believes in Him
will never be put to shame.”n
Footnotes:
5 a Or forever blessed
7 b Genesis 21:12
9 c Genesis 18:14
12 d Genesis 25:23
13 e Malachi 1:2–3
15 f Exodus 33:19
17 g Exodus 9:16 (see also LXX)
20 h Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9
25 i Hosea 2:23
26 j Hosea 1:10
28 k Isaiah 10:22–23 (see also LXX)
29 l Isaiah 1:9 (see also LXX)
33 m Isaiah 8:14
33 n Isaiah 28:16 (see also LXX)
The Law (Torah / תּוֹרָה)
Also known as the Pentateuch, it comprises the first five books of the Bible and provides foundational teachings, history, and commandments: [1, 2, 3]
- Genesis (Bereshit / בְּרֵאשִׁית)
- Exodus (Shemot / שְׁמוֹת)
- Leviticus (Vayikra / וַיִּקְרָא)
- Numbers (Bamidbar / בְּמִדְבַּר)
The Prophets (Nevi'im / נְבִיאִים)
This section is traditionally split into two sub-categories: [1]
- Former Prophets: Historical and narrative books (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings).
- Latter Prophets: The writings of the major and minor prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets). [1, 2, 3]
Jesus Our Apostle and High Priest
1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.a
3For Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4And every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
5Now Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,b testifying to what would be spoken later. 6But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmlyc to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
Do Not Harden Your Hearts
(Psalm 95:1–11)
7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear His voice,
8do not harden your hearts,
as you did in the rebellion,
in the day of testing in the wilderness,
9where your fathers tested and tried Me,
and for forty years saw My works.
10Therefore I was angry with that generation,
and I said,
‘Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known My ways.’
11So I swore on oath in My anger,
‘They shall never enter My rest.’”d
The Peril of Unbelief
12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. 13But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first. 15As it has been said:
“Today, if you hear His voice,
do not harden your hearts,
as you did in the rebellion.”e
16For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? 19So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.
In Romans 11 Paul makes a compelling observation—an affirmation he refers to as a mystery—that a partial hardening has happened until “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25, ESV). The context helps us understand the meaning of the partial hardening and what is the fullness of the Gentiles.
In the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul catalogs the mercies of God in God’s provision of righteousness through the gospel. First, in Romans 1:1—3:20 Paul considers the universal human need for God’s righteousness, as all are unrighteous and separated from God. Then in Romans 3:21—4:25 Paul lays out how God applied righteousness through faith to all who believe in Jesus, outlining three different and significant types of descendants of Abraham: 1) ethnic Israel (Romans 4:1), 2) believing Gentiles (Romans 4:11), and 3) believing Jews (Romans 4:12). These three sets of descendants of Abraham are especially important for understanding the partial hardening and the fullness of the Gentiles that Paul talks about in Romans 11.
Romans 5—8 discusses the implications of that righteousness applied in freeing believers from the penalty and bondage of sin (Romans 5—7) and assuring them of a present and future of reconciliation and peace with God (Romans 8). At the end of Romans 8 is a powerful affirmation of the believer’s eternal security—God will keep His promises to those who have believed in Jesus Christ, and they will never be separated from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35).
While discussing these mercies of God, Paul seems to anticipate that his readers might wonder why, if God is so faithful to restore those who believe in Jesus, God’s promises of restoration to Israel do not seem to be fulfilled yet. Simply put, if God is faithful, and if His promises to believers are trustworthy, then why is He not keeping His promises to Israel? It is to answer this concern that Paul writes Romans 9—11, as he introduces the ideas of a partial hardening of Israel and the fullness of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25).
In Romans 9 Paul expresses his love for his Jewish brethren (Romans 9:1–5) and recognizes that the covenant promises are to be fulfilled to a specific group of Abraham’s descendants. Paul shows the distinct groups by highlighting God’s choosing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and affirms that God’s blessing would be for those descendants who believe in the Messiah (Romans 9:33). Salvation would not only be for believing Jews, though, as Gentiles could also call upon the name of the Lord for salvation (Romans 10:12–13). While there are believing Jews and Gentiles, Paul explains that the nation of Israel as a whole has not yet received her Messiah (Romans 10:18—11:10), but they will one day be saved through believing in their Messiah (Romans 11:26).
In the meantime, Paul explains that there is a partial hardening of the nation—that many will refuse the Messiah—until the fullness of the Gentiles occurs. Israel’s hardening will continue until the divinely set number of Gentiles are saved: “Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ” (Romans 11:25, NLT).
Paul recognized that Israel’s failure to accept the Messiah when He came offering the kingdom represented blessing for the Gentiles because, instead of setting up that kingdom on earth at that time, Christ died to pay for the sins of all. In so doing, Christ fulfilled the promise God made to Abraham that in Abraham’s seed all the peoples of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12:3b). That partial hardening of Israel also represented a shift in focus to the announcement of salvation to the Gentiles. Paul acknowledged himself as an apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13) and sought that many Gentiles would come to know Christ so those promises could be fulfilled and then the Jewish people might return to their Messiah (Romans 11:14–15). Paul alluded to this in 2 Timothy 4:17 when he expressed gratitude for God’s sustaining him so that Paul might fulfill his ministry and that all the Gentiles might hear.
Even though God’s promises to save the nation of Israel are not presently being fulfilled, Paul recognizes that God will keep those promises after the fullness of the Gentiles. Paul seems to be building on the foundation of Daniel 9, in which is revealed a 490-year prophetic timeline after which God will accomplish His covenant blessings for Israel. After the first 483 years of the timeline, the Messiah was cut off (Daniel 9:26a), signaling a shift in the focus away from Israel as Gentiles (Rome) would dominate, and there would be wars and desolation. But one day in the future, the ruler who would be known as the Antichrist would make a seven-year agreement with Israel. That last seven years of the timeline would begin to return the focus back to Israel and would conclude the times of the Gentiles of which Jesus spoke in Luke 21:24.
The fullness of the Gentiles in Romans 11:25 reminds us of God’s global focus (with the universal proclamation of the gospel of salvation) and chronology (with the times of the Gentiles not yet complete). One day, the fullness of the Gentiles will be complete, and God will deliver the nation of Israel. Anyone who might have doubts about God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises can consider these passages as important reminders that God has a detailed plan that He is fulfilling patiently and carefully.
After the arrest of John the Baptist, “Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14–15, ESV). Jesus’ exhortation for His listeners to repent indicated that they needed to change their minds. That He told them to believe in the gospel indicated how they needed to change their minds. Mark refers to Jesus’ message as “the gospel of God” (verse 14, ESV) or “the good news of God.” It was good news that the kingdom was at hand, and Jesus was preparing His listeners for how to be part of that kingdom.
Many in Jesus’ audience thought they were already righteous and would gain entrance to the kingdom of God because of their connection to Abraham and Moses and because they were keeping the laws God had given to Israel through Moses. Matthew 5—7 records Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus taught that His listeners should change their minds about how they could be part of His kingdom. Their connection to Abraham and Moses wasn’t enough, and their supposedly righteous deeds were not enough. Those things are not what God requires as the standard of righteousness. Instead, Jesus explained that they needed to have a true, internal righteousness, and they did not yet have that. It wasn’t just a king that they needed—they needed a savior. Sadly, only a few would recognize that need.
Jesus proclaimed that the people needed to repent and believe in the gospel because the kingdom of God was at hand. God’s eternal kingdom is currently based in heaven. But, in passages like 2 Samuel 7 and Revelation 19—20, God promises that His kingdom will at some point in the future come to earth in a physical form. The kingdom was at hand, or near, because Jesus the King had come to earth, presenting the kingdom and the good news about that kingdom and how one can be part of it—by believing in the gospel. Unfortunately, Jesus’ audience wasn’t yet prepared for the kingdom, because they hadn’t yet recognized that they needed the Messiah to make them righteous, and that Jesus was the Messiah.
Jesus’ message was truly good news, and the people needed to change their minds from unbelief to belief. They needed to believe in the Lord—as Abraham had done many years prior (Genesis 15:6)—to gain the righteousness that would allow them to be part of God’s kingdom. They needed to repent (change their minds about how they could enter the kingdom) and believe in the gospel now, because the kingdom of God was close at hand. Of course, some did change their minds about how they could be righteous, and they believed in Jesus, but most of the leaders and the nation as a whole did not believe (Mark 3:22–30). Because of that rejection, Jesus delayed the kingdom and shifted His focus and ministry to providing the sacrifice to pay for the sins of the people.
One day Jesus will return to the earth as King (Revelation 19—20), and, because of what the Bible tells us about the future, we know that we also need to “repent and believe in the gospel for the kingdom of God is at hand.” We need to change our minds from unbelief to belief and recognize that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our own works (Ephesians 2:8–9). When we believe in Christ, we are already transferred to His kingdom (Colossians 1:13), and, because His kingdom isn’t on earth yet, we ought to set our mind on the things above where He is, rather than on the things of earth (Colossians 3:1–4).
https://reformjudaism.org/alan-goodis
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus declares, "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". In the original Hebrew context, "The Law and the Prophets" refers to the entire Old Testament (Tanakh): the Torah (Instructions) and the Nevi'im (Prophets). [1, 2, 3]
In ancient Hebrew and Aramaic thought, fulfilling the Law (le-kayyem) meant interpreting it correctly and living it out exactly as God intended. Jesus was not changing or discarding the scriptures; instead, he was bringing them to their complete intended meaning and accomplishing all that was written about him
In addition to Jesus’ specific claims about Himself, His disciples also acknowledged the deity of Christ. They claimed that Jesus had the right to forgive sins—something only God can do—as it is God who is offended by sin (Acts 5:31; Colossians 3:13; Psalm 130:4; Jeremiah 31:34). In close connection with this last claim, Jesus is also said to be the one who will “judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1). Thomas cried out to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Paul calls Jesus “great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13) and points out that prior to His incarnation Jesus existed in the “form of God” (Philippians 2:5-8). God the Father says regarding Jesus: “Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever” (Hebrews 1:8). John states that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word [Jesus] was God” (John 1:1). Examples of Scriptures that teach the deity of Christ are many (see Revelation 1:17, 2:8, 22:13; 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Peter 2:6-8; Psalm 18:2, 95:1; 1 Peter 5:4; Hebrews 13:20), but even one of these is enough to show that Christ was considered to be God by His followers.
Jesus is also given titles that are unique to YHWH (the formal name of God) in the Old Testament. The Old Testament title “redeemer” (Psalm 130:7; Hosea 13:14) is used of Jesus in the New Testament (Titus 2:13; Revelation 5:9). Jesus is called Immanuel—“God with us”—in Matthew 1. In Zechariah 12:10, it is YHWH who says, “They will look on me, the one they have pierced.” But the New Testament applies this to Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19:37; Revelation 1:7). If it is YHWH who is pierced and looked upon, and Jesus was the one pierced and looked upon, then Jesus is YHWH. Paul interprets Isaiah 45:22-23 as applying to Jesus in Philippians 2:10-11. Further, Jesus’ name is used alongside God’s in prayer “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2). This would be blasphemy if Christ were not deity. The name of Jesus appears with God’s in Jesus’ commanded to baptize “in the name [singular] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19; see also 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Actions that can be accomplished only by God are credited to Jesus. Jesus not only raised the dead (John 5:21, 11:38-44) and forgave sins (Acts 5:31, 13:38), He created and sustains the universe (John 1:2; Colossians 1:16-17). This becomes even clearer when one considers YHWH said He was alone during creation (Isaiah 44:24). Further, Christ possesses attributes that only deity can have: eternality (John 8:58), omnipresence (Matthew 18:20, 28:20), omniscience (Matthew 16:21), and omnipotence (John 11:38-44).
Now, it is one thing to claim to be God or to fool someone into believing it is true, and something else entirely to prove it to be so. Christ offered many miracles as proof of His claim to deity. Just a few of Jesus’ miracles include turning water to wine (John 2:7), walking on water (Matthew 14:25), multiplying physical objects (John 6:11), healing the blind (John 9:7), the lame (Mark 2:3), and the sick (Matthew 9:35; Mark 1:40-42), and even raising people from the dead (John 11:43-44; Luke 7:11-15; Mark 5:35). Moreover, Christ Himself rose from the dead. Far from the so-called dying and rising gods of pagan mythology, nothing like the resurrection is seriously claimed by other religions, and no other claim has as much extra-scriptural confirmation.
There are at least twelve historical facts about Jesus that even non-Christian critical scholars will admit:
1. Jesus died by crucifixion.
2. He was buried.
3. His death caused the disciples to despair and lose hope.
4. Jesus’ tomb was discovered (or was claimed to be discovered) to be empty a few days later.
5. The disciples believed they experienced appearances of the risen Jesus.
6. After this, the disciples were transformed from doubters into bold believers.
7. This message was the center of preaching in the early Church.
8. This message was preached in Jerusalem.
9. As a result of this preaching, the Church was born and it grew.
10. Resurrection day, Sunday, replaced the Sabbath (Saturday) as the primary day of worship.
11. James, a skeptic, was converted when he also saw the resurrected Jesus.
12. Paul, an enemy of Christianity, was converted by an experience which he believed to be an appearance of the risen Jesus.
Even if someone were to object to this specific list, only a few are needed to prove the resurrection and establish the gospel: Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and appearances (1 Corinthians 15:1-5). While there may be some theories to explain one or two of the above facts, only the resurrection explains and accounts for them all. Critics admit that the disciples claimed they saw the risen Jesus. Neither lies nor hallucinations can transform people the way the resurrection did. First, what would they have had to gain? Christianity was not popular and it certainly did not make them any money. Second, liars do not make good martyrs. There is no better explanation than the resurrection for the disciples’ willingness to die horrible deaths for their faith. Yes, many people die for lies that they think are true, but people do not die for what they know is untrue.
In conclusion, Christ claimed He was YHWH, that He was deity (not just “a god” but the one true God); His followers (Jews who would have been terrified of idolatry) believed Him and referred to Him as God. Christ proved His claims to deity through miracles, including the world-altering resurrection. No other hypothesis can explain these facts. Yes, the deity of Christ is biblical.
The name of God, as revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures, is YHWH (the closest English equivalents to the Hebrew letters). Ancient Hebrew did not have vowels, so the exact pronunciation of YHWH is uncertain. The majority of Hebrew and Christian scholars believe the name to be Yahweh, pronounced /ˈyä-wā/, with Yehowah, pronounced /yi-ˈhō-və/, being the second most popular possibility.
There are movements that strongly emphasize using God’s name in the context of prayer and worship (and, of course, only the name of God that they believe to be correct). However, there is no biblical command that limits our vocabulary to Yahweh when addressing God. Anyone who says that God must be addressed only by the name YHWH is speaking without biblical warrant.
Moses himself refers to God as “Elohim” in Exodus 3:15. Later, in Exodus 4:13, Moses addresses God directly as “Adonai.” So, God’s personal name, or His covenant name, is not the only acceptable way to refer to Him or to address Him. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God inspired the human authors of Scripture to refer to Him using generic terms for “God” and “Lord.” Beyond YHWH, God chose to reveal Himself using many other names and titles. Clearly, using God’s personal, covenant name is not required in every context.
YHWH is as close to a personal name as God has revealed to us. The Divine Name was revealed to Moses and was unknown before his time: “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord [YHWH] I did not make myself fully known to them” (Exodus 6:3). The name YHWH seems to refer to God’s self-existence, being linked to I AM THAT I AM in Exodus 3:14.
God told Moses that “this is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation” (Exodus 3:15; cf. Exodus 15:3). This name would distinguish Israel’s God from all false gods. It is the unique name of Israel’s God throughout Jewish history. Israel was not to be tricked into thinking that God’s name might actually be Molech or Dagon or Baal Peor.
All other “names” for God, such as Elohim, Adonai, El-Gibhor, and Our Father, are probably best viewed as titles, rather than personal names, per se. It is quite proper to address God by His titles, as they in no way supplant His personal name, YHWH. References to “the name of our God” (in Psalm 44:20, for example), are oblique references to God’s personal name, YHWH.
In addition to Jesus’ specific claims about Himself, His disciples also acknowledged the deity of Christ. They claimed that Jesus had the right to forgive sins—something only God can do—as it is God who is offended by sin (Acts 5:31; Colossians 3:13; Psalm 130:4; Jeremiah 31:34). In close connection with this last claim, Jesus is also said to be the one who will “judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1). Thomas cried out to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Paul calls Jesus “great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13) and points out that prior to His incarnation Jesus existed in the “form of God” (Philippians 2:5-8). God the Father says regarding Jesus: “Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever” (Hebrews 1:8). John states that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word [Jesus] was God” (John 1:1). Examples of Scriptures that teach the deity of Christ are many (see Revelation 1:17, 2:8, 22:13; 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Peter 2:6-8; Psalm 18:2, 95:1; 1 Peter 5:4; Hebrews 13:20), but even one of these is enough to show that Christ was considered to be God by His followers.
Jesus is also given titles that are unique to YHWH (the formal name of God) in the Old Testament. The Old Testament title “redeemer” (Psalm 130:7; Hosea 13:14) is used of Jesus in the New Testament (Titus 2:13; Revelation 5:9). Jesus is called Immanuel—“God with us”—in Matthew 1. In Zechariah 12:10, it is YHWH who says, “They will look on me, the one they have pierced.” But the New Testament applies this to Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19:37; Revelation 1:7). If it is YHWH who is pierced and looked upon, and Jesus was the one pierced and looked upon, then Jesus is YHWH. Paul interprets Isaiah 45:22-23 as applying to Jesus in Philippians 2:10-11. Further, Jesus’ name is used alongside God’s in prayer “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2). This would be blasphemy if Christ were not deity. The name of Jesus appears with God’s in Jesus’ commanded to baptize “in the name [singular] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19; see also 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Actions that can be accomplished only by God are credited to Jesus. Jesus not only raised the dead (John 5:21, 11:38-44) and forgave sins (Acts 5:31, 13:38), He created and sustains the universe (John 1:2; Colossians 1:16-17). This becomes even clearer when one considers YHWH said He was alone during creation (Isaiah 44:24). Further, Christ possesses attributes that only deity can have: eternality (John 8:58), omnipresence (Matthew 18:20, 28:20), omniscience (Matthew 16:21), and omnipotence (John 11:38-44).
Now, it is one thing to claim to be God or to fool someone into believing it is true, and something else entirely to prove it to be so. Christ offered many miracles as proof of His claim to deity. Just a few of Jesus’ miracles include turning water to wine (John 2:7), walking on water (Matthew 14:25), multiplying physical objects (John 6:11), healing the blind (John 9:7), the lame (Mark 2:3), and the sick (Matthew 9:35; Mark 1:40-42), and even raising people from the dead (John 11:43-44; Luke 7:11-15; Mark 5:35). Moreover, Christ Himself rose from the dead. Far from the so-called dying and rising gods of pagan mythology, nothing like the resurrection is seriously claimed by other religions, and no other claim has as much extra-scriptural confirmation.
The third chapter of Exodus describes the encounter between Moses and God about the Lord’s name: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’; and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you”’” (Exodus 3:13–14, NASB).
The phrase I am who I am in the Hebrew is YHWH, often translated as “LORD,” “Yahweh,” or “Jehovah,” and is referred to in theology as the tetragrammaton (“a word having four letters”). The literal translation of the term is “I be that I be,” a statement that makes reference to God’s self-existence—He is not dependent upon anything else for His existence.
One of the foundational Christian doctrines is that Jesus is God. He is the Jehovah/YHWH/Yahweh described in Exodus 3. This teaching can be difficult to grasp because the Bible also says there is only one God: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
The Bible’s claim that only a single God exists is called monotheism. The doctrine of Jesus being God does not mean that more than one God exists (polytheism) or that the Christian doctrine of the Trinity equates to there being three gods (tritheism) or that there is one God who represents Himself as one person in three different ways or modes (modalism).
Instead, Christianity teaches that there is one God who exists in triune fashion as three Persons within one God, i.e., one “what” but three “who’s”; a plurality of Persons who are one in essence. Referencing the depth of this doctrine, A. W. Tozer writes, “Our sincerest effort to grasp the incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity must remain forever futile, and only by deepest reverence can it be saved from actual presumption. We cover our deep ignorance with words, but we are ashamed to wonder, we are afraid to whisper ‘mystery’” (The Knowledge of the Holy, p. 18).
The Bible affirms the Son of God’s place in the Godhead in both the Old and New Testaments. One passage affirming the Son’s deity in the Old Testament is Psalm 2: “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!’ . . . Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Psalm 2:1–3, 12, NASB).
In the New Testament, Jesus affirms His deity in many places. In His general teachings, He refers to Himself in the same way God is described in the Old Testament and does the same in twenty of His parables. Examples include the following:
God in the Old Testament
I AM (Exodus 3:14–15; Isaiah 48:12)
The Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
The Light (Psalm 27:1)
The Rock (Psalm 18:2)
Ruler of all (Isaiah 9:6)
Judge of all nations (Joel 3:12)
The Bridegroom (Isaiah 62:5; Hosea 2:16)
God’s Word never passes away (Isaiah 40:8)
The Sower (Jeremiah 31:27; Ezekiel 36:9)
First and the Last (Isaiah 48:12)
Jesus’ Reference to Himself
I AM (John 8:58)
The Shepherd (John 10:11)
The Light (John 8:12)
The Rock (Matthew 7:24)
Ruler of all (Matthew 28:18)
Judge of all (John 5:22)
The Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1)
Jesus’ words never pass away (Mark 13:31)
The Sower (Matthew 13:3–9)
First and the Last (Revelation 1:17–18)
Jesus said many things that equated Himself with Yahweh: “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) and “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). He asked God, “Glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5). He said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17).
In addition, Jesus accepted worship nine times in the gospels, forgave sins, and commanded His disciples to pray in His name. Jesus never said—as other prophets did—“Thus says the Lord”; rather, Jesus said, “I say,” and commanded His disciples to baptize in His name.
The New Testament writers also refer to Jesus as God many times (e.g., Matthew 3:16–17; John 1:1–3,14; John 20:28; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:5–8, 9–11; Colossians 1:16–19; 2:9–10; 1 Timothy 6:15; 2 Peter 1:1; Hebrews 1:8; 13:8; Revelation 1:8, 17; 2:8; 17:14; 19:16; 21:6; 22:13).
In conclusion, the teaching of Scripture is that Jesus is indeed Yahweh, the I AM, the God of the Old Testament.
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.
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.
Quoting from the Septuagint, the apostle Paul referred to Isaiah’s prophecy in Romans 15:8–13. Paul specifically acknowledged Jesus Christ as the root of Jesse in whom the Gentiles put their hope: “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope’” (verse 12). And in the book of Revelation, Jesus states, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16).
Isaiah’s use of the phrase root of Jesse calls into focus the humanity of Jesus. The Messiah would possess human ancestry. It also underscores Christ’s humble origins. As a shepherd from Bethlehem, Jesse occupied a relatively humble station in life. King Saul often used the phrase the son of Jesse to refer to David in a derogatory manner (1 Samuel 20:27, 30–31; 22:7–8). The Jesse Tree is an Advent custom that originates from Isaiah’s prophecy of the root of Jesse. Instead of perishing, Jesse’s family grew into a branch that bore fruit in the form of Messiah: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). During Advent, some use a Jesse Tree to represent the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
The Divisions of the 70 Weeks
In verse 24, Gabriel says, “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city.” Almost all commentators agree that the seventy “sevens” should be understood as seventy “weeks” of years, in other words, a period of 490 years. These verses provide a sort of “clock” that gives an idea of when the Messiah would come and some of the events that would accompany His appearance.
The prophecy goes on to divide the 490 years into three smaller units: one of 49 years, one of 434 years, and one 7 years. The final “week” of 7 years is further divided in half. Verse 25 says, “From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’” Seven “sevens” is 49 years, and sixty-two “sevens” is another 434 years:
49 years + 434 years = 483 years
The Purpose of the 70 Weeks
The prophecy contains a statement concerning God’s six-fold purpose in bringing these events to pass. Verse 24 says this purpose is 1) “to finish transgression,” 2) “to put an end to sin,” 3) “to atone for wickedness,” 4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” 5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and 6) “to anoint the most holy.”
Notice that these results concern the total eradication of sin and the establishing of righteousness. The prophecy of the 70 weeks summarizes what happens before Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom. Of special note is the third in the list of results: “to atone for wickedness.” Jesus accomplished the atonement for sin by His death on the cross (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17).
The Fulfillment of the 70 Weeks
Gabriel said the prophetic clock would start at the time that a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem. From the date of that decree to the time of the Messiah would be 483 years. We know from history that the command to “restore and rebuild Jerusalem” was given by King Artaxerxes of Persia c. 444 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:1-8).
The first unit of 49 years (seven “sevens”) covers the time that it took to rebuild Jerusalem, “with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble” (Daniel 9:25). This rebuilding is chronicled in the book of Nehemiah.
Converting the 360-day year used by the ancient Jews, 483 years becomes 476 years on our solar calendar. Adjusting for the switch from B.C. to A.D., 476 years after 444 B.C. places us at A.D. 33, which would coincide with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–9). The prophecy in Daniel 9 specifies that, after the completion of the 483 years, “the Anointed One will be cut off” (verse 26). This was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified.
Daniel 9:26 continues with a prediction that, after the Messiah is killed, “the people of the ruler who will come will destrIn Leviticus 23:1–2, the Lord told Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: These are my appointed times, the times of the LORD that you will proclaim as sacred assemblies” (CSB). “Appointed times” were the holy days, feasts, and festivals that God required the people of Israel to set aside as consecrated to the Lord and to observe faithfully throughout the year.
Part of ancient Israel’s commitment to worship and holy living involved the proper observance of sacred days and annual religious gatherings. The appointed times corresponded with the Jewish calendar and were tied to lunar and solar cycles.
The Lord called these solemn observances “my appointed times,” indicating that the focus of the gatherings would be on Him. They included the weekly Sabbath and the monthly new moon festival. The annual spring festivals were the Lord’s Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Firstfruits, and the Feast of Weeks, which was called Pentecost in the New Testament. The fall festivals consisted of the Feast of Trumpets or New Year’s Day, the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths.
The Sabbath (Leviticus 23:3) was an important religious celebration for the Hebrews because it was observed every week as a sign of Israel’s covenant relationship with God (Exodus 31:12–17). On the Sabbath, the Israelites were forbidden to do any work at all, whether plowing or reaping (Exodus 34:21), baking or food preparation (Exodus 16:23), lighting a fire (Exodus 35:3), or gathering wood (Numbers 15:32–36). Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word that means “to rest, to cease from labor.” The Sabbath remembered God’s rest on the seventh day following the six days of creation (Exodus 20:11) as well as God’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15).
The new moon observance marked the first day of every new month. During the new moon festivals, several different sacrifices were offered (Numbers 28:11–15), trumpets were blown (Numbers 10:10), all labor and trade were suspended (Nehemiah 10:31), and feasts were enjoyed (1 Samuel 20:5).
The appointed time of the Passover (Leviticus 23:4–5) was at the beginning of the bright season of the year when the moon was full in the first month of spring. The name Passover originates from the Hebrew term pesach, meaning “to leave or spare by passing over.” This great festival commemorated Israel’s salvation and deliverance from Egypt. Along with the Feast of Weeks and Tabernacles, it was one of three annual pilgrimage festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16) in which all Jewish males were required to travel to Jerusalem to worship.
The seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6–8) immediately followed Passover and was always celebrated as an extension of the Passover feast. During this week, the Israelites ate only unleavened bread to commemorate Israel’s hurried departure from Egypt. On the second day, Israel incorporated the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9–14) when the priest presented the first sheaves of grain from the spring harvest as a wave offering to the Lord. The Jews could not partake of their crops until the first fruits had been given. This act symbolized that the first and the best of everything belongs to God and that Israel would put the Lord first in every part of life. It was also an expression of thanksgiving for God’s gift of the harvest and for supplying their daily bread.
The next appointed time on the Jewish calendar was the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 15—22; Deuteronomy 16:9–10), which fell in late spring, on the fiftieth day (or a full seven weeks) after the Feast of Firstfruits. In the New Testament, this commemoration is called “Pentecost” (Acts 2:1), from the Greek word meaning “fifty.” As one of the harvest feasts, the Feast of Weeks involved offering the first loaves of bread made from the wheat harvest to the Lord. On this day, the Israelites also read from the book of Ruth and the Psalms.
The Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23–25; Numbers 29:1–6) or Rosh Hashanah (New Year’s Day), which was observed in the fall, marked the start of a new agricultural and civil year in Israel. This appointed time was announced with the blast of trumpets, commencing ten days of solemn dedication and repentance before the Lord.
The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26–32; Numbers 29:7–11) or Yom Kippur was the highest and holiest day of the Lord’s appointed times, falling ten days after the Feast of Trumpets. This day called for solemn fasting, deep repentance, and sacrifice. Only on this day, once a year, could the high priest enter the holy of holies in the tabernacle or temple and make an atoning blood sacrifice for the sins of all the people of Israel. As a complete Sabbath, no work was done on the Day of Atonement.
Five days later, Israel celebrated its most joyous appointed time of the year with the fall harvest festival (Sukkot), also known as the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33–36, 40, 42–43; Numbers 29:12–40) or Feast of Booths. During this week-long celebration, the Jewish people built small, makeshift shelters where they lived and ate their meals as a reminder of God’s provision and care during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness when they lived and worshiped in temporary tents.
The Lord’s appointed times were celebrations of God’s divine protection and provision. Each one recognized different aspects of God’s work of salvation in the lives of His people. Ultimately, these holy days, feasts, and festivals found their fulfillment in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Israel’s Messiah, Jesus Christ. Together, these observances prophetically convey the message of the cross, the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and the glorious promise of His second coming. As we gain a richer, fuller understanding of the Lord’s appointed times, we are rewarded with a more complete and unified picture of God’s plan of salvation as presented throughout the whole of Scripture.
oy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The “ruler who will come” is a reference to the Antichrist, who, it seems, will have some connection with Rome, since it was the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem.
The Final Week of the 70 Weeks
Of the 70 “sevens,” 69 have been fulfilled in history. This leaves one more “seven” yet to be fulfilled. Many scholars believe that we are now living in a huge gap between the 69th week and the 70th week. The prophetic clock has been paused, as it were. The final “seven” of Daniel is what we usually call the tribulation period.
Daniel’s prophecy reveals some of the actions of the Antichrist, the “ruler who will come.” Verse 27 says, “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’” However, “in the middle of the ‘seven,’ . . . he will set up an abomination that causes desolation” in the temple. Jesus warned of this event in Matthew 24:15. After the Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel, a time of “great tribulation” begins (Matthew 24:21, NKJV).
Daniel also predicts that the Antichrist will face judgment. He only rules “until the end that is decreed is poured out on him” (Daniel 9:27). God will only allow evil to go so far, and the judgment the Antichrist will face has already been planned out.
Conclusion
The prophecy of the 70 weeks is complex and amazingly detailed, and much has been written about it. Of course, there are various interpretations, but what we have presented here is the dispensational, premillennial view. One thing is certain: God has a time table, and He is keeping things on schedule. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and we should always be looking for the triumphant return of our Lord (Revelation 22:7).
2 a Literally just as Moses in all His house; SBL just as Moses in His house
5 b Numbers 12:7
6 c NE, WH, BYZ, and TR include to the end.
11 d Psalm 95:7–11 (see also LXX)
15 e Psalm 95:7–8
◄ Zechariah 4 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The Vision of the Lampstand and Olive Trees
1Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me, as a man is awakened from his sleep.
2“What do you see?” he asked.
“I see a solid gold lampstand,” I replied, “with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven spouts to the lamps. 3There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4“What are these, my lord?” I asked the angel who was speaking with me.
5“Do you not know what they are?” replied the angel.
“No, my lord,” I answered.
6So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts. 7What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”
8Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you. 10For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyesa of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb lineb in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
11Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?” 12And I questioned him further, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes from which the golden oilc pours?”
13“Do you not know what these are?” he inquired.
“No, my lord,” I replied.
14So he said, “These are the two anointed onesd who are standing beside the Lord of all the earth.”e
down the middle of the main street of the city.
Ezekiel 47:1-2
Then the man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. / Next he brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and there I saw the water trickling out from the south side.
Zechariah 14:8
And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea and the other half toward the Western Sea, in summer and winter alike.
Psalm 46:4
There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
On either side of the river stood a tree of life,
Genesis 2:9
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.
Proverbs 3:18
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.
Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month.
Ezekiel 47:12
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”
Isaiah 27:6
In the days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill the whole world with fruit.
Psalm 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Isaiah 19:22-25
And the LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; He will strike them but heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and He will hear their prayers and heal them. / In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt, and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. / In that day Israel will join a three-party alliance with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing upon the earth. …
Jeremiah 33:6
Nevertheless, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal its people and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.
Isaiah 2:2-4
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. / And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. / Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor train anymore for war.
Ezekiel 47:12
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”
Genesis 2:9
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.
Zechariah 14:8
And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea and the other half toward the Western Sea, in summer and winter alike.
Psalm 46:4
There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
Treasury of ScriptureIn the middle of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bore twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
the midst.
Revelation 22:1
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Revelation 21:21
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Ezekiel 47:1,12
Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar…
the tree of life.
Revelation 22:14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Revelation 2:7
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Genesis 2:9
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
healing.
Revelation 21:24
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Psalm 147:3
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
Isaiah 6:10
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
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Revelation 22
1. The river of the water of life.
2. The tree of life.
5. The light of the city of God is himself.
7. Jesus Is Coming.
9. The angel will not be worshipped.
18. Nothing may be added to the word of God, nor taken away.
◄ Revelation 22 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The River of Life
1Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
3No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him. 4They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. 5There 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.
Jesus Is Coming
6Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soona take place.”
7“Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book.b”
8And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things. 9But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
10Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of prophecy in this book, because the time is near. 11Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”
12“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
14Blessed are those who wash their robes,c so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates. 15But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”
17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.
Nothing May Be Added or Removed
18I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this book.
20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21The grace of the Lord Jesusd be with all the saints.e
Amen.f
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem
Joel 2:28-29
And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. / Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
Acts 2:17-18
‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. / Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Ezekiel 39:29
And I will no longer hide My face from them, for I will pour out My Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.”
a spirit of grace and prayer,
Hebrews 4:16
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.
Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. / And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Ephesians 6:18
Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.
and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced.
John 19:37
And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.”
Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
Psalm 22:16
For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child,
Jeremiah 6:26
O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as you would for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.
Amos 8:10
I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation. I will cause everyone to wear sackcloth and every head to be shaved. I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and its outcome like a bitter day.
Luke 7:12
As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.
and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Exodus 11:4-6
So Moses declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt, / and every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle. / Then a great cry will go out over all the land of Egypt. Such an outcry has never been heard before and will never be heard again.
Exodus 12:29-30
Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock. / During the night Pharaoh got up—he and all his officials and all the Egyptians—and there was loud wailing in Egypt; for there was no house without someone dead.
Psalm 78:51
He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
John 19:34
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
Treasury of ScriptureAnd I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look on me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
I will pour.
Proverbs 1:23
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Isaiah 32:15
Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.
Isaiah 44:3,4
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: …
the house.
Zechariah 12:7
The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.
the spirit.
Psalm 51:12
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
of supplications.
Jeremiah 31:9
They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Jeremiah 50:4
In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.
Romans 8:15,26
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father…
they shall look.
Psalm 22:16,17
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet…
John 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 19:34-37
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water…
they shall mourn.
Jeremiah 6:26
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
Amos 8:10
And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.
Matthew 24:30
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
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Zechariah 12
1. Jerusalem a cup of trembling to herself,
3. and a burdensome stone to her adversaries.
6. The victorious restoring of Judah.
10. The repentance of Jerusalem.
The Davidic Line refers to the genealogical lineage of King David, a central figure in the history of Israel and a pivotal character in biblical prophecy. This line is significant in both the Old and New Testaments, as it is associated with the promises of God regarding the Messiah, who is to come from David's descendants.
Biblical Foundation
The Davidic Covenant, found in 2 Samuel 7:12-16, establishes the foundation for the Davidic Line. God promises David, "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" (2 Samuel 7:12-13). This covenant assures that David's lineage will have an everlasting kingdom, a promise that is reiterated throughout the Scriptures.
Historical Kingship
The Davidic Line begins with David himself, who was anointed by the prophet Samuel as king over Israel (1 Samuel 16:13). David's reign is marked by military victories, the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital, and the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant to the city. His son Solomon succeeded him, known for his wisdom and for building the First Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6:1).
Following Solomon, the kingdom was divided, yet the Davidic Line continued in the southern kingdom of Judah. Notable kings from this line include Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah, each of whom sought to lead the people back to the worship of Yahweh. Despite periods of apostasy and exile, the line persisted, fulfilling God's promise of an enduring dynasty.
Messianic Prophecy
The prophets of Israel frequently spoke of a future king from the Davidic Line who would bring salvation and peace. Isaiah prophesied, "A shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit" (Isaiah 11:1), indicating a future leader from David's family. Jeremiah also affirmed this hope: "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as king and will administer justice and righteousness in the land" (Jeremiah 23:5).
New Testament Fulfillment
The New Testament presents Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. The genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 trace Jesus' lineage back to David, underscoring His rightful place in the Davidic Line. The angel Gabriel announced to Mary, "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David" (Luke 1:32).
Throughout His ministry, Jesus is recognized as the "Son of David," a messianic title affirming His role as the promised King. His death and resurrection are seen as the ultimate fulfillment of the promises made to David, establishing an eternal kingdom not of this world.
Footnotes:
6 a Or suddenly or quickly; similarly in verses 7, 12, and 20
7 b Or scroll; also in verses 9, 10, 18, 19
14 c BYZ and TR Blessed are those who do His commandments
21 d WH and BYZ the Lord Jesus Christ; TR our Lord Jesus Christ
21 e SBL, WH, NE, and TR do not include the saints.
21 f SBL, WH, NE, and NA do not include Amen.
Footnotes:
10 a Or facets
10 b Or the chosen capstone
12 c Hebrew from which the gold
14 d Hebrew the two sons of new oil
14 e See Revelation 11:4.
God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and told him to go to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery. In response, Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13).
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14).
The phrase translated “I am who I am” in Hebrew is ehyeh asher ehyeh. The word ehyeh is the first person common singular of the verb to be. It would be used in any number of normal situations: “I am watching the sheep,” “I am walking on the road,” or “I am his father.” However, when used as a stand-alone description, I AM is the ultimate statement of self-sufficiency, self-existence, and immediate presence. God’s existence is not contingent upon anyone else. His plans are not contingent upon any circumstances. He promises that He will be what He will be; that is, He will be the eternally constant God. He stands, ever-present and unchangeable, completely sufficient in Himself to do what He wills to do and to accomplish what He wills to accomplish.
When God identified Himself as I AM WHO I AM, He stated that, no matter when or where, He is there. It is similar to the New Testament expression in Revelation 1:8, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” This is true of Him for all time, but it would have been especially appropriate for a message in Moses’ day to a people in slavery and who could see no way out. I AM was promising to free them, and they could count on Him!
Moses and Aaron delivered the message to Pharaoh: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:1–2).
Pharaoh stood in opposition to the LORD. Pharaoh was not willing to concede that there was a power higher than himself. He was not willing to yield his plans to the One who was all-powerful and all-sufficient. In essence, Pharaoh was saying “I am who I am, and therefore I will not yield to another.” This seems to be the besetting sin of humanity. God is “The Great I AM,” but we continually want to be our own “I AM.” We make plans and determine that we will fulfill them no matter what. Even evidence to the contrary does not readily convince us of our weakness and contingency.
One of Frank Sinatra’s signature songs was “I Did It My Way.” The final lines of the song, written by Paul Anka, express a common refrain of mankind:
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way.
Likewise, the final stanza of the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley expresses much the same sentiment:
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
God is the only One who can accurately describe Himself as “I AM.” Jesus claimed the title I AM for Himself in John 8:58. For the rest of us, “I am” is a false claim to self-sufficiency. We are not eternally constant or ever-present. Our only hope is to abandon claims of our own sovereignty and sufficiency and cast ourselves upon the mercy of I AM.
The book of Romans addresses the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in the context of the gospel. In the early chapters, the apostle Paul focuses on the universality of sin, the inadequacy of the law to save, and the doctrine of justification by faith. While teaching that believers are justified by faith alone (Romans 3:21–31), Paul makes this foundational statement, “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (verse 28). Yet, not wanting readers to misunderstand, Paul clarifies, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31, NKJV).
A misconception existed among believers in Paul’s day and persists to this day. Some suppose that if justification (and salvation) comes by faith and not by observing the law, then the moral law is diminished in importance, rendering it obsolete or irrelevant. Paul wanted his readers to understand that faith does not nullify or void the law but instead reinforces it. The Greek verb (histanomen) translated as “we establish” in Romans 3:31 comes from a verb that means “to confirm or assert the legal validity; to uphold; to stand; to make firm.” The NLT renders Paul’s statement this way: “Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law” (Romans 3:31, NLT).
Salvation “by grace through faith” (see Ephesians 2:8–9; Galatians 2:16) establishes the law in several ways: First, through Jesus Christ’s perfect fulfillment of the law’s requirements and His sacrificial death to pay its penalties.
God sent His Son, “born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). Jesus came to fulfill the law in every way (Matthew 5:17; Romans 10:4). Paul states, “Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. . . . The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith” (Galatians 3:23–24, NLT).
Jesus gave His life on the cross to satisfy the requirements of the law and end sin’s control over humanity (see Romans 8:3–4; see also 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 9:15). He took the punishment we deserved under the law for our sins: “Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing” (Galatians 3:13, NLT).
Second, “we establish the law” through the Holy Spirit’s work of writing God’s law on our hearts. Citing from Jeremiah 31:31–34, the writer of Hebrews quotes, “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Hebrews 8:10; see also Hebrews 10:16; 2 Corinthians 3:3). Through faith in Jesus, God’s indwelling Spirit enables us to say like Paul and the psalmist, “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law” (Romans 7:22; cf. Psalm 1:2; Psalm 119:35).
Once we trust in Christ for salvation, the law no longer condemns us to a life of sin and death. Instead, we are set free to be guided by the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit (see Romans 8:2). Our faith does not make us lawless; rather, it produces in us a new obedience. We have a desire to follow God’s law, which grows from love and gratitude, rather than fear of punishment or mere rule-keeping.
Third, “we establish the law” through Christian discipleship, that is, our voluntary adherence to the law as a guide for godly living, not as a means of justification (see Matthew 28:19–20; Luke 9:23–24; Romans 13:1–7; 1 Peter 2:13–17; Titus 3:1). Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). Many of the ceremonial or civil aspects of the Mosaic Law are no longer necessary or binding, but the moral laws—the ethical standards rooted in God’s character—remain valid and are established through faith. For example, faith does not eliminate the moral obligation to love God and others (see Matthew 22:36–40) but enables us to live out these commands with new power and motivation. In this sense, our faith establishes the law.
The law reveals sin, sets a standard of righteousness, and exposes humanity’s need for grace. Christ, through His obedience and sacrifice, fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law (Romans 8:4). Through faith in Jesus, believers receive the righteousness of God the law demands, not through works, but as a gift of grace (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:21–22; Philippians 3:9). Thus, faith does not set aside the law’s requirements but establishes them in Christ.
Far from nullifying God’s law, faith in Christ affirms its proper role—pointing to Christ, revealing sin, and guiding believers in righteous living. The law is not our adversary, but our partner: it exposes our need for God and His grace. Through His grace, we are empowered to fulfill the law’s true intent. For Christians today, faith should lead neither to lawlessness nor to legalism, but to a transformed life in which we establish the law in heart, mind, and daily devotion to Christ.
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV).
The key to understanding any verse of Scripture is context. There is the immediate context—the verses before and after it, as well as the larger context of Scripture—how the verse fits into the overall story. There is also the historical and cultural context—how the verse was understood by its original audience in light of their history and culture. Because context is so important, a verse whose meaning and application seem straightforward when quoted in isolation may mean something significantly different when it is taken in context.
When approaching 2 Chronicles 7:14, one must first consider the immediate context. After Solomon dedicated the temple, the Lord appeared to him and gave him some warnings and reassurances. “The Lord with Lord appeared to him at night and said: ‘I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.’ When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:12–14).
The immediate context of 2 Chronicles 7:14 shows that the verse is tied up with Israel and the temple and the fact that from time to time God might send judgment upon the land in the form of drought, locusts, or pestilence.
A few verses later God says this: “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the Lord with Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord with Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them’” (2 Chronicles 7:19–22).
No doubt Solomon would have recognized this warning as a reiteration of Deuteronomy 28. God had entered into a covenant with Israel and promised to take care of them and cause them to prosper as long as they obeyed Him. He also promised to bring curses upon them if they failed to obey. Because of the covenant relationship, there was a direct correspondence between their obedience and their prosperity, and their disobedience and their hardship. Deuteronomy 28 spells out the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. Again, divine blessing and divine punishment on Israel were conditional on their obedience or disobedience.
We see this blessing and cursing under the Law play out in the book of Judges. Judges chapter 2 is often referred to as “The Cycle of the Judges.” Israel would fall into sin. God would send another nation to judge them. Israel would repent and call upon the Lord. The Lord would raise up a judge to deliver them. They would serve the Lord for a while and then fall back into sin again. And the cycle would continue.
In 2 Chronicles 7, the Lord simply reminds Solomon of the previous agreement. If Israel obeys, they will be blessed. If they disobey, they will be judged. The judgment is meant to bring Israel to repentance, and God assures Solomon that, if they will be humble, pray, and repent, then God will deliver them from the judgment.
In context, 2 Chronicles 7:14 is a promise to ancient Israel (and perhaps even modern-day Israel) that, if they will repent and return to the Lord, He will rescue them. However, many Christians in the United States have taken this verse as a rallying cry for America. (Perhaps Christians in other countries have done so as well.) In this interpretation, Christians are the people who are called by God’s name. If Christians will humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face, and repent, then God will heal their land—often a moral and political healing is in view as well as economic healing. The question is whether or not this is a proper interpretation/application.
The first problem that the modern-day, “Westernized” interpretation encounters is that the United States does not have the same covenant relationship with God that ancient Israel enjoyed. The covenant with Israel was unique and exclusive. The terms that applied to Israel simply did not apply to any other nation, and it is improper for these terms to be co-opted and applied to a different nation.
Some might object that Christians are still called by God’s name and in some ways have inherited the covenant with Israel—and this may be true to some extent. Certainly, if a nation is in trouble, a prayerful and repentant response by Christians in that nation is always appropriate. However, there is another issue that is often overlooked.
When ancient Israel repented and sought the Lord, they were doing so en masse. The nation as a whole repented. Obviously, not every single Israelite repented and prayed, but still it was national repentance. There was never any indication that a small minority of the nation (a righteous remnant) could repent and pray and that the fate of the entire nation would change. God promised deliverance when the entire nation repented.
When 2 Chronicles 7:14 is applied to Christians in the U.S. or any other modern nation, it is usually with the understanding that the Christians in that nation—the true believers in Jesus Christ who have been born again by the Spirit of God—will comprise the righteous remnant. God never promised that if a righteous remnant repents and prays for their nation, that the nation will be saved. Perhaps if national repentance occurred, then God would spare a modern nation as He spared Nineveh at the preaching of Jonah (see Jonah 3)—but that is a different issue.
Having said that, it is never wrong to confess our sins and pray—in fact, it is our duty as believers to continuously confess and forsake our sins so that they will not hinder us (Hebrews 12:1) and to pray for our nation and those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1–2). It may be that God in His grace will bless our nation as a result—but there is no guarantee of national deliverance. Even if God did use our efforts to bring about national repentance and revival, there is no guarantee that the nation would be politically or economically saved. As believers, we are guaranteed personal salvation in Christ (Romans 8:1), and we are also guaranteed that God will use us to accomplish His purposes, whatever they may be. It is our duty as believers to live holy lives, seek God, pray, and share the gospel knowing that all who believe will be saved, but the Bible does not guarantee the political, cultural, or economic salvation of our nation.
Each of the twelve sons of Israel / Jacob received a blessing from his father just before Jacob’s death. The twelve sons were the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the blessing contained prophetic information about the future of each tribe. In the case of the tribe of Judah, Jacob prophesied, “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk” (Genesis 49:8–12).
Each part of Jacob’s prophecy for the tribe of Judah reveals something about the people of that tribe, their history, and the spiritual application we can draw from it. In verse 8, Jacob prophesies that Judah’s brothers would praise him. Judah’s name signifies praise and was given him by his mother, her heart being filled with praises to God for him (Genesis 29:35). The strength and power of the tribe is also foretold in verse 8. Verse 9 uses the imagery of both a lion and the lion’s cub to portray the tribe of Judah. Judah was comparable to a young lion for his strength, courage, and vitality and to a mature lion in that the line of Judah contained those of national prominence and kingship, including David and Solomon.
The scepter not departing from Judah until “he comes to whom it belongs” is a Messianic prophecy. The name “Shiloh” appears in this verse in several translations, a word that refers to the Messiah. Commentators differ on the exact meaning of this somewhat obscure passage, but all agree that He who comes to obtain the obedience of the nations can be none other than Christ. The rest of the passage, verses 11–12, refers to the great abundance of riches that would belong to the tribe of Judah. So wealthy and blessed would they be that they would be able to tie a donkey to the choicest grapevine and allow him to eat his fill, an indication of the abundance that would belong to Judah.
The second application of verses 11–12, and the one that pertains to Christians today, is the abundance of spiritual riches available to us in Christ, the great quantity of spiritual blessings flowing from the love of God, which come to us through Christ, which are comparable to wine and milk. The riches include His word and His statutes and Christ Himself, the Bread of Life. These may also be applied to Christ and to His human nature, which was like a garment dipped in blood through His sufferings and death. Isaiah 63:1–3 contains this same imagery. It can also refer to His church and His people whose garments are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:13–14).
Toronto was blanketed under an eerie orange sky Wednesday as a thick, choking cover of smoke from hundreds of wildfires in northern Ontario pushed the city’s air quality to worst in the world, prompting health warnings and event cancellations. Air quality warnings from Environment Canada stretched from Thunder Bay east to Kingston and south to London. Evacuation orders have been issued for several First Nations communities in northwestern Ontario. Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a social media post Wednesday night that his government was “in close contact with provincial, municipal and Indigenous partners and stands ready to provide any additional support as needed.” Read morearrow icon Updated 22 hrs agolink icon Lightning flickers across southern B.C. amid dire wildfire warnings By Chuck Chiang The Canadian Press Open fire and campfire bans coming into effect in B.C. amid dry lightning threat A CPKC train passes the Brunswick Creek wildfire burning in the mountains, in Boston Bar, B.C., on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press VANCOUVER - Lightning strikes were flickering across British Columbia’s southern Interior on Wednesday afternoon, as a weather system that firefighters fear will trigger a surge in ignitions began to make its presence felt. Environment Canada meteorologist Colin Fong said the focus will be on the severity and frequency of dry lightning over the next few days, with parched conditions on the ground ripe for new wildfires in the province’s south. “That’s pretty much the main story for this week,” Fong said of the threat of dry lightning in southern B.C., stretching into Friday. Read more from The Canadian Press
Toronto turns orange under a sky choked by Ontario wildfire smoke: ‘Is this the apocalypse?’The city had the worst air quality in the world on Wednesday, prompting health warnings and event cancellations.
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July 15, 2026
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The view of the smoke from Ontario forest fires that shrouded the Toronto skyline in haze on Wednesday.
Steve Russell/Toronto Star
By Manuela VegaBusiness Reporter, Daniyah YaqoobStaff Reporter, and Xavier MesquitaStaff ReporterToronto was blanketed under an eerie orange sky Wednesday as a thick, choking cover of smoke from hundreds of wildfires in northern Ontario pushed the city’s air quality to worst in the world, prompting health warnings and event cancellations.
Air quality warnings from Environment Canada stretched from Thunder Bay east to Kingston and south to London. Evacuation orders have been issued for several First Nations communities in northwestern Ontario.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a social media post Wednesday night that his government was “in close contact with provincial, municipal and Indigenous partners and stands ready to provide any additional support as needed.”
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW“Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their communities, not knowing if their homes will survive,” Carney said, thanking firefighters, first responders and local leaders for their work.
Early morning kayakers take in the sunrise as smoke from Ontario forest fires blankets the Beaches in Toronto on July 16, 2026.
Steve Russell/Toronto StarA video posted online showed orange flames engulfing a stalled CN train near Armstrong, about 250 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, with crew members trapped inside before they were evacuated.
Smoke plumes stretched south across the U.S.-Canada border, prompting health warnings in New York state and through the U.S. Northeast and Midwest. Mayor Zohran Mamdani told residents of New York City that “air quality has reached unhealthy levels in parts of NYC due to smoke from Canadian wildfires,” in a social media post as the city overtook Toronto for the world’s worst air quality Wednesday night.
CanadaThis terrifying video shows Northern Ontario train surrounded by raging wildfire flamesThousands of visitors were told to evacuate a remote Minnesota wilderness area accessible only by boat due to wildfires burning in the state. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz thanked Premier Doug Ford and “our Canadian allies” after two groups of American YMCA campers were rescued from the fires near the U.S. Canada border. Ford replied, “That’s what neighbours are for.”
In Toronto, outdoor events were cancelled, including World Cup watch parties for Argentina’s 2-1 semifinal match win over England at FIFA Fan Festival, Nathan Phillips Square and the University of Toronto. The city closed its outdoor pools and children’s wading pools.
“Is this the apocalypse now? What’s going on here?” said Pat Kehs, a tourist in Toronto from Washington, D.C., as he awoke Wednesday and looked out of his hotel window. “This morning it was like a war zone,” he said, adding he was surprised to see conditions change so fast after enjoying sunny, blue skies for the past few days.
"Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah" (1 Sam 16:13).
The story of God's choice of David to rule over his people is not only rich in allusions to the story of Joseph, who himself happens to be a prefiguration of Moses (a Hebrew slave, rejected by his brothers, named by Egyptians, mistaken for Egyptians by their dress, marries the daughter of a Gentile priest, has two sons, becomes ruler over his people, etc.), but also contains an allusion to two other incredibly significant texts in the Torah. According to 1 Samuel 16:13, David is anointed "in the midst of his brothers." This exact phrase and a very close variant of it are used in only two other passages in Scripture: Deuteronomy 17 and Deuteronomy 18.
In Deuteronomy 17, it is used concerning the choosing of Israel's king. "You shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses, one FROM THE MIDST OF HIS BROTHERS you shall set as king over yourselves" (Deut 17:15a). In Deuteronomy 18, it is used concerning the tribe of Levi (Deut 18:2), and also about the promise of a prophet like Moses: "I will raise up a prophet FROM THE MIDST OF HIS BROTHERS like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him" (Deut 18:18).
Consider for a moment the potency of these tiny allusions to Deuteronomy 17-18: the author paints a portrait of David using all the key colors associated with Israel's Messiah. The Messiah will be Israel's King of kings, Israel's Highest Priest, and a Prophet like Moses. When we consider the parallels between God's choice of David over his older brothers with Joseph earlier in this chapter, we also see David as a picture of Israel's suffering servant (compare 1 Sam 16:11 with Gen 37:2).
Friends, the plot-structure of the Hebrew Bible is like a gently flowing river.
When we willingly go with its flow, the river of redemption leads every truth seeking reader to the King, High Priest, Prophet, and Suffering Servant whom God sent to redeem and rule over the world!
To be spiritually blind is not to see Christ, and not to see Christ is not to see God (Colossians 1:15-16; 2 Corinthians 4:6). Spiritual blindness is a grievous condition experienced by those who do not believe in God, Jesus Christ, and His Word (Romans 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:12). Those who reject Christ are the lost (John 6:68-69). Being spiritually blind, they are perishing (2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Revelation 3:17). They choose not to accept the teachings of Christ and His authority in their lives (Matthew 28:18). They are blind to the manifestations of God as revealed throughout His Word and Jesus Christ (John 1:1; Acts 28:26-27). They are described as those who “do not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Peter spoke of such people as “scoffers [who] will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires” (2 Peter 3:3; see also Proverbs 21:24; Jude 1:18). Those who reject Christ and His Word are spiritually blind and cannot understand the truth of the Scriptures. The truth sounds foolish to them (Isaiah 37:23; 1 Corinthians 1:18). The Bible describes those denying God as fools (Psalm 14:1; Matthew 7:26). Because of their blindness and rejection of God and His Word, they are in a perilous, unsaved condition (John 12:48; Hebrews 2:2-4).
The spiritually blind are simply unable to understand God’s Word (Matthew 13:13; Deuteronomy 29:4). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17). Paul echoed this when he told the believers in Rome, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:8-9). Those outside of Christ are not of God because their lives are steeped in the things of the world with all its passions, their eyes blind to the Spirit of God. The Apostle John said, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” but that person’s love “is from the world” (1 John 2:15-16).
The cause of spiritual blindness is made quite clear in the Scriptures: “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Paul refers to Satan as the “god of this world.” Extraordinarily evil (John 8:44), Satan destroys the flesh (1 Corinthians 5:5), masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and is the cause of all temptations (Luke 4:2; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 7:5). He revels in scheming against and trapping the unbelievers (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:26). Satan’s goal is to devour the weak who fall prey to temptation, fear, loneliness, worry, depression, and persecution (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Without God and left to ourselves, we easily succumb to the devil’s schemes. We can become so mired in the affairs of this world and its moral darkness that, in the end, God turns us over to spiritual blindness and eternal condemnation (John 12:40; Romans 1:24-32).
As believers, we have the Spirit of God reigning in our lives to ward off the debilitating effects of Satan’s power and the world’s influence (1 John 4:13). John tells us, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15). Satan wars within and without us. His weapons are deceitful and crafty schemes to make us doubt and stumble (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 4:14). Yet God has provided us with powerful weapons to ward off his flaming arrows (Ephesians 6:10-18). As believers we can overcome the evil one and remain in the Light and never become spiritually blind. For, in truth, Jesus has given us His wonderful promise: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Let us enter into the mind and heart of Mary and reflect on the seven major sorrows in her life. Our Sorrowful Mother can teach us much about the sanctity of suffering and be a source of consolation to all who suffer.
The Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15.
First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon“And you yourself a sword will pierce” (Lk 2:35).
When Mary’s 40-day period of purification has almost ended, she goes to Jerusalem to fulfill the Mosaic Law and for the required offering to the Lord of every firstborn male. The law of purification does not bind Mary, always a virgin. Nor does Jesus, because of who he is, have to be redeemed. Yet Mary humbly obeys.
After the ceremony, imagine young Mary’s amazement when Simeon takes Jesus from her arms and acknowledges him as the Messiah! Only through divine inspiration can Simeon know this. Simeon blesses them and says to Mary, “And you yourself a sword will pierce” (Lk 2:35).
Mary shudders and holds Jesus close to her breast, as Joseph gently leads her out of the temple. Although Joseph is deeply shaken, his primary concern is for his wife and son. They return to Nazareth in silence, where Mary ponders these things in her heart.
Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt“The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him'” (Mt 2:13).
Joseph hastily awakens Mary and relates his dream. She feels the sword’s sharpness as Simeon’s prophecy echoes in her heart. There is no time to worry—only time to pack a few essentials—as they prepare to flee to Egypt under cover of darkness.
The lengthy journey across the desert wilderness frightens Mary, but she never voices her fears to Joseph. However, she can’t help but think, Will there be enough food and water? How will we weather the excessive heat? What if the donkey stumbles? What if . . . ? The “what-ifs” could have paralyzed a person of little faith. But Mary continues to trust that God will take care of her little family’s needs.
None of this is recorded, so we can only imagine the hardships that the Holy Family endured while in exile. One thing is certain: nothing can sway Mary’s trust in God. She never questions. She ponders, letting the things she doesn’t understand simply be there in her heart, in complete conformity to the divine plan. Mary is a model of cooperation with grace.
Third Sorrow: Search for the Child in Jerusalem“After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety'” (Lk 2:46, 48).
Terror seizes Mary’s heart when she discovers that her son is missing. On the third day, while walking by the temple, the anxious mother hears the sweet sound of Jesus’ voice. “Joseph, look! There he is among the teachers!” They run to Jesus’ side, and Mary, with mingled joy and sorrow, speaks words of gentle reproach to her son.
Mary and Joseph realize they have a very special son—one who amazes even the teachers in the temple with his intelligence. Sometimes they whisper in Aramaic at night, sharing their innermost thoughts and concerns. Often, young Mary ponders these things in her heart while performing her daily tasks: grinding grain into flour to make bread, milking the goats, and spinning yarn and weaving it into clothing for her family.
Sometimes, in the cool of the evening, she sits on the flat roof of their home, the pain of Simeon’s prophecy and of Jesus’ disappearance merging and lingering—a pain as widespread as the profusion of flowers trickling down the hillsides of Nazareth in that April of Jesus’ 12th year.
Fourth Sorrow: Mary Meets Jesus on His Way to the Cross“And carrying the cross himself . . .” (Jn 19:17). “A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him” (Lk 23:27).
Mary’s life remains hidden—hidden in God. A widow now, she lives an inconspicuous life, pondering and accepting the mystery of her unique role and that of her son. When news of his miracles reaches her at Nazareth, she rejoices. But the disturbing news of the tension mounting in Jerusalem concerning an upstart named Jesus makes her apprehensive. She knows the sword is poised to pierce her heart more deeply. Yet she goes to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, hoping Jesus will be there.
Mary helps prepare the Passover meal. Quickly she dishes out the bitter herbs and vinegar and carries them to the Upper Room. Here, Mary participates in the first Eucharist. She comprehends all too well the full meaning of his words. We can only guess at the sequence of events. Perhaps one of the holy women finds Mary and tells her that Jesus has been arrested. “I must go to him!” she cries.
Mary pushes her way through the shouting, cursing mob. At last, she sees her son carrying his cross. Mary’s heart breaks in unspeakable sorrow at the outrage committed against his precious body. She is powerless to minister to him, except by her presence. Their eyes meet and speak volumes of love in a frozen moment of anguished silence. “Trust, trust,” Jesus’ heart speaks to hers. His unspoken words echo in her hearing heart. With renewed strength, she walks the Way of her son.
Fifth Sorrow: Standing at the Foot of the Cross
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (Jn 19:25–27).
Finally they reach the hill of execution. The cruel soldiers stretch Jesus’ battered body upon the cross and, with heavy hammer blows, drive the sharp spikes into his hands and feet. Mary’s head pounds with each cruel blow. No one hears the silent scream that shatters her broken heart and echoes in the heart of God.
What now takes place is all according to God’s plan. Her son, the Son of God, has to suffer and die. John, the beloved disciple, puts his arm around Mary, steadying her. “My precious child,” she weeps, “heralded at Bethlehem, now suffering an ignominious and painful death!”
And then, through swollen, purple lips, Jesus speaks. Mary strains to hear his words. He looks tenderly upon his mother and, with great effort, says, “He is your son.” He looks at the disciple and emphasizes, “She is your mother.”
Sixth Sorrow: The Crucifixion and Descent from the CrossAfter this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. So he came and took his body” (Jn 19:38).
Saying, “It is finished,” Jesus bows his head and dies. Mary remembers his words at the Passover meal: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you” (Lk 22:20). The dreaded time is now: he precious blood of her son is poured out for all humankind. The covenant is sealed.
Jesus, her son, the Son of God, is dead. In her heart, Mary dies with him. Two broken hearts—one pierced with a spear, one pierced with sorrow—become one: Jesus and Mary, forever united for the whole human family.
Mary’s sorrow is all the greater because of the greatness of her love.
Jesus’ body is taken down from the cross and placed in her arms. Mary embraces her son with a love beyond words, beyond grief itself. For now, it is the grief of a consummate sorrow. She, who had given birth to divinity, now presses the bloodied and battered remains of his humanity close to her sorrowful and shattered heart. “Let it be done according to thy will, Lord,” she prays.
Seventh Sorrow: Assisting at the Burial of Christ“The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind, and when they had seen the tomb and the way in which his body was laid in it, they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils“ (Lk 23:55‚ 56).
The holy women quietly prepare the spices and ointments, and gather the winding sheet and the grave cloth, according to Jewish custom. Mary, the faithful disciple, insists on helping and returns to the tomb with the women. They go about their task of washing the body with great reverence and wrap it in long strips of linen, taking great care to pack the fragrant spices (including the myrrh and aloes Nicodemus had brought) between the cloth and the body, in order to reduce the stench of death.
Mary hesitates before placing the grave cloth over Jesus’ face. Tenderly, she kisses him one last, lingering time. John steps forward to take her hand and lead her to his home. Behind them, they hear the heavy round stone rolled forward to seal the cave. Mary’s pierced heart remains united to the stilled heart of the one they had pierced—the most Sacred Heart that was formed in her immaculate womb. With one languishing wail, she proclaims what others are just now beginning to believe, what she already knew: “My Lord and my God!”
All four gospels present an account of Jesus being anointed by a woman with a costly jar of perfume (Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50; John 12:1–8). Matthew and Mark relate the same event but do not give the woman’s name; Luke tells of a different woman, also anonymous, on an earlier occasion; and, in yet another event, the woman in John is identified as Mary of Bethany (John 11:2), sister to Martha and Lazarus. To understand the significance of Jesus being anointed on these three occasions, we’ll look at each account separately and then compare and contrast them in conclusion.
In Hebrews 11, we learn about faith from the Bible’s Old Testament heroes. One crucial detail stands out in their lives: they placed their whole confidence in God, entrusting themselves into His hands. The actions and accomplishments of these men and women proved that faith pleases God, and He rewards those who seek Him: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
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.
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 anointing of Jesus in Matthew takes place two days before Passover in the town of Bethany at Simon the leper’s home: “Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table” (Matthew 26:6–7, ESV).
Matthew focuses on the anointing of Jesus as a teaching episode for the disciples, who react with anger because of the woman’s wasteful extravagance. But Jesus defends her, saying, “She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Matthew 26:10). Christ explains that the anointing is to prepare His body for burial and that the woman’s act of love will forever be remembered wherever the good news is preached.
Mark tells the same story in similar terms, with an anonymous woman with an alabaster box interrupting a meal in Simon the leper’s home to anoint the head of Jesus with expensive perfume. Again, the woman’s critics describe her gift as excessive, complaining that it could have been sold for more than a year’s wages (Mark 14:5). But Jesus receives the woman’s gift as a selfless act of love and devotion—an appropriate way to honor the Messiah. Jesus reveals that He will not be with them much longer, which references His impending death and burial.
Both Matthew and Mark’s accounts emphasize the prophetic significance of the anointing of Jesus, alluding to His death and burial. There may also be an implication of Jesus’ kingship, since, in the Old Testament, the anointing of the head was often associated with the dedication of kings (1 Samuel 9:15—10:1; 16:12–13; 1 Kings 1:38–40).
In Luke’s account of a similar, yet different, instance, Jesus uses the occasion of being anointed to tell a parable about forgiveness (Luke 7:39–50). About a year before His death, Jesus was dining in the home of Simon the Pharisee, who had arrogantly neglected to extend the customary respect and hospitality to his guest, while a sinful woman anoints Jesus’ feet, lavishing her love and gratefulness upon Jesus.
In John’s gospel, Lazarus’ sister Mary is the woman who anoints Jesus with a high-priced perfume at a dinner in Bethany. The story is similar to those in the other gospels, although this anointing takes place six days before Passover, and Judas is named as the disciple who objects to the “waste.” On this occasion, “Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair”(John 12:3, NLT). Jesus defends Mary from Judas’s criticism by pointing out the unique opportunity Mary had: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” (John 12:8).
Mary’s anointing again points to Christ’s identity as Messiah-King, but it also points to His humble position as Servant-King. When Mary anoints Jesus’ feet and then wipes them with her hair, she foreshadows Jesus’ actions at the upcoming Last Supper when the Lord washes the disciples’ feet and teaches them how to love one another through sacrificial, humble service (John 13:1–20).
In each account, a woman pours out a precious and costly perfume in an extravagant act of worship. The three women who anointed Jesus recognized Christ’s unequaled value and expressed their gratitude with unreserved love and devotion. Two anointings of Jesus happen during the week of Passover and are linked with His imminent death and burial. The earlier anointing, in Luke’s account, is in the middle of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee and draws a different lesson on forgiveness and love.
In each case, the woman’s actions signal more than she knows. But, although she may not fully comprehend the messianic significance of her anointing, each woman had come to appreciate Christ’s worth more than anyone else at the table.
Jesus Christ is God’s anointed Messiah. The word Messiah means “anointed one” and derives directly from the Hebrew word for “anointed.” Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, also meaning “anointed one.” Thus, Christ is the Greek equivalent to Messiah. When Jesus receives the Holy Spirit at His baptism, He is “anointed” by God in preparation for His life’s work (Luke 3:22; cf. Acts 10:38; Luke 4:18). On three separate occasions, Jesus is anointed with fragrant ointment in His work as the Savior, the King of heaven who was in preparation to die to save His people.
For teachings on Mary as the "New Ark of the Covenant," you can explore the audio and video resources produced by Dr. Brant Pitre on Catholic Productions. Their study materials deeply examine the biblical and historical parallels between the original Ark and the Virgin Mary. [1, 2]
Key resources to explore include:
The King James Version, New King James, and English Standard Version use the word sorrows in Isaiah 53:3 in identifying the Messiah as “a man of sorrows.” The NIV translates the word as “suffering.” Isaiah 52:13—53:12 is the climactic fourth of the Servant Songs and is often referred to as the “Song of the Suffering Servant.” If you simply read these verses carefully, you will note how much pain, suffering, and sorrow that Jesus, the Suffering Servant, actually endures (italics added for emphasis):
“See, my servant will act wisely;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
Just as there were many who were appalled at him--
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
and his form marred beyond human likeness--
so he will sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.
“Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
“Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
“He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Jesus is called “a man of sorrows” because of how much suffering He had to endure. He suffered first by leaving the glories of heaven and entering the human race as a man. Then He suffered all the things that humanity suffers, and then finally He suffered the wrath of God as the sin-bearer. Such suffering must have been all the more acute for Him, given His perfect nature. Who of us could ever understand the depths of what His righteous spirit suffered as He lived among fallen humanity?
Although He is called “a man of sorrows,” Jesus was not a morose, doleful person. He did endure times of sadness, but He could rejoice in His sufferings as He focused on the final outcome. Jesus is “the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus endured many pains, hardships, sufferings, and sorrows, but He kept His eyes on the final joy of completing God’s purpose and redeeming His lost sheep.
The old hymn by Philip Bliss is appropriate to quote here:
“Man of Sorrows,” what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood--
Sealed my pardon with His blood:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Guilty, vile and helpless, we,
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die,
“It is finished,” was His cry;
Now in heav’n exalted high:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
It was Jesus’ willingness to endure suffering and sorrow in a world of suffering and sorrow that ultimately rescues all who trust in Him from the very presence of any suffering and sorrow. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
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.
To be spiritually blind is not to see Christ, and not to see Christ is not to see God (Colossians 1:15-16; 2 Corinthians 4:6). Spiritual blindness is a grievous condition experienced by those who do not believe in God, Jesus Christ, and His Word (Romans 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:12). Those who reject Christ are the lost (John 6:68-69). Being spiritually blind, they are perishing (2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Revelation 3:17). They choose not to accept the teachings of Christ and His authority in their lives (Matthew 28:18). They are blind to the manifestations of God as revealed throughout His Word and Jesus Christ (John 1:1; Acts 28:26-27). They are described as those who “do not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Peter spoke of such people as “scoffers [who] will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires” (2 Peter 3:3; see also Proverbs 21:24; Jude 1:18). Those who reject Christ and His Word are spiritually blind and cannot understand the truth of the Scriptures. The truth sounds foolish to them (Isaiah 37:23; 1 Corinthians 1:18). The Bible describes those denying God as fools (Psalm 14:1; Matthew 7:26). Because of their blindness and rejection of God and His Word, they are in a perilous, unsaved condition (John 12:48; Hebrews 2:2-4).
The spiritually blind are simply unable to understand God’s Word (Matthew 13:13; Deuteronomy 29:4). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17). Paul echoed this when he told the believers in Rome, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:8-9). Those outside of Christ are not of God because their lives are steeped in the things of the world with all its passions, their eyes blind to the Spirit of God. The Apostle John said, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” but that person’s love “is from the world” (1 John 2:15-16).
The cause of spiritual blindness is made quite clear in the Scriptures: “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Paul refers to Satan as the “god of this world.” Extraordinarily evil (John 8:44), Satan destroys the flesh (1 Corinthians 5:5), masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and is the cause of all temptations (Luke 4:2; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 7:5). He revels in scheming against and trapping the unbelievers (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:26). Satan’s goal is to devour the weak who fall prey to temptation, fear, loneliness, worry, depression, and persecution (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Without God and left to ourselves, we easily succumb to the devil’s schemes. We can become so mired in the affairs of this world and its moral darkness that, in the end, God turns us over to spiritual blindness and eternal condemnation (John 12:40; Romans 1:24-32).
As believers, we have the Spirit of God reigning in our lives to ward off the debilitating effects of Satan’s power and the world’s influence (1 John 4:13). John tells us, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15). Satan wars within and without us. His weapons are deceitful and crafty schemes to make us doubt and stumble (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 4:14). Yet God has provided us with powerful weapons to ward off his flaming arrows (Ephesians 6:10-18). As believers we can overcome the evil one and remain in the Light and never become spiritually blind. For, in truth, Jesus has given us His wonderful promise: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Usually, when people speak of the “great deception,” they refer to 2 Thessalonians 2:11, which predicts that God will, in an end-times judgment, send “a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.” This great deception is associated with the satanic work of the Antichrist and his “displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie” (verse 9).
The same passage in 2 Thessalonians also speaks of a great apostasy that will take place before the man of lawlessness is revealed. Similar apostasies are predicted elsewhere: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). Of course, people are complicit in the deception, for they reject the truth and prefer lies: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).
Jesus spoke about a time to come when the deception will be especially great when false messiahs and false prophets will appear. Even the people of God could be deceived if it were not for God’s providential protection: “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24, see also Mark 13:5–6, Luke 21:8).
All of these deceptions are instigated by the devil. However, 2 Thessalonians 2:11 also speaks of the deception as God’s punishment on people who refuse to believe the truth. The context seems to be similar to that of the gospel passages above and speaks of one to come who will be especially deceptive: “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:9–12, ESV).
In this passage, after people have refused the truth for so long, God causes them to believe what is false—a “strong delusion.” This is not an instance where God actively deceives people; rather, God is simply giving those who reject the truth what they really want.
We see a similar pattern in Romans 1:18–25 where people reject God’s truth for so long that He simply abandons them to their own sinfulness. They have, as it were, crossed the point of no return:
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
“Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.”
Much the same thing happened to Pharaoh after he refused to let the Israelites leave Egypt, and God hardened his heart. It was not as though Pharaoh would have been an obedient follower of the Lord if God had not hardened his heart. Pharaoh set his heart against the Lord, and God simply confirmed for all time Pharaoh’s decision (see Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34; 10:1).
The deception spoken of in the Gospels has to do with false prophets and/or messiahs who appear and seem to be authenticated by miracles. Taking the futurist position, we see the great deception spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2 as a future event associated with the coming of the Antichrist after the rapture of the church. “Those who are perishing” will willingly embrace the imitation and follow the beast of the end times; they will perish “because they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (verse 10).
We don’t know exactly what the great deception will be, only that it will be a strong delusion capable of swaying the world’s allegiance toward the Antichrist. The Bible says that, in the time of the Antichrist and false prophet, there will be many signs to bolster their lies. The false prophet “performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth” (Revelation 13:13–14). It is hard to imagine, but the deception during the tribulation will be worse than all of Satan’s other deceptions. The Antichrist will have a deadly wound healed, his “image” will breathe and speak and give orders, etc. (Revelation 13:12, 15).
In the broader sense, anyone who rejects the truth of God is being deceived, and at some point, God may simply abandon him to the deception that he has willingly embraced. There are plenty of false teachers today who claim to teach God’s Word. Some claim to be Christians, and some claim to bring a word from God from outside of the Bible. It is vitally important that every Christian compare every teaching with what the Bible says and spend the time necessary to evaluate what is being taught. This is the mission of Got Questions, and in keeping with that mission, we would encourage every reader to compare what we say with Scripture as well.
The Mark of the Beast
16And the second beast required all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is 666.d
China controls commerce and individuals through an integrated system of state-directed capitalism, digital surveillance, and strict regulatory enforcement. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) merges political and commercial interests through mandatory party committees in private firms, heavy data localization laws, and the monitoring of all e-commerce transactions. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Corporate & E-Commerce Control
Individual & Social Controls
Impact on Commerce & Trade
Solomon was the third and last king of the united kingdom of Israel, following King Saul and King David. He was the son of David and Bathsheba, the former wife of Uriah the Hittite whom David had killed to hide his adultery with Bathsheba while her husband was on the battle front. Solomon wrote the Song of Solomon, the book of Ecclesiastes, and much of the book of Proverbs. His authorship of Ecclesiastes is contested by some, but Solomon is the only “son of David” to be “king over Israel” (not just Judah) “in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1, 12), and many of the descriptions of the author fit Solomon perfectly. Solomon reigned for 40 years (1 Kings 11:42).
What are the highlights of Solomon’s life? When he ascended to the throne, he sought after God, and God gave him opportunity to ask for whatever he wanted. Solomon humbly acknowledged his inability to rule well and unselfishly asked God for the wisdom he would need to rule God’s people justly. God gave him wisdom and wealth besides (1 Kings 3:4–15; 10:27). In fact, "King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth" (1 Kings 10:23). God also gave Solomon peace on all sides during most of his reign (1 Kings 4:20–25).
One common illustration of Solomon’s wisdom is his judging a dispute over the identity of the true mother of an infant child (1 Kings 3:16-28). Solomon proposed splitting the living child in half, knowing that the true mother would prefer to lose her son to another woman than to have him killed. Solomon was not only wise in his rule but had great general wisdom as well. His wisdom was renowned in his day. The Queen of Sheba traveled 1,200 miles to verify the rumors of his wisdom and grandeur (1 Kings 10). "Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed" (1 Kings 10:3–5). Solomon proved not only to be knowledgeable but to have put his wisdom into action in the way his kingdom functioned.
Solomon wrote many proverbs and songs (1 Kings 4:32) and completed many building projects (1 Kings 7:1–12; 9:15–23). Solomon also built a fleet of ships and acquired tons of gold from Ophir with Hiram, king of Tyre, as a partner (1 Kings 9:26–28; 10:11, 22). Perhaps Solomon’s most important building project was completing the Jewish temple per the instructions and provisions of his father, David (1 Kings 6; 1 Chronicles 22).
Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, many of them foreigners who led him into public idolatry in his old age, greatly angering God (1 Kings 11:1–13). First Kings 11:9–10 records, "The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’s command." God told Solomon that he would remove the kingdom from him, but, for the sake of David, would not do so during Solomon’s lifetime. He also promised not to tear the whole kingdom away. In the meantime, God raised up adversaries against Solomon who caused trouble the remainder of Solomon’s life (1 Kings 11:14–25). Jeroboam, who would become the first king of Israel, also began to rebel against Solomon, but fled (1 Kings 11:26–40). The kingdom was divided under Rehoboam, Solomon’s son (1 Kings 12).
There are many lessons we can learn from the life of Solomon. First, when we seek God with all of our heart, He will be found (1 Kings 3:3–7). Second, those who honor God will be honored by Him (1 Kings 3:11–13; 1 Samuel 2:30). Third, God will equip us to accomplish the tasks He calls us to if we will rely on Him (1 Kings 3; Romans 12:3–8; 2 Peter 1:3). Fourth, the spiritual life is a marathon, not a sprint. A good start is not always enough to finish well (1 Kings 3; 11). Fifth, we can sincerely ask God to incline our hearts toward Him (1 Kings 8:57–58), but we will wander off the path of righteousness if we choose to violate His revealed Word. Sixth, those closest to us will affect our spiritual lives (Exodus 34:16; 1 Kings 11:1–8; Daniel 1; 3; 1 Corinthians 15:33), and we must therefore be very careful of the company we keep. Seventh, life lived apart from God will be meaningless, regardless of education, fulfilled goals, the greatest of pleasures, and the greatest abundance of wealth (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
Jesus cleansed the temple of the money-changers and sellers of merchandise because of His disgust at what they had made of God’s house of prayer and His zeal to purify it from the abuse of ungodly men. Judea was under the rule of the Romans, and the money in current use was Roman coin. However, the Jewish law required that every man should pay a tribute to the service of the sanctuary of “half a shekel” (Exodus 30:11–16), a Jewish coin. It became, therefore, a matter of convenience to have a place where the Roman coin could be exchanged for the Jewish half shekel. The money-changers provided this convenience but would demand a small sum for the exchange. Because so many thousands of people came up to the great feasts, changing money was a very profitable business and one that resulted in fraud and oppression of the poor.
◄ Isaiah 53 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The Suffering Servant
(Acts 8:26–40; 1 Peter 2:21–25)
1Who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?a
2He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no stately form or majesty to attract us,
no beauty that we should desire Him.
3He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.
Like one from whom men hide their faces,
He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
4Surely He took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows;b
yet we considered Him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
5But He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
and by His stripes we are healed.c
6We all like sheep have gone astray,d
each one has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid upon Him
the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet He did not open His mouth.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so He did not open His mouth.
8By oppression and judgment He was taken away,
and who can recount His descendants?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;e
He was stricken for the transgression of My people.
A Grave Assigned
(Matthew 27:57–61; Mark 15:42–47; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42)
9He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with a rich man in His death,
although He had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in His mouth.f
10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him
and to cause Him to suffer;
and when His soul is made a guilt offering,g
He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days,
and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
11After the anguish of His soul,
He will see the light of lifeh and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many,
and He will bear their iniquities.
12Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great,i
and He will divide the spoils with the strong,j
because He has poured out His life unto death,
and He was numbered with the transgressors.k
Yet He bore the sin of many
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Footnotes:
1 a Cited in John 12:38 and Romans 10:16
4 b LXX This One bears our sins and is pained for us; cited in Matthew 8:17 and 1 Peter 2:24
5 c Cited in 1 Peter 2:24
6 d Cited in 1 Peter 2:25
8 e LXX In humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth; cited in Acts 8:32–33.
9 f Cited in 1 Peter 2:22
10 g Or and though He makes His life a guilt offering
11 h DSS (see also LXX); MT does not include the light of life.
12 i Or many
12 j Or numerous
12 k Cited in Luke 22:37
◄ Proverbs 23 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾
True Riches
(1 Timothy 6:17–19; James 5:1–6)
Saying 7
1When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
consider carefully what is set before you,a
2and put a knife to your throat
if you possess a great appetite.
3Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.
Saying 8
4Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
be wise enough to restrain yourself.
5When you glance at wealth, it disappears,
for it makes wings for itself
and flies like an eagle to the sky.
Saying 9
6Do not eat the bread of a stingy man,b
and do not crave his delicacies;
7for he is keeping track,
inwardly counting the cost.c
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
8You will vomit up what little you have eaten
and waste your pleasant words.
Saying 10
9Do not speak to a fool,
for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Saying 11
10Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11for their Redeemer is strong;
He will take up their case against you.
Saying 12
12Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.
Saying 13
13Do not withhold discipline from a child;
although you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14Strike him with a rod,
and you will deliver his soul from Sheol.
Saying 14
15My son, if your heart is wise,
my own heart will indeed rejoice.
16My inmost beingd will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.
Saying 15
17Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always continue in the fear of the LORD.
18For surely there is a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
Saying 16
19Listen, my son, and be wise,
and guide your heart on the right course.
20Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat.
21For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.
Saying 17
22Listen to your father who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23Invest in truth and never sell it--
in wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice,
and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
25May your father and mother be glad,
and may she who gave you birth rejoice!
Saying 18
26My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes delight in my ways.
27For a prostitute is a deep pit,
and an adulteresse is a narrow well.
28Like a robber she lies in wait
and multiplies the faithless among men.
Saying 19
29Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaints?
Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30Those who linger over wine,
who go to taste mixed drinks.
31Do not gaze at wine while it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32In the end it bites like a snake
and stings like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange things,
and your mind will utter perversities.
34You will be like one sleeping on the high seas
or lying on the top of a mast:
35“They struck me, but I feel no pain!
They beat me, but I did not know it!
When can I wake up
to search for another drink?”
Footnotes:
1 a Or who is before you
6 b Literally of him whose eye is evil
7 c Or for as he calculates in his soul, so is he
16 d Hebrew My kidneys
27 e Or a foreign woman or a wayward wife
Invest in truth
Proverbs 3:3-4
Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. / Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
John 17:17
Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
and never sell it--
2 Timothy 1:13-14
Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. / Guard the treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”
2 John 1:8
Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.
in wisdom
Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
and instruction
Proverbs 1:8-9
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother. / For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, / so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
and understanding.
Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
Colossians 2:2-3
that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, / in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Matthew 13:44-46
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field. / Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. / When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.
Colossians 2:3
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Isaiah 55:1-3
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost! / Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods. / Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.
1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
Psalm 119:72
The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
Treasury of Scripture
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
buy
Proverbs 2:2-4
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; …
Proverbs 4:5-7
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth…
Proverbs 10:1
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
sell
Matthew 16:26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Acts 20:23
Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
Hebrews 11:26
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
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Proverbs 23
1. Consider carefully what is before you
The term "Seven Spirits of God" appears in the Book of Revelation and is a subject of theological interest and interpretation within Christian doctrine. This concept is primarily found in the apocalyptic literature of the New Testament, specifically in the Book of Revelation, and is often associated with the fullness and perfection of the Holy Spirit.
Biblical References:
1. Revelation 1:4 : "John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits before His throne."
2. Revelation 3:1 : "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead."
3. Revelation 4:5 : "From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven Spirits of God."
4. Revelation 5:6 : "Then 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 Spirits of God sent out into all the earth."
Interpretations:
The "Seven Spirits of God" is a symbolic expression that has been interpreted in various ways within Christian theology. The number seven often signifies completeness or perfection in biblical literature, suggesting that the "Seven Spirits" represent the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
1. The Holy Spirit's Completeness: Many theologians view the "Seven Spirits" as a symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit's complete and perfect nature. This interpretation aligns with the biblical use of the number seven to denote wholeness and divine perfection.
2. Isaiah's Sevenfold Spirit: Some scholars connect the "Seven Spirits" with the sevenfold description of the Spirit found in Isaiah 11:2 (though not directly quoted in the), which speaks of the Spirit of the Lord resting upon the Messiah, characterized by wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord.
3. Presence and Activity: The presence of the "Seven Spirits" before God's throne and their association with the Lamb in Revelation 5:6 suggests their active role in the divine plan and their omnipresence throughout the earth. This imagery emphasizes the Spirit's involvement in both heavenly and earthly realms.
4. Symbolic Representation: The imagery of the "seven torches of fire" and "seven eyes" in Revelation further underscores the symbolic nature of the "Seven Spirits," representing illumination, insight, and divine omniscience.
Theological Significance:
The concept of the "Seven Spirits of God" underscores the multifaceted work and presence of the Holy Spirit in the world and in the life of the believer. It highlights the Spirit's role in conveying God's grace, peace, and divine attributes to the Church and the world. The imagery used in Revelation serves to remind believers of the Spirit's power, wisdom, and active participation in God's redemptive plan.
In summary, the "Seven Spirits of God" is a rich and complex symbol within the Book of Revelation, inviting believers to contemplate the depth and breadth of the Holy Spirit's work and presence in the divine narrative.
God’s all-sufficient, amazing grace is the central theme of Psalm 116. Again and again, the Lord helps us in our weakness and saves us when we are powerless to help ourselves (Isaiah 40:29–31; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 4:13). Recognizing his enormous debt of gratitude, the psalmist asks, “What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people” (Psalm 116:12–14, NLT).
What was this cup of salvation the psalmist lifted in praise to the Lord? Most likely, it was a symbolic reference to the drink offering prescribed in Leviticus 23:13. At the yearly Feast of Firstfruits, the Israelites were to submit a drink offering of “a quarter of a hin of wine” (about one quart) to God in gratefulness for His salvation and continued provision in the Promised Land. The liquid offering was poured out on the altar, accompanied by other contributions from products of the land. These offerings were given as reminders that the rich fruits of the harvest were all from God and depended on His favor.
Drink offerings were frequently presented in the Bible to thank God for His salvation. After the Lord appeared to Jacob at Bethel and changed his name to Israel, Jacob set up a stone pillar to mark where God had met with him and spoken to him. Then “he poured out a drink offering on it” (Genesis 35:14).
At the ordination of the priests, a drink offering was presented (Exodus 29:38–41). As a test of obedience, God gave additional rules for offerings in Numbers 15, including burnt offerings accompanied by a drink offering (verses 5, 7, 10).
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul compared his sacrificial ministry to an act of worship: “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you” (Philippians 2:17). In the face of death, he told Timothy, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near” (2 Timothy 4:6).
The “cup of salvation” is also suggestive of God’s good gifts to humans, which David extolled: “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings” (Psalm 23:5, NLT).
The psalmist’s “cup of salvation” is the counterpart to the “cup of wrath,” representing God’s judgment of sin and His wrath reserved for the wicked to drink (Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:22; Jeremiah 25:15–16; Ezekiel 23:31–34). This cup of wrath is associated with Jesus Christ’s extreme suffering and death on the cross (Matthew 26:39; Luke 22:42). The Lord’s mention of it in Gethsemane anticipated the excruciating moment when Jesus would cry, “God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus was about to drink the cup of God’s wrath for us so that we might be spared and saved.
In lifting the cup of salvation, the psalmist offered praise to God for the blessing of His salvation. In the manner of a salute, he raised the cup high and partook of it amid praise and thanksgiving for God’s tremendous and abundantly gracious deliverance. This illustration is an excellent image for believers to contemplate when offering our thanks to God.
Second Peter 3:18 tells us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” To grow in grace is to mature as a Christian. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), and we mature and are sanctified by grace alone. We know that grace is a blessing that we don’t deserve. It is God’s grace that justifies us, sanctifies us, and eventually glorifies us in heaven. The sanctification process, becoming more like Christ, is synonymous with growing in grace.
We grow in grace by reading God’s Word and letting it “dwell in us richly” (Colossians 3:16) and by praying. Those actions by themselves don’t mature us, but God uses these spiritual disciplines to help us grow. Therefore, maturing in our Christian life is not about what we do, but about what God does in us, by His grace. Understanding and applying God’s grace in our lives is important. We are not to impair it by being proud, because God says that He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Grace is that attribute of God that enables us to break free of our sinful nature and follow Him. It gives us strength and protects us. Without God’s grace, His favor, we would be hopelessly lost in this world. The more grace we have and ask God for, the more mature as Christians we will be.
To grow in grace does not mean gaining more grace from God. God’s grace never increases; it is infinite, it cannot be more, and according to the nature of God, it could never be less. He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him should be saved (John 3:16). How much more grace could there possibly be than that? But to grow in grace is to grow in our understanding of what Jesus did and to grow in our appreciation of the grace we have been given. The more we learn about Jesus, the more we will appreciate all He has done, and the more we appreciate His love and sacrifice for us, the more we will perceive the never-ending grace of God.
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. The way to do this is by meditating on the Scriptures and applying their principles to our lives as we yield to the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Then we will prove 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.”
First Corinthians 13 is one of the most famous passages in the New Testament. It is often referred to as the “Love Chapter” because it illustrates a biblical understanding of love. It’s in this chapter that Paul speaks of a time when “we shall see face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
In 1 Corinthians 13:1–3, Paul argues that love surpasses all spiritual gifts. Even the greatest spiritual gift is worthless without love.
In 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, Paul describes the characteristics of love. These characteristics emphasize the importance of putting the interests of others above our own (cf. John 15:13; Philippians 2:14).
In 1 Corinthians 13:8–12, Paul speaks to the temporary nature of spiritual gifts and the hope that Christians have for a full, complete, and intimate knowledge of God in the future. This section reminds us that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues and prophesying are not eternal. Love, however, is eternal and will never fail (verse 8 and verse 13). Therefore, love is what truly matters.
This section also speaks to the limitations of human understanding. Because of sin and human finitude, we can only know and prophesy in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). Currently, we cannot understand God’s ways (Romans 11:33), nor can we fathom the depths of His love (Ephesians 3:17–19). But when Christ returns, sin will disappear and we will finally see God face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).
The expression face to face appears in 1 Corinthians 13:12. The full verse reads, “For now we see only a 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.” The event described in this verse is often referred to as the “Beatific Vision” (to see God as He is), promised to Christians when Christ returns: “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). In our present state, however, we only have an indirect and imperfect knowledge of God’s infinite wisdom, glory, and love. Thus, we cannot see God as He is.
Paul compares our present knowledge of divine things to a dark reflection in a mirror. In New Testament times, a mirror was formed from polished metal, which could only reflect a dim and imperfect image. Yet Paul promises that God will exchange our dim images for a face-to-face encounter with Himself. On that glorious day, the light of God will shine upon us, and we will be free from all darkness. imperfection, and error. We will know Him fully, even as we are fully known by Him. This mutual recognition and understanding is the epitome of a deeply intimate relationship.
The beatific vision has roots in the Old Testament (Genesis 32:20; Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10). In Exodus 33:18–23, Moses asks to see God’s glory, but God tells Moses that no one can see His glory and live. However, God allows Moses to see His back, but not Him in His entirety (that is, in His full glory).
In Matthew 5:8, Jesus promises that the pure in heart will see God. Jesus can make this promise because He is the only one who has seen the Father (John 1:18), and whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father (John 14:9). Jesus is the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being” (Hebrews 1:3). And when He returns, we will behold the fullness of God’s glory. On that day, we will see God as He truly is.
This hope for a face-to-face encounter with God gives Christians peace and comfort, even in difficult circumstances. When this life comes to an end, we will see and be seen by the One who loved us enough to die for us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).
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.
God made a conditional covenant with the children of Israel through His servant Moses. He promised good to them and their children for generations if they obeyed Him and His laws, but He always warned of despair, punishment, and dispersion if they were to disobey. As a reminder of His covenant, the Lord had the Israelites make a box, according to His design, to house the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. This box, or ark, was to be kept in the inner sanctum of the wilderness tabernacle and eventually in the temple when it was built in Jerusalem. This chest is known as the ark of the covenant.
Moses instructed Bezalel, God’s anointed craftsman, to build the ark of the covenant (see Exodus 37:1–9; 25:10–22). The “sacred chest” was to be a rectangular wooden box made from acacia wood, overlaid “inside and out with pure gold,” measuring approximately “45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high” (Exodus 37:1–2, NLT). The chest was fitted with two pairs of gold rings on either side in which permanent poles were inserted for transporting the ark. No one was allowed to touch the ark out of reverence for God’s holiness. The poles were also fashioned with acacia wood and overlaid with gold.
The ark of the covenant was built to contain the two tablets of the law given to Moses by God (Exodus 25:16, 21). These tablets were also known as “the testimony,” and thus, the ark was also called “the ark of the testimony” (see Numbers 4:5, Joshua 4:16, ESV). In the original Hebrew, the word translated as “testimony” refers both to the terms of God’s covenant with Israel as written on the tablets of stone and to the covenant itself. Later, Moses had Aaron place inside the ark a jar of manna to remember God’s faithfulness in providing miraculous bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4, 33) and Aaron’s staff that had budded as a warning against rebellion (Numbers 17:1–13; Hebrews 9:4).
A lid called the “mercy seat” or “the place of atonement” was constructed for the box (see Exodus 25:17). The mercy seat was made of pure gold and covered the entire length and width of the chest. Bezalel crafted two cherubim from hammered gold and molded them atop each end of the mercy seat so that the whole lid was one solid piece of gold. The cherubim faced each other and looked down on the mercy seat with their wings spread wide, overshadowing and protecting it.
The real significance of the ark of the covenant involved the mercy seat. The Hebrew word for “mercy seat” meant “cover, appeasement, or place of atonement.” Once a year, the high priest entered the holy of holies where the ark of the covenant was kept, and here he atoned for his sins and the sins of the Israelite people (Leviticus 16:2–16). Seven times, the priest sprinkled the blood of sacrificed bulls and goats onto the mercy seat. This atonement on Yom Kippur appeased God’s wrath and anger for past sins committed.
The lid of the ark of the covenant was termed a “seat” because this sacred place was considered God’s holy throne (see Psalm 99:1). Here, the Lord spoke to Moses from between the winged cherubim (Numbers 7:89). Here, where the sacrificial blood was sprinkled and God’s mercy was dispensed, was the only place in the world where atonement could take place.
The mercy seat on the ark was a symbolic foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice for all sin—the blood of Christ shed on the cross for the remission of sins (Hebrews 7:27; 9:12–14; 1 Peter 1:18–19). The apostle Paul, a former Pharisee and one familiar with the Old Testament, knew this concept quite well when he wrote about Christ being our covering for sin in Romans 3:24–25: “And all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”
Just as there was only one place for atonement of sins in the Old Testament—the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant—so there is also only one place for atonement in the New Testament—the cross of Jesus Christ (1 John 2:2; 1 Peter 3:18). As Christians, we no longer look to the ark but to the Lord Jesus Himself as the One who covers, cleanses, cancels, and atones for our sins (1 John 4:10).
As the Israelites traveled from Mount Sinai to Canaan, the ark of the covenant was to be carried before them through the wilderness as a constant reminder of God’s holy, living presence (Numbers 10:33–36). The ark played a central role in Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land (Joshua 3:3, 6, 15–16; 4:9; 6:4–16) and the life of God’s people there (Joshua 8:33; Judges 20:26–28).
Eventually, Israel lost sight of the ark’s true significance. In 1 Samuel 4, the nation was battling the Philistines. When the Israelites suffered a loss, rather than deal with the real problem—sin—they fetched the ark and took it into battle. They viewed the ark as little more than a talisman or ceremonial token that would ensure God’s help. As a result, they suffered another defeat, and God allowed the ark to be captured by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:1–11, 17–22; 5:1–12). But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the Philistines, so they returned the ark (1 Samuel 6:1–3, 10–15, 19; 7:1–2).
Much later, King David had the ark brought to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:1–12, 17), and when his son Solomon completed the temple, the ark and all the tabernacle furnishings were placed inside the temple (1 Kings 8:1–12).
The Bible doesn’t say precisely when the ark of the covenant was lost to history. Some speculate it was destroyed or potentially removed during various raids (see 1 Kings 14:25–28; 2 Kings 14:8–14). The last time the location of the ark is mentioned in Scripture is when King Josiah ordered the caretakers of the ark to return it to the Jerusalem temple (2 Chronicles 35:1–6; cf. 2 Kings 23:21–23). The ark is not cited in the list of temple spoils that Nebuchadrezzar took to Babylon when Jerusalem was sacked (2 Kings 25:13–17; Jeremiah 52:17–23).
The origins of Israel’s ark of the covenant are as mysterious and fascinating as its current whereabouts and final destiny. Archeologists and treasure hunters have sought to find it for centuries. In Revelation 11:19, John sees the ark of the covenant as part of the future heavenly temple. However, this is probably not the same ark Moses built; instead, the heavenly ark is more likely a symbolic representation of God’s holy presence.
From the four canonical Gospels through the book of Acts and the Pauline Epistles, Jesus is not only seen as the Messiah (or Christ) but also equated with God Himself. The apostle Paul refers to the divinity of Christ when he calls Jesus our "great God and Savior" (Titus 2:13) and even says that Jesus existed in the "form of God" prior to His incarnation (Philippians 2:5-8). God the Father says regarding Jesus, "Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever" (Hebrews 1:8). Jesus is directly referred to as the Creator Himself (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17). Other biblical passages teach Christ’s deity (Revelation 1:7; 2:8; 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Peter 5:4).
While these direct citations are sufficient to establish that the Bible claims Jesus is divine, a more indirect approach may prove to be more powerful. Jesus repeatedly placed Himself in the place of Yahweh by assuming the Father’s divine prerogatives. He was often doing and saying things that only God has a right to do and say. Jesus also referred to Himself in ways that hinted at His deity. Some of these instances provide us with the strongest proof of Jesus’ divine self-understanding.
In Mark 14, Jesus stands accused at His trial before the High Priest. “Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:61-62). Here, Jesus is referring to the Old Testament book of Daniel where the prophet Daniel states, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14).
In this reference to Daniel’s vision, Jesus is identifying Himself as the Son of Man, a person who was given “dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him.” The Son of Man has a dominion that is everlasting and will not pass away. One immediately wonders what kind of person has a dominion that is everlasting. What kind of a person is given a kingdom and will have all men serve Him? The High Priest, who immediately recognized Jesus’ claim to divinity, tore his robe and declared Jesus guilty of blasphemy.
Jesus’ use of the title "Son of Man" has surprisingly strong apologetic value. A skeptic of Christ’s deity cannot easily dismiss this particular self-designation of Jesus. That Christ referred to Himself in this manner enjoys multiple attestations, as it is found in all of the Gospel sources. The phrase "Son of Man" is used of Jesus only a few times outside of the Gospels themselves (Acts 7:56; Revelation 1:13; 14:14). Given its scarce usage by the early apostolic church, it is unlikely that this title would have been read back into the lips of Jesus if, in fact, He had not used this particular self-designation. And yet, if it is established that Jesus really did use this title of Himself, it becomes apparent that Jesus considered Himself to have everlasting power and a unique authority beyond that of a mere human being.
Sometimes, it was Jesus’ actions that revealed His identity. Jesus’ healing of the paralytic in Mark 2 was done to demonstrate His authority and ability to forgive sins (Mark 2:3-12). In the minds of His Jewish audience, such abilities were reserved for God alone. Jesus also receives worship several times in the Gospels (Matthew 2:11; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38; 20:28). Never did Jesus reject such adoration. Rather, He regarded their worship as well placed. Elsewhere, Jesus taught that the Son of Man will ultimately judge humanity (Matthew 25:31-46) and taught that our eternal destinies depend on our response to Him (Mark 8:34-38). Such behavior is further indication of Jesus’ divine self-understanding.
Jesus also stated that His forthcoming resurrection from the dead would vindicate the very special claims that He made for Himself (Matthew 12:38-40). After having been crucified and buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus did, in fact, rise from the dead, establishing His claims to deity.
The evidence for this miraculous event is very powerful. Numerous contemporary sources report Jesus’ post-crucifixion appearances to both individuals and groups under various circumstances (1 Corinthians 15:3-7; Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:26-30, 21:1-14; Acts 1:3-6). Many of these witnesses were willing to die for this belief, and several of them did! Clement of Rome and the Jewish historian Josephus provide us with first-century reports of several of their martyrdoms. All of the theories used to explain away the evidence for the resurrection (such as the Hallucination Theory) have failed to explain all of the known data. The resurrection of Jesus is an established fact of history, and this is the strongest evidence for Jesus’ divinity.
What does Acts 11:26 mean?
The irony of this moment is exquisite. The young church in Jerusalem largely grew in peace for some time—although the disciples were arrested a couple of times and beaten twice (Acts 2—5). When Stephen was murdered (Acts 7:54–60), a young Pharisee-in-training named Saul took it upon himself to eradicate the Jesus-followers not just from Jerusalem, but from any Jewish space in the Roman Empire (Acts 8:1–3; 9:1–2). On his way to Damascus to arrest Jewish Jesus-followers, he found Jesus and realized how wrong he had been (Acts 9:3–19).
Saul quickly switched teams. He debated with the Jews in Damascus and Jerusalem, showing them how Jesus of Nazareth was the Jewish Messiah. He caused such a commotion in Jerusalem that some of the Hellenist Jews wanted to kill him so the apostles sent him home to Tarsus, on the southeastern coast of modern-day Asia Minor (Acts 9:19–31).
The damage, so to speak, was already done. While the apostles and other church leaders stayed in Jerusalem during the earlier persecution, many of the laity fled, spreading the story of Jesus to Judea, Samaria, Damascus, and far to the north in Syrian Antioch. When the church leaders in Jerusalem hear that the gospel has even spread to Gentiles in Antioch, they send Barnabas to check it out. Barnabas realizes the conversions are real and far more extensive than he can handle alone (Acts 11:19–25). Fortunately, Tarsus is just west of Antioch.
So, the man who, through his persecution of the church, caused the spread of the gospel to Gentiles in Antioch is now in Antioch teaching the Jewish and Gentile Jesus-followers and spreading the gospel further.
This verse notes some of the origins of the term "Christian." It was almost certainly coined by non-Christian Gentiles. Although "Christ" is Greek, "-ian" is a Latin addition, as in Marian or Herodian. This suffix means "of the party of…" and was used to mean those who imitated or supported some figure. To some extent, this made the term "Christian" an expression of sarcasm or derision. Peter hints at this in his writings (1 Peter 4:16).
Elsewhere in the New Testament, only King Agrippa (Acts 26:28) and Peter (1 Peter 4:16) use the term "Christian." It would take a long time before the label passed from insult to identification. Typically, believers in the New Testament use words like disciples, saints, and brothers. Jews of that time used "the sect of the Nazarenes" as a slam referring to the saying "nothing good comes from Nazareth" (Acts 24:5; John 1:46). They wouldn't use the Greek word for Messiah, even jokingly, for those they considered heretics.
According to the Gospels, Jesus’s family, contemporaries, and religious authorities sometimes thought he was out of his mind or possessed. They reacted to his unconventional lifestyle, abandonment of his trade, radical rejection of religious norms, and claims of divinity. [1, 2, 3]
People viewed him as insane or unstable for several specific reasons:
Woes to Religious Leaders
…46“Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “You weigh men down with heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load. 47Woe to you! You build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them. 48So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.…
Woe to you!
Matthew 23:13
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.
Matthew 23:27
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity.
Matthew 23:15
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
For you build tombs for the prophets,
Matthew 23:29
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.
Matthew 23:30
And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
Luke 13:34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
but it was your fathers who killed them.
Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers--
Matthew 23:31
So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
1 Thessalonians 2:15
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,
Hebrews 11:36-38
Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. / They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. / The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.
Romans 11:3
“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”?
1 Kings 19:10
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
2 Chronicles 24:20-22
Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’” / But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD. / Thus King Joash failed to remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him. Instead, Joash killed Jehoiada’s son. As he lay dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD see this and call you to account.”
Nehemiah 9:26
But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.
Jeremiah 2:30
“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”
Jeremiah 26:20-23
Now there was another man prophesying in the name of the LORD, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land the same things that Jeremiah did. / King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and officials heard his words, and the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah found out about it, he fled in fear and went to Egypt. / Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor along with some other men. …
Treasury of ScriptureWoe to you! for you build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
for.
Matthew 23:29-33
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, …
Acts 7:51
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
1 Thessalonians 2:15
Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
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Luke 11
1. Jesus teaches us to pray, and that instantly;
11. assuring us that God will give all good things to those who ask him.
14. He, casting out a demon, rebukes the blasphemous Pharisees;
27. and shows who are blessed;
29. preaches to the people;
37. and reprimands the outward show of holiness.
Study BibleBook ◦ Chapter
Woe to you!
This phrase is a strong denunciation, often used by Jesus to express lament or judgment. It indicates a serious warning or condemnation. In the context of the Gospels, "woe" is directed towards those who are hypocritical or who reject God's message. This echoes the prophetic tradition found in the Old Testament, where prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah used similar language to call out the sins of Israel.For you build tombs for the prophets,
Building tombs for the prophets can be seen as an act of honoring them. However, Jesus points out the irony and hypocrisy in this action. The religious leaders of Jesus' time were outwardly honoring the prophets by maintaining their tombs, yet they were not heeding the prophets' messages. This reflects a superficial religiosity that values tradition and appearance over genuine obedience to God. The act of building tombs could also be seen as an attempt to distance themselves from the guilt of their ancestors' actions.
but it was your fathers who killed them.
This phrase highlights the historical pattern of Israel rejecting and persecuting God's messengers. The "fathers" refers to the ancestors of the current generation, who were responsible for the deaths of the prophets. This accusation underscores the continuity of rebellion against God throughout Israel's history. It also serves as a warning that the current generation is in danger of repeating the same mistakes by rejecting Jesus, the ultimate prophet. This connects to the broader biblical theme of the rejection of God's messengers, culminating in the rejection of Christ himself, as seen in passages like Acts 7:52, where Stephen accuses the Jewish leaders of betraying and murdering the Righteous One.
Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The speaker of this verse, addressing the Pharisees and experts in the law, highlighting their hypocrisy.
2. Pharisees and Experts in the Law
Religious leaders of the time who are being rebuked by Jesus for their actions and attitudes.
3. Prophets
Messengers sent by God in the Old Testament, often persecuted and killed by the ancestors of those Jesus is addressing.
4. Ancestors/Fathers
The forefathers of the religious leaders, who were responsible for the persecution and killing of the prophets.
5. Tombs
Monuments built by the Pharisees to honor the prophets, which ironically highlight the guilt of their ancestors.
Teaching Points
Hypocrisy in Religious Practice
Jesus condemns the Pharisees for outwardly honoring the prophets while inwardly sharing the same rebellious spirit as their ancestors. We must examine our own lives for hypocrisy, ensuring our actions align with our professed beliefs.
The Danger of Tradition Over Truth
The Pharisees were more concerned with maintaining traditions than embracing the truth of God's message. We should prioritize God's truth over human traditions, ensuring our faith is rooted in Scripture.
Acknowledging Spiritual Heritage
Recognizing the sins of our spiritual forebears is crucial. We must learn from past mistakes and strive to live in a way that honors God and His messengers.
The Cost of Prophetic Ministry
The prophets faced persecution and death for their faithfulness to God's message. We should be prepared to face opposition for standing firm in our faith and proclaiming God's truth.
Building a Legacy of Faithfulness
Instead of building monuments to the past, we should focus on living a life that leaves a legacy of faithfulness and obedience to God.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Luke 11:47?
2. How does Luke 11:47 warn against honoring prophets while rejecting their message today?
3. What does building tombs for prophets signify about people's hearts in Luke 11:47?
4. How can we ensure we honor God's messengers without hypocrisy, as in Luke 11:47?
5. What Old Testament examples parallel the behavior criticized in Luke 11:47?
6. How can we apply the lesson of Luke 11:47 in our church community?
7. Why does Luke 11:47 criticize building tombs for prophets?
8. How does Luke 11:47 relate to honoring past religious figures?
9. What historical context influenced Jesus' statement in Luke 11:47?
10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Luke 11?
What Does Luke 11:47 Mean
Woe to you!• Jesus declares, “Woe to you!” (Luke 11:47), the same solemn warning He used earlier in Luke 6:24–26 and later in Revelation 8:13.
• A “woe” is not mere frustration; it is a divine verdict announcing coming judgment. Compare Isaiah 5:20, where God’s woes expose deep-seated rebellion.
• Here the warning falls on the experts in the law (Luke 11:46). Their public piety masked hearts resistant to God’s voice—just as in Matthew 23:13-36, where Jesus repeats seven woes against the scribes and Pharisees.
• The accuracy of Scripture assures us that every pronounced woe will unfold exactly as God intends (Numbers 23:19).
For you build tombs for the prophets• They financed and decorated memorials to men like Isaiah, Amos, and Zechariah—prophets whose graves still attracted reverence centuries later (2 Kings 21:18, 2 Chronicles 24:22).
• Outwardly, this looked like honoring God’s servants; inwardly, it was spiritual posturing. Acts 7:47-51 shows how people can celebrate religious history while resisting the God who authored it.
• Their monuments implied, “Had we lived then, we would have listened.” Jesus exposes the pretense (Matthew 23:29-30): “You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them.’”
• True honor for prophetic voices is seen in obedience, not stonework (John 14:23; James 1:22-25).
but it was your fathers who killed them• The same lineage that erected memorials had a history of silencing God’s messengers—Elijah hunted (1 Kings 19:10), Jeremiah beaten (Jeremiah 20:2), Zechariah stoned in the temple courts (2 Chronicles 24:20-21).
• Jesus insists the present generation inherits that guilt because they share the same unbelieving spirit (Luke 11:50-51). The pattern culminates in their rejection of “the Prophet” Himself (Acts 3:22-23; John 1:11).
• By distancing themselves from their fathers’ crimes while repeating them, they confirmed Amos 5:21-24: religious ceremony cannot cover injustice.
• Luke 11:48 adds, “So you are witnesses that you approve of the deeds of your fathers; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.” Agreement with sin—whether past or present—invites the very woe Jesus announced.
summary• Jesus’ warning unmasks the hypocrisy of honoring dead prophets while ignoring the living God.
• Building tombs did not absolve them; it highlighted agreement with a lineage of unbelief.
• Scripture’s literal record of prophetic persecution stands as a sober reminder: God desires obedience over empty memorials.
• The call remains: receive God’s Word today, lest the woes pronounced become the woes experienced (Hebrews 3:7-15).
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(47) Ye build the sepulchres of the prophets.--See Note on Matthew 23:29. St. Luke omits the reference, which we find in St. Matthew, to the "sepulchres of the righteous."
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 47, 48. - Ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. There are still existing four singular tombs at the foot of Olivet, in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Remarkable objects now to the modern traveler at Jerusalem, in all their fresh beauty they would be still more striking in the days of our Lord. The peculiar composite nature of the architecture of these great tombs has decided antiquaries to ascribe the building of these to the days of the later Herods. It is, therefore, not improbable that these conspicuous objects in the landscape, seen from the temple platform, and possibly others like them, which have since perished, were the tombs and sepulchres especially in our Lord's mind when he was speaking to the lawyer, and later at Jerusalem, when he' repeated, with some slight variations, the same awful woe (Matthew 23:29). It was, indeed, a speech of awful and cutting irony, these words of Jesus. "Your fathers," he said, "killed the prophets; you complete their evil work by building tombs for these slain men of God. In other words, you pretend to make amends for the crimes of past generations by this show of ostentatious piety; but if you really differed from your wicked fathers in spirit, if you indeed honored, as you profess to do by this gorgeous tomb-building, the holy men of God whom they slew, would you be acting as you now are doing - trying, as you know you are, to take my life? Is not my life like the lives of those old murdered prophets? are not my words resembling theirs?"
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Woe
οὐαὶ (ouai)
Interjection
Strong's 3759: Woe!, alas!, uttered in grief or denunciation. A primary exclamation of grief; 'woe'.
to you!
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.
You build
οἰκοδομεῖτε (oikodomeite)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3618: From the same as oikodome; to be a house-builder, i.e. Construct or confirm.
tombs
μνημεῖα (mnēmeia)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3419: A tomb, sepulcher, monument. From mneme; a remembrance, i.e. Cenotaph.
for the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
prophets,
προφητῶν (prophētōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4396: From a compound of pro and phemi; a foreteller; by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet.
but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.
[it was] your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.
fathers
πατέρες (pateres)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.
[who] killed
ἀπέκτειναν (apekteinan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 615: To put to death, kill; fig: I abolish. From apo and kteino; to kill outright; figuratively, to destroy.
them.
αὐτούς (autous)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
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NT Gospels: Luke 11:47 Woe to you! (Luke Lu Lk)
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◄ Isaiah 35 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The Glory of Zion
1The wilderness and the dry land will be glad;
the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.
2It will bloom profusely
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
3Strengthen the limp hands
and steady the feeble knees!a
4Say to those with anxious hearts:
“Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance.
With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6Then the lame will leap like a deer
and the mute tongue will shout for joy.
For waters will gush forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert.
7The parched ground will become a pool,
the thirsty land springs of water.
In the haunt where jackalsb once lay,
there will be grass and reeds and papyrus.
8And there will be a highway
called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not travel it--
only those who walk in the Way--
and fools will not stray onto it.
9No lion will be there,
and no vicious beast will go up on it.
Such will not be found there,
but the redeemed will walk upon it.
10So the redeemed of the LORD will return
and enter Zion with singing,
crowned with everlasting joy.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee.
Footnotes:
3 a Cited in Hebrews 12:12
7 b Or serpents or dragons
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).
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened
John 9:1-7
Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth, / and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” / Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him. …
Isaiah 42:7
to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.
Mark 8:22-26
When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. / So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and placed His hands on him. “Can you see anything?” He asked. / The man looked up and said, “I can see the people, but they look like trees walking around.” …
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Mark 7:31-37
Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. / Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him. / So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. …
Isaiah 29:18
On that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of the deep darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
Matthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Matthew 11:4-5
Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: / The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Luke 7:21-22
At that very hour Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind. / So He replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Matthew 9:27-30
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” / After Jesus had entered the house, the blind men came to Him. “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” He asked. “Yes, Lord,” they answered. / Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” …
Mark 7:32-35
Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him. / So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. / And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). …
Matthew 15:30-31
Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them. / The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
Luke 18:35-43
As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging. / When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. / “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. …
John 5:8-9
Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” / Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. Now this happened on the Sabbath day,
Acts 3:6-8
But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” / Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. / He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God.
Acts 9:17-18
So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” / At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized,
Psalm 146:8
the LORD opens the eyes of the blind, the LORD lifts those who are weighed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
Treasury of ScriptureThen the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
the eyes
Isaiah 29:18
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Isaiah 32:3,4
And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken…
Isaiah 42:5,7,16
Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: …
the ears
Isaiah 48:8
Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.
Exodus 4:11
And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
Job 33:16
Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
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Isaiah 35
1. The joyful flourishing of Christ's kingdom
3. The weak are encouraged by the virtues and privileges of the Gospel
In Revelation 12, the "woman clothed with the sun" is a highly symbolic figure. Most biblical scholars and theologians agree she represents the faithful community of God's people: primarily the nation of Israel, which gave birth to the Messiah, and the New Testament Church. [1]
The identity of the woman is unpacked in several ways:
Presidential ActionsUSHERING IN THE NEXT FRONTIER OF QUANTUM INNOVATIONExecutive Orders
June 22, 2026Executive Order 14413
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. America stands at the cusp of a quantum revolution. Quantum information science and technology (QIST) will provide transformational capabilities that will drive American innovation, power economic growth, generate high-paying jobs, and bolster national security. In 2018, I laid the foundation for United States leadership in QIST by signing into law the National Quantum Initiative Act and doubling Federal investment in QIST research and development. Today, as other nations move quickly to challenge American leadership, the United States must take a cohesive, whole-of-government approach to accelerate deployment and commercialization of quantum computing, sensing, and networking.
In addition to continuing trailblazing quantum research, we must act to solidify the Nation’s position as the world’s QIST superpower and deliver the commercial and research benefits of quantum innovation to the American people. Equally important, we must protect sensitive technologies and work with allies to ensure adversaries cannot use QIST to undermine national security.
Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to ensure that the United States maintains a strategic technical advantage in QIST and leads the development of a robust and trusted quantum ecosystem across QIST research, manufacturing, commercialization, and application.
Sec. 3. Updating the National Quantum Strategy. (a) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST), in coordination with the Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), and the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), and in consultation with the Co-Chairs of the National Science and Technology Council Subcommittees on Quantum Information Science (SCQIS) and Economic and Security Implications of Quantum Information Science (ESIX), shall update the National Quantum Strategy (Strategy) with policies intended to support the maturing QIST ecosystem, including promoting commercialization and deployment of QIST, supporting the quantum-enabling technology ecosystem, and encouraging partnerships with United States industry.
(b) Within 30 days of the date of the publication of the updated Strategy, relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall each submit to the APST and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a summary of steps taken to align their processes, policies, and programs with the Strategy.
Sec. 4. Harnessing Quantum Computing for Scientific Applications. (a) There is hereby established the Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science (QC-ADDS) Effort, which shall be coordinated by the APST. This national effort shall pursue development of a quantum computer at a scale intended to initiate the era of quantum-enabled scientific discovery, with the intent to deliver at least one such computer to a Department of Energy facility and, to the extent possible, make it available to the scientific community.
(b) The Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the DNI, the Director of NSF, and the heads of other relevant agencies as appropriate, in consultation with the Director of OMB, shall ensure that relevant capabilities, manufacturing infrastructure, and expertise are made available to support the QC-ADDS Effort to the extent practicable, and shall deploy these resources towards exploration of quantum-computer-enabled capabilities for commercial, government, and national security applications. Additionally, the APST shall coordinate with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), and the heads of other relevant agencies to identify additional actions to enhance the QC-ADDS Effort.
(c) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the APST and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall identify the technical specifications required for a QC-ADDS to perform transformative scientific applications that are on a path towards economically significant applications and beyond current classical computer capabilities, and shall publicly release a summary of those specifications, as appropriate.
(d) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Director of OMB, shall explore potential private-sector partnership models to understand the potential cost, scope, and time frame for delivery of at least one QC-ADDS as described in subsection (a) of this section. Further, the Secretary of Commerce shall develop a plan, potentially including advance market commitments, to encourage contributions to the QC-ADDS Effort from commercial quantum computing companies. Finally, the Secretary of War shall establish or designate activities and programs to develop the tools and capabilities necessary to advance readiness for national security applications of quantum computing, potentially including the establishment of a center for such purpose.
(e) To provide for the robust assessment of the QC-ADDS’ and other quantum computing systems’ capabilities, within 180 days of the date of this order:
(i) the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of War and the Secretary of Commerce, shall establish a national center to develop the tools and capabilities required to accurately assess the performance of quantum computing systems; and
(ii) the Co-Chairs of the ESIX Subcommittee shall recommend to the APST a mechanism to facilitate information-sharing between relevant agencies to improve the Government’s ability to assess commercial quantum computing capabilities.
(f) The DNI and the Secretary of War, in coordination with the Co-Chairs of the ESIX Subcommittee and in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Energy, shall identify the national security implications of the increasing scale and performance of commercial quantum computers, such as the implications for the migration to post-quantum cryptography.
Sec. 5. Deploying Quantum-Enabled Sensors and Networks. (a) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of War shall identify at least three next-generation quantum sensor projects to prioritize in order to field these sensors by September 30, 2028.
(b) Each of the following heads of relevant agencies shall develop a 5-year plan for advancing quantum sensing and networking as follows:
(i) the Secretary of Commerce shall develop a plan for advancing commercial readiness of quantum sensing, quantum-sensor manufacturing technology, and quantum-network-enhanced timing;
(ii) the Secretary of Energy shall develop a plan for using quantum sensing and imaging to measure and characterize complex systems, and for using quantum networking to enable distributed quantum computing;
(iii) the Director of NSF shall develop a plan for basic science research to identify applications of quantum sensing and networking, develop novel systems-level concepts, and improve QIST manufacturing science; and
(iv) the Administrator of NASA shall develop a plan for developing and extending civilian quantum sensing and networking for space applications.
(c) The heads of relevant agencies shall prioritize research, development, testing, and evaluation of applications and hardware for quantum sensing and quantum networking.
Sec. 6. Bolstering the Domestic Ecosystem for Quantum Supply Chains. (a) The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall develop a plan to strengthen the QIST ecosystem through analyzing QIST supply chains, encouraging private sector adoption of QIST-related standards, and supporting research and development pathways that advance quantum-enabling technologies and eliminate QIST manufacturing barriers.
(b) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, and the Director of NSF shall develop a plan, with coordination from the APST and the Director of OMB, to encourage and partner with the private sector, potentially using prize challenges or advance market commitments, to develop quantum-enabling component technologies in the United States, and to identify any changes to statutory or regulatory authorities required to address quantum-specific market hurdles.
(c) All relevant agencies shall take steps to share, to the maximum extent possible, information regarding quantum computing supply chains, such as that generated by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, with the Departments of War, Commerce, and Energy and with the APST and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), to inform Government-wide decision making.
(d) Within 180 days of the date of this order:
(i) the Secretary of War, in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, shall take steps to increase domestic access to Department of War-sponsored QIST-relevant foundry resources, and strengthen efforts, as appropriate, to improve access to critical QIST supply chains; and
(ii) the Director of NSF shall take steps to issue grants for establishing QIST user facilities through the National Quantum and Nanotechnology Infrastructure program.
(e) Within 210 days of the date of this order, to support the reconstitution of the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee (NQIAC), as provided in section 104 of the National Quantum Initiative Act of 2018, as amended, and pursuant to Executive Order 14073 of May 4, 2022 (Enhancing the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee), the APST shall recommend a revised NQIAC membership list and shall task the NQIAC to develop recommendations for stimulating the development of quantum-enabling technologies in the United States.
Sec. 7. Protecting Quantum Technology. (a) The APST and the APNSA, in consultation with the Co-Chairs of the ESIX Subcommittee, shall coordinate with the relevant agencies to ensure that QIST activities and policies maintain robust and balanced security controls to safeguard critical information and protect national security interests, while not unduly impacting quantum innovation in the United States.
(b) The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the DNI, and the Director of the NSA, shall propose to the APST, the APNSA, and the Director of OMB staffing requirements to expand the Quantum Information Science and Technology Counterintelligence Protection Team (QCPT) to improve and coordinate protections against adversarial threats to the QIST ecosystem, including cybersecurity threats, coordinate public messaging and outreach related to those threats, and enhance sharing of threat information with Federal, industry, and academic QIST research and development entities. Relevant agencies shall coordinate and deconflict with the QCPT on all outreach to QIST industry and academia related to quantum-specific security guidance and threat information.
Sec. 8. Expanding and Retaining the Quantum Workforce. (a) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with the APST and the Director of OMB and in coordination with the Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the DNI, and the Director of NSF, shall develop a Government-wide QIST recruitment and retention strategy, potentially including special pay rates and increased limits for recruitment and retention incentives. This strategy should complement existing efforts to build a strong national security quantum-workforce.
(b) Within 120 days of the date of this order:
(i) the Secretary of Labor shall ensure that QIST-relevant industry needs are prioritized in workforce training efforts related to Executive Order 14278 of April 23, 2025 (Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future), and the implementation of America’s Talent Strategy where possible, including related to the expansion of registered apprenticeships for relevant occupations; and
(ii) the Secretary of Labor and the Director of NSF, in coordination with the Co-Chairs of the SCQIS Subcommittee, shall develop an approach to tracking labor statistics for assessing the needs of the United States quantum ecosystem, including developing a definition for “QIST-relevant occupations”, and associated skills and credentials.
(c) Within 180 days of the date of this order:
(i) the APST shall engage with United States industry and academic institutions to promote the expansion of post-secondary training opportunities for supporting skillsets that will lead Americans into rewarding QIST industry jobs, such as by prioritizing hands-on training with QIST systems or concepts; and
(ii) the Director of NSF shall take steps to initiate a network of National QIST Workforce Development Institutes to enhance QIST training opportunities and coordinate training efforts across Federal, State, and local agencies.
Sec. 9. Engaging with International Partners. (a) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with other relevant agencies as appropriate, shall align their respective international engagements in ways designed to:
(i) ensure that United States quantum and quantum-enabling technology companies have access to strategic markets and capital from like-minded countries;
(ii) maintain an international ecosystem of quantum-enabling technology companies with access to trusted supply chains, through, for example, harmonizing investment restrictions with international allies and partners;
(iii) prevent countries of concern from acquiring critical quantum-enabling technologies, through, for example, harmonizing research security and export control policies with international allies and partners;
(iv) promote and enhance research and development collaboration and the flow of people and ideas across like-minded countries in support of the interests of the United States quantum industry; and
(v) develop, promote, and coordinate effective quantum research and technology protection efforts with like-minded countries.
(b) The Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the United States Trade Representative, shall identify and provide recommendations to the President, through the APST, to address foreign trade barriers, discriminatory treatment, and other policies that limit the competitiveness of American QIST companies.
(c) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State shall provide recommendations to the APNSA and the APST on how to align existing bilateral and multilateral international engagements, including Pax Silica, to advance the priorities of this order.
Sec. 10. Reports. (a) Reports shall be submitted to the President, through the APST and the Director of OMB, regarding the actions directed in:
(i) section 6(a) of this order within 90 days of the date of this order; and
(ii) section 5(b) of this order within 120 days of the date of this order.
(b) Reports shall be submitted to the President, through the APST and the APNSA, regarding the actions directed in:
(i) section 7(b) of this order within 60 days of the date of this order; and
(ii) section 9(a) of this order within 180 days of the date of this order.
(c) Reports shall be submitted to the President, through the APST, the APNSA, and the National Cyber Director, regarding the actions directed in section 4(f) of this order within 1 year of the date of this order, and annually thereafter.
Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of Energy.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
June 22, 2026.
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).
◄ Acts 2 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The Holy Spirit at Pentecost
(Genesis 11:1–9; Leviticus 23:15–22)
1When the day of Pentecosta came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5Now there were dwellingb in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6And when this sound rang out, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking his own language.
7Astounded and amazed, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,c 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
12Astounded and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13But others mocked them and said, “They are drunk on new wine!”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
(Psalm 16:1–11; Joel 2:28–32)
14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day!d 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out My Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18Even on My menservants and maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness,
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.
21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’e
22Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. 23He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. 24But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip.
25David says about Him:
‘I sawf the Lord always before me;
because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will dwell in hope,
27because You will not abandon my soul to Hades,
nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.
28You have made known to me the paths of life;
You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’g
29Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne.h 31Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.
33Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand
35until I make Your enemies
a footstool for Your feet.”’i
36Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”
Three Thousand Believe
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
40With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.” 41Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.j
The Fellowship of Believers
(Acts 4:32–37)
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43A sense of awek came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.
44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.
46With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courtsl and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Footnotes:
1 a That is, Shavuot, the late spring feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; it is also known as the Feast of Harvest (see Exodus 23:16) or the Feast of Weeks (see Exodus 34:22).
5 b Or staying; similarly in verse 14
9 c That is, the Roman Province of Asia, located in what is now western Turkey
15 d That is, nine in the morning
21 e Joel 2:28–32 (see also LXX)
25 f Literally I foresaw; see verse 31.
28 g Psalm 16:8–11 (see also LXX)
30 h Literally on oath that He would place out of the fruit of his loins on his throne; BYZ and TR on oath out of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, to raise up Christ to sit on his throne; Psalm 132:11
35 i Psalm 110:1
41 j Literally about three thousand souls were added that day
43 k Or fear
46 l Literally the temple
Artificial intelligence
TechBig TechChina completes world’s first commercial brain-computer interface implant
Coin-sized implant marks a breakthrough in neurotechnology, underscoring China’s bid to lead the global race against Elon Musk’s Neuralink
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Further ReadingChina’s DeepSeek eyes US$70b valuation in new talks weeks after first roundSoft brain chip could help solve Neuralink’s big implant challengeChina’s StepFun beats Apple and OpenAI to ‘world’s first AI phone’
Iris Dengin Shenzhen
Published: 10:00pm, 15 Jul 2026Updated: 11:19pm, 15 Jul 2026
China has completed the world’s first commercial surgery using an invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) device approved in March, marking a leap in the country’s neurotechnology push to rival Elon Musk’s Neuralink.Chinese surgeons implanted a coin-sized brain chip on a patient with impaired hand mobility linked to a spinal cord injury from a car accident 10 years ago, according to a statement from the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality on Wednesday.
The procedure, performed on Monday at Huashan Hospital, captured stable, high-quality epidural brain signals, with the patient recovering and vital signs remaining stable.
Developed by local start-up Neuracle Medical Technology, the NEO device assists hand motion. It is placed on the brain’s outer surface without penetrating tissue, reading neural signals and translating them into hand movements.
It became the world’s first commercially prescribed BCI after winning approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration on March 13, making it available as a commercial product rather than confined to laboratories and clinical trials.
Since clearance, NEO had rolled out production, hospital introductions, patient screening and inclusion in local commercial health insurance within four months, according to the statement.
The milestone underscores China’s ambition to lead the global BCI race, which it has identified as one of the future industries driving economic growth, with plans to cultivate “two or three” global leaders by 2030.
A government blueprint last July set targets for key breakthroughs by 2027, including building an advanced technology system and industrial framework.Shanghai-based Neuracle began its Star Market listing process in February to bolster resources for research and production.
By contrast, Musk’s Neuralink has yet to secure full commercial approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, though it has enrolled more than 20 patients in trials for its first product, Telepathy.
The system aims to enable people with paralysis to directly control devices including computers, phones and robotic limbs.
Preaching the gospel in China is heavily restricted and, in most contexts, illegal. While Christianity is one of the officially recognized religions, the Chinese Communist Party enforces strict control over all religious practice.
The Gospel Coalition +2
Here are the specific rules regarding preaching:
Revelation 13:5-8 declares, “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”
The term antichrist appears exclusively in the epistles of 1 and 2 John (1 John 2:18–22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7). The word appears in both the singular (“the antichrist”) and plural form (“many antichrists”). First John 2:18 declares, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.” Many antichrists have appeared in the broad sense of those representing a false religious system. The term Antichrist may be applied both to an individual and to the religious system that person represents.
Since the first prophecy of the Messiah, the spirit of Antichrist has been in the world to oppose the work of Christ Jesus. John wrote his epistles knowing that the spiritual conflict between Christ and Antichrist had already begun. Biblical prophecies predict the coming of the Antichrist in the end times, which is, generally speaking, the period between the first and second comings of Christ. From the beginning of the church age, the great majority of believers have been certain that a final world ruler would arise who will be the very embodiment of Satan. In Revelation 13:1, the Antichrist is the “beast out of the sea” and has “ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names” (NASB 1995). Throughout the history of the church, the term Antichrist has been used synonymously with the title beast.
Until the church was granted freedom of religion by Roman Emperor Constantine, many Caesars were regarded as candidates for the Antichrist. Throughout the Middle Ages, biblical prophecies regarding the Antichrist were typically interpreted symbolically as opposed to literally. Even when the symbolic interpretation was prevalent, many Roman Catholic popes were labeled as the Antichrist. During the time of the Protestant Reformation, it was the Roman Catholic papacy, corporately, that was considered to be the Antichrist.
Premillennialism, the doctrine that Christ will return at the end of the age to establish an earthly kingdom, teaches the coming Antichrist is the final world ruler to oppose God and His Anointed (“the Christ”). Additionally, the Antichrist will persecute God’s elect relentlessly, particularly the Jewish people. The Antichrist will rule during the tribulation (known as Daniel’s seventieth week—see Daniel 9:24–27) and will have unquestioned authority for three-and-one-half years. Antichrist is an appropriate title for this future ruler because it accurately depicts the essence of his character and his opposition of God.
The Antichrist is known by many names throughout Scripture, such as the “little horn” (Daniel 7:8, KJV); “a fierce-looking king” and “a master of intrigue” (Daniel 8:23); “the prince who is to come” (Daniel 9:26, NASB 1995); “a vile person” (Daniel 11:21, NKJV); “the king [who] will do whatever he wants” (Daniel 11:36, CSB); “the worthless shepherd” (Zechariah 11:17); the “beast” (Revelation 13:1); “the man of lawlessness” and “the son of destruction” (2 Thessalonians 2:3, ESV); and “the abomination that causes desolation” (Matthew 24:15). He will achieve a false peace that ends in sudden destruction (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
The coming Antichrist is diabolically wicked in his deeds and nature. He will be against Christ, against God’s people, and against His law. The Antichrist is the great imposter who tries to take the place of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Antichrist is said to exalt himself as God and erect an image of himself to be worshiped (Daniel 11:36; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; Revelation 13:8). Through “power, signs, and lying wonders” and “unrighteous deception,” he will deceive an evil and unrepentant world (2 Thessalonians 2:9–10, NKJV).
Many kings, from Nebuchadnezzar to Antiochus to Nero, have exalted themselves as a god. But none of them have been the Antichrist to fulfill all the biblical prophecies. The final Antichrist is coming, and the grapes of God’s wrath are ripening (Revelation 14:14–20).
In the Bible, anointing the head with oil signifies being chosen and set apart by God for a specific, holy purpose. It was an Old Testament practice for consecrating kings, priests, and prophets. The word "Messiah" (Hebrew) and "Christ" (Greek) both translate to "the anointed one". [1, 2]
Here is a breakdown of the significance behind the practice:
Peter spoke of such people as “scoffers [who] will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires” (2 Peter 3:3; see also Proverbs 21:24; Jude 1:18). Those who reject Christ and His Word are spiritually blind and cannot understand the truth of the Scriptures. The truth sounds foolish to them (Isaiah 37:23; 1 Corinthians 1:18). The Bible describes those denying God as fools (Psalm 14:1; Matthew 7:26). Because of their blindness and rejection of God and His Word, they are in a perilous, unsaved condition (John 12:48; Hebrews 2:2-4).
The spiritually blind are simply unable to understand God’s Word (Matthew 13:13; Deuteronomy 29:4). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17). Paul echoed this when he told the believers in Rome, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:8-9). Those outside of Christ are not of God because their lives are steeped in the things of the world with all its passions, their eyes blind to the Spirit of God. The Apostle John said, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” but that person’s love “is from the world” (1 John 2:15-16).
The cause of spiritual blindness is made quite clear in the Scriptures: “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Paul refers to Satan as the “god of this world.” Extraordinarily evil (John 8:44), Satan destroys the flesh (1 Corinthians 5:5), masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and is the cause of all temptations (Luke 4:2; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 7:5). He revels in scheming against and trapping the unbelievers (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:26). Satan’s goal is to devour the weak who fall prey to temptation, fear, loneliness, worry, depression, and persecution (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Without God and left to ourselves, we easily succumb to the devil’s schemes. We can become so mired in the affairs of this world and its moral darkness that, in the end, God turns us over to spiritual blindness and eternal condemnation (John 12:40; Romans 1:24-32).
As believers, we have the Spirit of God reigning in our lives to ward off the debilitating effects of Satan’s power and the world’s influence (1 John 4:13). John tells us, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15). Satan wars within and without us. His weapons are deceitful and crafty schemes to make us doubt and stumble (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 4:14). Yet God has provided us with powerful weapons to ward off his flaming arrows (Ephesians 6:10-18). As believers we can overcome the evil one and remain in the Light and never become spiritually blind. For, in truth, Jesus has given us His wonderful promise: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Let us enter into the mind and heart of Mary and reflect on the seven major sorrows in her life. Our Sorrowful Mother can teach us much about the sanctity of suffering and be a source of consolation to all who suffer.
The Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15.
First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon“And you yourself a sword will pierce” (Lk 2:35).
When Mary’s 40-day period of purification has almost ended, she goes to Jerusalem to fulfill the Mosaic Law and for the required offering to the Lord of every firstborn male. The law of purification does not bind Mary, always a virgin. Nor does Jesus, because of who he is, have to be redeemed. Yet Mary humbly obeys.
After the ceremony, imagine young Mary’s amazement when Simeon takes Jesus from her arms and acknowledges him as the Messiah! Only through divine inspiration can Simeon know this. Simeon blesses them and says to Mary, “And you yourself a sword will pierce” (Lk 2:35).
Mary shudders and holds Jesus close to her breast, as Joseph gently leads her out of the temple. Although Joseph is deeply shaken, his primary concern is for his wife and son. They return to Nazareth in silence, where Mary ponders these things in her heart.
Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt“The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him'” (Mt 2:13).
Joseph hastily awakens Mary and relates his dream. She feels the sword’s sharpness as Simeon’s prophecy echoes in her heart. There is no time to worry—only time to pack a few essentials—as they prepare to flee to Egypt under cover of darkness.
The lengthy journey across the desert wilderness frightens Mary, but she never voices her fears to Joseph. However, she can’t help but think, Will there be enough food and water? How will we weather the excessive heat? What if the donkey stumbles? What if . . . ? The “what-ifs” could have paralyzed a person of little faith. But Mary continues to trust that God will take care of her little family’s needs.
None of this is recorded, so we can only imagine the hardships that the Holy Family endured while in exile. One thing is certain: nothing can sway Mary’s trust in God. She never questions. She ponders, letting the things she doesn’t understand simply be there in her heart, in complete conformity to the divine plan. Mary is a model of cooperation with grace.
Third Sorrow: Search for the Child in Jerusalem“After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety'” (Lk 2:46, 48).
Terror seizes Mary’s heart when she discovers that her son is missing. On the third day, while walking by the temple, the anxious mother hears the sweet sound of Jesus’ voice. “Joseph, look! There he is among the teachers!” They run to Jesus’ side, and Mary, with mingled joy and sorrow, speaks words of gentle reproach to her son.
Mary and Joseph realize they have a very special son—one who amazes even the teachers in the temple with his intelligence. Sometimes they whisper in Aramaic at night, sharing their innermost thoughts and concerns. Often, young Mary ponders these things in her heart while performing her daily tasks: grinding grain into flour to make bread, milking the goats, and spinning yarn and weaving it into clothing for her family.
Sometimes, in the cool of the evening, she sits on the flat roof of their home, the pain of Simeon’s prophecy and of Jesus’ disappearance merging and lingering—a pain as widespread as the profusion of flowers trickling down the hillsides of Nazareth in that April of Jesus’ 12th year.
Fourth Sorrow: Mary Meets Jesus on His Way to the Cross“And carrying the cross himself . . .” (Jn 19:17). “A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him” (Lk 23:27).
Mary’s life remains hidden—hidden in God. A widow now, she lives an inconspicuous life, pondering and accepting the mystery of her unique role and that of her son. When news of his miracles reaches her at Nazareth, she rejoices. But the disturbing news of the tension mounting in Jerusalem concerning an upstart named Jesus makes her apprehensive. She knows the sword is poised to pierce her heart more deeply. Yet she goes to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, hoping Jesus will be there.
Mary helps prepare the Passover meal. Quickly she dishes out the bitter herbs and vinegar and carries them to the Upper Room. Here, Mary participates in the first Eucharist. She comprehends all too well the full meaning of his words. We can only guess at the sequence of events. Perhaps one of the holy women finds Mary and tells her that Jesus has been arrested. “I must go to him!” she cries.
Mary pushes her way through the shouting, cursing mob. At last, she sees her son carrying his cross. Mary’s heart breaks in unspeakable sorrow at the outrage committed against his precious body. She is powerless to minister to him, except by her presence. Their eyes meet and speak volumes of love in a frozen moment of anguished silence. “Trust, trust,” Jesus’ heart speaks to hers. His unspoken words echo in her hearing heart. With renewed strength, she walks the Way of her son.
Fifth Sorrow: Standing at the Foot of the Cross
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (Jn 19:25–27).
Finally they reach the hill of execution. The cruel soldiers stretch Jesus’ battered body upon the cross and, with heavy hammer blows, drive the sharp spikes into his hands and feet. Mary’s head pounds with each cruel blow. No one hears the silent scream that shatters her broken heart and echoes in the heart of God.
What now takes place is all according to God’s plan. Her son, the Son of God, has to suffer and die. John, the beloved disciple, puts his arm around Mary, steadying her. “My precious child,” she weeps, “heralded at Bethlehem, now suffering an ignominious and painful death!”
And then, through swollen, purple lips, Jesus speaks. Mary strains to hear his words. He looks tenderly upon his mother and, with great effort, says, “He is your son.” He looks at the disciple and emphasizes, “She is your mother.”
Sixth Sorrow: The Crucifixion and Descent from the CrossAfter this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. So he came and took his body” (Jn 19:38).
Saying, “It is finished,” Jesus bows his head and dies. Mary remembers his words at the Passover meal: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you” (Lk 22:20). The dreaded time is now: he precious blood of her son is poured out for all humankind. The covenant is sealed.
Jesus, her son, the Son of God, is dead. In her heart, Mary dies with him. Two broken hearts—one pierced with a spear, one pierced with sorrow—become one: Jesus and Mary, forever united for the whole human family.
Mary’s sorrow is all the greater because of the greatness of her love.
Jesus’ body is taken down from the cross and placed in her arms. Mary embraces her son with a love beyond words, beyond grief itself. For now, it is the grief of a consummate sorrow. She, who had given birth to divinity, now presses the bloodied and battered remains of his humanity close to her sorrowful and shattered heart. “Let it be done according to thy will, Lord,” she prays.
Seventh Sorrow: Assisting at the Burial of Christ“The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind, and when they had seen the tomb and the way in which his body was laid in it, they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils“ (Lk 23:55‚ 56).
The holy women quietly prepare the spices and ointments, and gather the winding sheet and the grave cloth, according to Jewish custom. Mary, the faithful disciple, insists on helping and returns to the tomb with the women. They go about their task of washing the body with great reverence and wrap it in long strips of linen, taking great care to pack the fragrant spices (including the myrrh and aloes Nicodemus had brought) between the cloth and the body, in order to reduce the stench of death.
Mary hesitates before placing the grave cloth over Jesus’ face. Tenderly, she kisses him one last, lingering time. John steps forward to take her hand and lead her to his home. Behind them, they hear the heavy round stone rolled forward to seal the cave. Mary’s pierced heart remains united to the stilled heart of the one they had pierced—the most Sacred Heart that was formed in her immaculate womb. With one languishing wail, she proclaims what others are just now beginning to believe, what she already knew: “My Lord and my God!”
All four gospels present an account of Jesus being anointed by a woman with a costly jar of perfume (Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50; John 12:1–8). Matthew and Mark relate the same event but do not give the woman’s name; Luke tells of a different woman, also anonymous, on an earlier occasion; and, in yet another event, the woman in John is identified as Mary of Bethany (John 11:2), sister to Martha and Lazarus. To understand the significance of Jesus being anointed on these three occasions, we’ll look at each account separately and then compare and contrast them in conclusion.
In Hebrews 11, we learn about faith from the Bible’s Old Testament heroes. One crucial detail stands out in their lives: they placed their whole confidence in God, entrusting themselves into His hands. The actions and accomplishments of these men and women proved that faith pleases God, and He rewards those who seek Him: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
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.
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 anointing of Jesus in Matthew takes place two days before Passover in the town of Bethany at Simon the leper’s home: “Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table” (Matthew 26:6–7, ESV).
Matthew focuses on the anointing of Jesus as a teaching episode for the disciples, who react with anger because of the woman’s wasteful extravagance. But Jesus defends her, saying, “She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Matthew 26:10). Christ explains that the anointing is to prepare His body for burial and that the woman’s act of love will forever be remembered wherever the good news is preached.
Mark tells the same story in similar terms, with an anonymous woman with an alabaster box interrupting a meal in Simon the leper’s home to anoint the head of Jesus with expensive perfume. Again, the woman’s critics describe her gift as excessive, complaining that it could have been sold for more than a year’s wages (Mark 14:5). But Jesus receives the woman’s gift as a selfless act of love and devotion—an appropriate way to honor the Messiah. Jesus reveals that He will not be with them much longer, which references His impending death and burial.
Both Matthew and Mark’s accounts emphasize the prophetic significance of the anointing of Jesus, alluding to His death and burial. There may also be an implication of Jesus’ kingship, since, in the Old Testament, the anointing of the head was often associated with the dedication of kings (1 Samuel 9:15—10:1; 16:12–13; 1 Kings 1:38–40).
In Luke’s account of a similar, yet different, instance, Jesus uses the occasion of being anointed to tell a parable about forgiveness (Luke 7:39–50). About a year before His death, Jesus was dining in the home of Simon the Pharisee, who had arrogantly neglected to extend the customary respect and hospitality to his guest, while a sinful woman anoints Jesus’ feet, lavishing her love and gratefulness upon Jesus.
In John’s gospel, Lazarus’ sister Mary is the woman who anoints Jesus with a high-priced perfume at a dinner in Bethany. The story is similar to those in the other gospels, although this anointing takes place six days before Passover, and Judas is named as the disciple who objects to the “waste.” On this occasion, “Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair”(John 12:3, NLT). Jesus defends Mary from Judas’s criticism by pointing out the unique opportunity Mary had: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” (John 12:8).
Mary’s anointing again points to Christ’s identity as Messiah-King, but it also points to His humble position as Servant-King. When Mary anoints Jesus’ feet and then wipes them with her hair, she foreshadows Jesus’ actions at the upcoming Last Supper when the Lord washes the disciples’ feet and teaches them how to love one another through sacrificial, humble service (John 13:1–20).
In each account, a woman pours out a precious and costly perfume in an extravagant act of worship. The three women who anointed Jesus recognized Christ’s unequaled value and expressed their gratitude with unreserved love and devotion. Two anointings of Jesus happen during the week of Passover and are linked with His imminent death and burial. The earlier anointing, in Luke’s account, is in the middle of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee and draws a different lesson on forgiveness and love.
In each case, the woman’s actions signal more than she knows. But, although she may not fully comprehend the messianic significance of her anointing, each woman had come to appreciate Christ’s worth more than anyone else at the table.
Jesus Christ is God’s anointed Messiah. The word Messiah means “anointed one” and derives directly from the Hebrew word for “anointed.” Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, also meaning “anointed one.” Thus, Christ is the Greek equivalent to Messiah. When Jesus receives the Holy Spirit at His baptism, He is “anointed” by God in preparation for His life’s work (Luke 3:22; cf. Acts 10:38; Luke 4:18). On three separate occasions, Jesus is anointed with fragrant ointment in His work as the Savior, the King of heaven who was in preparation to die to save His people.
For teachings on Mary as the "New Ark of the Covenant," you can explore the audio and video resources produced by Dr. Brant Pitre on Catholic Productions. Their study materials deeply examine the biblical and historical parallels between the original Ark and the Virgin Mary. [1, 2]
Key resources to explore include:
- Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary: A 1-hour and 17-minute audio/video presentation where Dr. Pitre uses ancient Jewish beliefs to explain Catholic teachings, including the typology of Mary as the New Ark. [1]
- Mother of the Messiah: A Bible Study on Mary: A three-part study diving into the biblical foundations of Mary’s titles, including her role as the New Ark of the New Covenant. [1, 2]
- Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: A blog breakdown explaining how Revelation 12 and Luke 1 present Mary as the Ark.
The King James Version, New King James, and English Standard Version use the word sorrows in Isaiah 53:3 in identifying the Messiah as “a man of sorrows.” The NIV translates the word as “suffering.” Isaiah 52:13—53:12 is the climactic fourth of the Servant Songs and is often referred to as the “Song of the Suffering Servant.” If you simply read these verses carefully, you will note how much pain, suffering, and sorrow that Jesus, the Suffering Servant, actually endures (italics added for emphasis):
“See, my servant will act wisely;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
Just as there were many who were appalled at him--
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
and his form marred beyond human likeness--
so he will sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.
“Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
“Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
“He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Jesus is called “a man of sorrows” because of how much suffering He had to endure. He suffered first by leaving the glories of heaven and entering the human race as a man. Then He suffered all the things that humanity suffers, and then finally He suffered the wrath of God as the sin-bearer. Such suffering must have been all the more acute for Him, given His perfect nature. Who of us could ever understand the depths of what His righteous spirit suffered as He lived among fallen humanity?
Although He is called “a man of sorrows,” Jesus was not a morose, doleful person. He did endure times of sadness, but He could rejoice in His sufferings as He focused on the final outcome. Jesus is “the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus endured many pains, hardships, sufferings, and sorrows, but He kept His eyes on the final joy of completing God’s purpose and redeeming His lost sheep.
The old hymn by Philip Bliss is appropriate to quote here:
“Man of Sorrows,” what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood--
Sealed my pardon with His blood:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Guilty, vile and helpless, we,
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die,
“It is finished,” was His cry;
Now in heav’n exalted high:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
It was Jesus’ willingness to endure suffering and sorrow in a world of suffering and sorrow that ultimately rescues all who trust in Him from the very presence of any suffering and sorrow. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
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.
To be spiritually blind is not to see Christ, and not to see Christ is not to see God (Colossians 1:15-16; 2 Corinthians 4:6). Spiritual blindness is a grievous condition experienced by those who do not believe in God, Jesus Christ, and His Word (Romans 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:12). Those who reject Christ are the lost (John 6:68-69). Being spiritually blind, they are perishing (2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Revelation 3:17). They choose not to accept the teachings of Christ and His authority in their lives (Matthew 28:18). They are blind to the manifestations of God as revealed throughout His Word and Jesus Christ (John 1:1; Acts 28:26-27). They are described as those who “do not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Peter spoke of such people as “scoffers [who] will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires” (2 Peter 3:3; see also Proverbs 21:24; Jude 1:18). Those who reject Christ and His Word are spiritually blind and cannot understand the truth of the Scriptures. The truth sounds foolish to them (Isaiah 37:23; 1 Corinthians 1:18). The Bible describes those denying God as fools (Psalm 14:1; Matthew 7:26). Because of their blindness and rejection of God and His Word, they are in a perilous, unsaved condition (John 12:48; Hebrews 2:2-4).
The spiritually blind are simply unable to understand God’s Word (Matthew 13:13; Deuteronomy 29:4). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17). Paul echoed this when he told the believers in Rome, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:8-9). Those outside of Christ are not of God because their lives are steeped in the things of the world with all its passions, their eyes blind to the Spirit of God. The Apostle John said, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” but that person’s love “is from the world” (1 John 2:15-16).
The cause of spiritual blindness is made quite clear in the Scriptures: “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Paul refers to Satan as the “god of this world.” Extraordinarily evil (John 8:44), Satan destroys the flesh (1 Corinthians 5:5), masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and is the cause of all temptations (Luke 4:2; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 7:5). He revels in scheming against and trapping the unbelievers (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:26). Satan’s goal is to devour the weak who fall prey to temptation, fear, loneliness, worry, depression, and persecution (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Without God and left to ourselves, we easily succumb to the devil’s schemes. We can become so mired in the affairs of this world and its moral darkness that, in the end, God turns us over to spiritual blindness and eternal condemnation (John 12:40; Romans 1:24-32).
As believers, we have the Spirit of God reigning in our lives to ward off the debilitating effects of Satan’s power and the world’s influence (1 John 4:13). John tells us, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15). Satan wars within and without us. His weapons are deceitful and crafty schemes to make us doubt and stumble (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 4:14). Yet God has provided us with powerful weapons to ward off his flaming arrows (Ephesians 6:10-18). As believers we can overcome the evil one and remain in the Light and never become spiritually blind. For, in truth, Jesus has given us His wonderful promise: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Usually, when people speak of the “great deception,” they refer to 2 Thessalonians 2:11, which predicts that God will, in an end-times judgment, send “a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.” This great deception is associated with the satanic work of the Antichrist and his “displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie” (verse 9).
The same passage in 2 Thessalonians also speaks of a great apostasy that will take place before the man of lawlessness is revealed. Similar apostasies are predicted elsewhere: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). Of course, people are complicit in the deception, for they reject the truth and prefer lies: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).
Jesus spoke about a time to come when the deception will be especially great when false messiahs and false prophets will appear. Even the people of God could be deceived if it were not for God’s providential protection: “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24, see also Mark 13:5–6, Luke 21:8).
All of these deceptions are instigated by the devil. However, 2 Thessalonians 2:11 also speaks of the deception as God’s punishment on people who refuse to believe the truth. The context seems to be similar to that of the gospel passages above and speaks of one to come who will be especially deceptive: “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:9–12, ESV).
In this passage, after people have refused the truth for so long, God causes them to believe what is false—a “strong delusion.” This is not an instance where God actively deceives people; rather, God is simply giving those who reject the truth what they really want.
We see a similar pattern in Romans 1:18–25 where people reject God’s truth for so long that He simply abandons them to their own sinfulness. They have, as it were, crossed the point of no return:
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
“Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.”
Much the same thing happened to Pharaoh after he refused to let the Israelites leave Egypt, and God hardened his heart. It was not as though Pharaoh would have been an obedient follower of the Lord if God had not hardened his heart. Pharaoh set his heart against the Lord, and God simply confirmed for all time Pharaoh’s decision (see Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34; 10:1).
The deception spoken of in the Gospels has to do with false prophets and/or messiahs who appear and seem to be authenticated by miracles. Taking the futurist position, we see the great deception spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2 as a future event associated with the coming of the Antichrist after the rapture of the church. “Those who are perishing” will willingly embrace the imitation and follow the beast of the end times; they will perish “because they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (verse 10).
We don’t know exactly what the great deception will be, only that it will be a strong delusion capable of swaying the world’s allegiance toward the Antichrist. The Bible says that, in the time of the Antichrist and false prophet, there will be many signs to bolster their lies. The false prophet “performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth” (Revelation 13:13–14). It is hard to imagine, but the deception during the tribulation will be worse than all of Satan’s other deceptions. The Antichrist will have a deadly wound healed, his “image” will breathe and speak and give orders, etc. (Revelation 13:12, 15).
In the broader sense, anyone who rejects the truth of God is being deceived, and at some point, God may simply abandon him to the deception that he has willingly embraced. There are plenty of false teachers today who claim to teach God’s Word. Some claim to be Christians, and some claim to bring a word from God from outside of the Bible. It is vitally important that every Christian compare every teaching with what the Bible says and spend the time necessary to evaluate what is being taught. This is the mission of Got Questions, and in keeping with that mission, we would encourage every reader to compare what we say with Scripture as well.
The Mark of the Beast
16And the second beast required all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is 666.d
China controls commerce and individuals through an integrated system of state-directed capitalism, digital surveillance, and strict regulatory enforcement. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) merges political and commercial interests through mandatory party committees in private firms, heavy data localization laws, and the monitoring of all e-commerce transactions. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Corporate & E-Commerce Control
- Corporate Oversight: Any business in China with three or more CCP members is required to establish a party committee, effectively giving the state a voice in corporate strategy and hiring. [1]
- Digital Platforms: Regulatory expansions, such as China's e-commerce laws and antitrust measures, closely monitor consumer protection, data security, and platform algorithms. [1]
- State Sector Dominance: State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) control crucial industries and over 75% of national capital, allowing the government to guide market outcomes without directly owning every business. [1, 2]
- Data Access & Privacy: Beijing strictly limits the availability of routine business and financial data to offshore users, while increasing scrutiny on foreign consulting firms operating in the country. [1]
Individual & Social Controls
- Social Credit System & Surveillance: The state utilizes a massive digital network to track both public opinion and individual compliance, shaping consumer behavior. [1, 2, 3, 4]
- Civil Society & Labor: New employment groups and individual households are increasingly integrated with party committees and local labor laws to prevent independent organizing. [1]
- National Security Laws: The 2017 National Intelligence Law legally compels firms and citizens to support, provide information for, or assist the state's intelligence work. [1]
Impact on Commerce & Trade
- Resilience Mechanisms: The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) enforces supply chain security laws, allowing the state to investigate or block activities by foreign individuals and organizations that it views as disruptive to Chinese commercial interests. [1]
- Market Access Strategy: Entering or operating within the Chinese market requires deep coordination with local regulatory environments and government agencies to ensure compliance. [1]
Solomon was the third and last king of the united kingdom of Israel, following King Saul and King David. He was the son of David and Bathsheba, the former wife of Uriah the Hittite whom David had killed to hide his adultery with Bathsheba while her husband was on the battle front. Solomon wrote the Song of Solomon, the book of Ecclesiastes, and much of the book of Proverbs. His authorship of Ecclesiastes is contested by some, but Solomon is the only “son of David” to be “king over Israel” (not just Judah) “in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1, 12), and many of the descriptions of the author fit Solomon perfectly. Solomon reigned for 40 years (1 Kings 11:42).
What are the highlights of Solomon’s life? When he ascended to the throne, he sought after God, and God gave him opportunity to ask for whatever he wanted. Solomon humbly acknowledged his inability to rule well and unselfishly asked God for the wisdom he would need to rule God’s people justly. God gave him wisdom and wealth besides (1 Kings 3:4–15; 10:27). In fact, "King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth" (1 Kings 10:23). God also gave Solomon peace on all sides during most of his reign (1 Kings 4:20–25).
One common illustration of Solomon’s wisdom is his judging a dispute over the identity of the true mother of an infant child (1 Kings 3:16-28). Solomon proposed splitting the living child in half, knowing that the true mother would prefer to lose her son to another woman than to have him killed. Solomon was not only wise in his rule but had great general wisdom as well. His wisdom was renowned in his day. The Queen of Sheba traveled 1,200 miles to verify the rumors of his wisdom and grandeur (1 Kings 10). "Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed" (1 Kings 10:3–5). Solomon proved not only to be knowledgeable but to have put his wisdom into action in the way his kingdom functioned.
Solomon wrote many proverbs and songs (1 Kings 4:32) and completed many building projects (1 Kings 7:1–12; 9:15–23). Solomon also built a fleet of ships and acquired tons of gold from Ophir with Hiram, king of Tyre, as a partner (1 Kings 9:26–28; 10:11, 22). Perhaps Solomon’s most important building project was completing the Jewish temple per the instructions and provisions of his father, David (1 Kings 6; 1 Chronicles 22).
Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, many of them foreigners who led him into public idolatry in his old age, greatly angering God (1 Kings 11:1–13). First Kings 11:9–10 records, "The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’s command." God told Solomon that he would remove the kingdom from him, but, for the sake of David, would not do so during Solomon’s lifetime. He also promised not to tear the whole kingdom away. In the meantime, God raised up adversaries against Solomon who caused trouble the remainder of Solomon’s life (1 Kings 11:14–25). Jeroboam, who would become the first king of Israel, also began to rebel against Solomon, but fled (1 Kings 11:26–40). The kingdom was divided under Rehoboam, Solomon’s son (1 Kings 12).
There are many lessons we can learn from the life of Solomon. First, when we seek God with all of our heart, He will be found (1 Kings 3:3–7). Second, those who honor God will be honored by Him (1 Kings 3:11–13; 1 Samuel 2:30). Third, God will equip us to accomplish the tasks He calls us to if we will rely on Him (1 Kings 3; Romans 12:3–8; 2 Peter 1:3). Fourth, the spiritual life is a marathon, not a sprint. A good start is not always enough to finish well (1 Kings 3; 11). Fifth, we can sincerely ask God to incline our hearts toward Him (1 Kings 8:57–58), but we will wander off the path of righteousness if we choose to violate His revealed Word. Sixth, those closest to us will affect our spiritual lives (Exodus 34:16; 1 Kings 11:1–8; Daniel 1; 3; 1 Corinthians 15:33), and we must therefore be very careful of the company we keep. Seventh, life lived apart from God will be meaningless, regardless of education, fulfilled goals, the greatest of pleasures, and the greatest abundance of wealth (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
Jesus cleansed the temple of the money-changers and sellers of merchandise because of His disgust at what they had made of God’s house of prayer and His zeal to purify it from the abuse of ungodly men. Judea was under the rule of the Romans, and the money in current use was Roman coin. However, the Jewish law required that every man should pay a tribute to the service of the sanctuary of “half a shekel” (Exodus 30:11–16), a Jewish coin. It became, therefore, a matter of convenience to have a place where the Roman coin could be exchanged for the Jewish half shekel. The money-changers provided this convenience but would demand a small sum for the exchange. Because so many thousands of people came up to the great feasts, changing money was a very profitable business and one that resulted in fraud and oppression of the poor.
◄ Isaiah 53 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The Suffering Servant
(Acts 8:26–40; 1 Peter 2:21–25)
1Who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?a
2He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no stately form or majesty to attract us,
no beauty that we should desire Him.
3He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.
Like one from whom men hide their faces,
He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
4Surely He took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows;b
yet we considered Him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
5But He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
and by His stripes we are healed.c
6We all like sheep have gone astray,d
each one has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid upon Him
the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet He did not open His mouth.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so He did not open His mouth.
8By oppression and judgment He was taken away,
and who can recount His descendants?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;e
He was stricken for the transgression of My people.
A Grave Assigned
(Matthew 27:57–61; Mark 15:42–47; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42)
9He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with a rich man in His death,
although He had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in His mouth.f
10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him
and to cause Him to suffer;
and when His soul is made a guilt offering,g
He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days,
and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
11After the anguish of His soul,
He will see the light of lifeh and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many,
and He will bear their iniquities.
12Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great,i
and He will divide the spoils with the strong,j
because He has poured out His life unto death,
and He was numbered with the transgressors.k
Yet He bore the sin of many
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Footnotes:
1 a Cited in John 12:38 and Romans 10:16
4 b LXX This One bears our sins and is pained for us; cited in Matthew 8:17 and 1 Peter 2:24
5 c Cited in 1 Peter 2:24
6 d Cited in 1 Peter 2:25
8 e LXX In humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth; cited in Acts 8:32–33.
9 f Cited in 1 Peter 2:22
10 g Or and though He makes His life a guilt offering
11 h DSS (see also LXX); MT does not include the light of life.
12 i Or many
12 j Or numerous
12 k Cited in Luke 22:37
◄ Proverbs 23 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾
True Riches
(1 Timothy 6:17–19; James 5:1–6)
Saying 7
1When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
consider carefully what is set before you,a
2and put a knife to your throat
if you possess a great appetite.
3Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.
Saying 8
4Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
be wise enough to restrain yourself.
5When you glance at wealth, it disappears,
for it makes wings for itself
and flies like an eagle to the sky.
Saying 9
6Do not eat the bread of a stingy man,b
and do not crave his delicacies;
7for he is keeping track,
inwardly counting the cost.c
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
8You will vomit up what little you have eaten
and waste your pleasant words.
Saying 10
9Do not speak to a fool,
for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Saying 11
10Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11for their Redeemer is strong;
He will take up their case against you.
Saying 12
12Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.
Saying 13
13Do not withhold discipline from a child;
although you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14Strike him with a rod,
and you will deliver his soul from Sheol.
Saying 14
15My son, if your heart is wise,
my own heart will indeed rejoice.
16My inmost beingd will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.
Saying 15
17Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always continue in the fear of the LORD.
18For surely there is a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
Saying 16
19Listen, my son, and be wise,
and guide your heart on the right course.
20Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat.
21For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.
Saying 17
22Listen to your father who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23Invest in truth and never sell it--
in wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice,
and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
25May your father and mother be glad,
and may she who gave you birth rejoice!
Saying 18
26My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes delight in my ways.
27For a prostitute is a deep pit,
and an adulteresse is a narrow well.
28Like a robber she lies in wait
and multiplies the faithless among men.
Saying 19
29Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaints?
Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30Those who linger over wine,
who go to taste mixed drinks.
31Do not gaze at wine while it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32In the end it bites like a snake
and stings like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange things,
and your mind will utter perversities.
34You will be like one sleeping on the high seas
or lying on the top of a mast:
35“They struck me, but I feel no pain!
They beat me, but I did not know it!
When can I wake up
to search for another drink?”
Footnotes:
1 a Or who is before you
6 b Literally of him whose eye is evil
7 c Or for as he calculates in his soul, so is he
16 d Hebrew My kidneys
27 e Or a foreign woman or a wayward wife
Invest in truth
Proverbs 3:3-4
Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. / Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
John 17:17
Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
and never sell it--
2 Timothy 1:13-14
Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. / Guard the treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”
2 John 1:8
Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.
in wisdom
Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
and instruction
Proverbs 1:8-9
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother. / For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, / so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
and understanding.
Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
Colossians 2:2-3
that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, / in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Matthew 13:44-46
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field. / Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. / When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.
Colossians 2:3
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Isaiah 55:1-3
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost! / Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods. / Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.
1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
Psalm 119:72
The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
Treasury of Scripture
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
buy
Proverbs 2:2-4
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; …
Proverbs 4:5-7
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth…
Proverbs 10:1
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
sell
Matthew 16:26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Acts 20:23
Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
Hebrews 11:26
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
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Proverbs 23
1. Consider carefully what is before you
The term "Seven Spirits of God" appears in the Book of Revelation and is a subject of theological interest and interpretation within Christian doctrine. This concept is primarily found in the apocalyptic literature of the New Testament, specifically in the Book of Revelation, and is often associated with the fullness and perfection of the Holy Spirit.
Biblical References:
1. Revelation 1:4 : "John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits before His throne."
2. Revelation 3:1 : "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead."
3. Revelation 4:5 : "From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven Spirits of God."
4. Revelation 5:6 : "Then 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 Spirits of God sent out into all the earth."
Interpretations:
The "Seven Spirits of God" is a symbolic expression that has been interpreted in various ways within Christian theology. The number seven often signifies completeness or perfection in biblical literature, suggesting that the "Seven Spirits" represent the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
1. The Holy Spirit's Completeness: Many theologians view the "Seven Spirits" as a symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit's complete and perfect nature. This interpretation aligns with the biblical use of the number seven to denote wholeness and divine perfection.
2. Isaiah's Sevenfold Spirit: Some scholars connect the "Seven Spirits" with the sevenfold description of the Spirit found in Isaiah 11:2 (though not directly quoted in the), which speaks of the Spirit of the Lord resting upon the Messiah, characterized by wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord.
3. Presence and Activity: The presence of the "Seven Spirits" before God's throne and their association with the Lamb in Revelation 5:6 suggests their active role in the divine plan and their omnipresence throughout the earth. This imagery emphasizes the Spirit's involvement in both heavenly and earthly realms.
4. Symbolic Representation: The imagery of the "seven torches of fire" and "seven eyes" in Revelation further underscores the symbolic nature of the "Seven Spirits," representing illumination, insight, and divine omniscience.
Theological Significance:
The concept of the "Seven Spirits of God" underscores the multifaceted work and presence of the Holy Spirit in the world and in the life of the believer. It highlights the Spirit's role in conveying God's grace, peace, and divine attributes to the Church and the world. The imagery used in Revelation serves to remind believers of the Spirit's power, wisdom, and active participation in God's redemptive plan.
In summary, the "Seven Spirits of God" is a rich and complex symbol within the Book of Revelation, inviting believers to contemplate the depth and breadth of the Holy Spirit's work and presence in the divine narrative.
God’s all-sufficient, amazing grace is the central theme of Psalm 116. Again and again, the Lord helps us in our weakness and saves us when we are powerless to help ourselves (Isaiah 40:29–31; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 4:13). Recognizing his enormous debt of gratitude, the psalmist asks, “What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people” (Psalm 116:12–14, NLT).
What was this cup of salvation the psalmist lifted in praise to the Lord? Most likely, it was a symbolic reference to the drink offering prescribed in Leviticus 23:13. At the yearly Feast of Firstfruits, the Israelites were to submit a drink offering of “a quarter of a hin of wine” (about one quart) to God in gratefulness for His salvation and continued provision in the Promised Land. The liquid offering was poured out on the altar, accompanied by other contributions from products of the land. These offerings were given as reminders that the rich fruits of the harvest were all from God and depended on His favor.
Drink offerings were frequently presented in the Bible to thank God for His salvation. After the Lord appeared to Jacob at Bethel and changed his name to Israel, Jacob set up a stone pillar to mark where God had met with him and spoken to him. Then “he poured out a drink offering on it” (Genesis 35:14).
At the ordination of the priests, a drink offering was presented (Exodus 29:38–41). As a test of obedience, God gave additional rules for offerings in Numbers 15, including burnt offerings accompanied by a drink offering (verses 5, 7, 10).
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul compared his sacrificial ministry to an act of worship: “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you” (Philippians 2:17). In the face of death, he told Timothy, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near” (2 Timothy 4:6).
The “cup of salvation” is also suggestive of God’s good gifts to humans, which David extolled: “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings” (Psalm 23:5, NLT).
The psalmist’s “cup of salvation” is the counterpart to the “cup of wrath,” representing God’s judgment of sin and His wrath reserved for the wicked to drink (Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:22; Jeremiah 25:15–16; Ezekiel 23:31–34). This cup of wrath is associated with Jesus Christ’s extreme suffering and death on the cross (Matthew 26:39; Luke 22:42). The Lord’s mention of it in Gethsemane anticipated the excruciating moment when Jesus would cry, “God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus was about to drink the cup of God’s wrath for us so that we might be spared and saved.
In lifting the cup of salvation, the psalmist offered praise to God for the blessing of His salvation. In the manner of a salute, he raised the cup high and partook of it amid praise and thanksgiving for God’s tremendous and abundantly gracious deliverance. This illustration is an excellent image for believers to contemplate when offering our thanks to God.
Second Peter 3:18 tells us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” To grow in grace is to mature as a Christian. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), and we mature and are sanctified by grace alone. We know that grace is a blessing that we don’t deserve. It is God’s grace that justifies us, sanctifies us, and eventually glorifies us in heaven. The sanctification process, becoming more like Christ, is synonymous with growing in grace.
We grow in grace by reading God’s Word and letting it “dwell in us richly” (Colossians 3:16) and by praying. Those actions by themselves don’t mature us, but God uses these spiritual disciplines to help us grow. Therefore, maturing in our Christian life is not about what we do, but about what God does in us, by His grace. Understanding and applying God’s grace in our lives is important. We are not to impair it by being proud, because God says that He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Grace is that attribute of God that enables us to break free of our sinful nature and follow Him. It gives us strength and protects us. Without God’s grace, His favor, we would be hopelessly lost in this world. The more grace we have and ask God for, the more mature as Christians we will be.
To grow in grace does not mean gaining more grace from God. God’s grace never increases; it is infinite, it cannot be more, and according to the nature of God, it could never be less. He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him should be saved (John 3:16). How much more grace could there possibly be than that? But to grow in grace is to grow in our understanding of what Jesus did and to grow in our appreciation of the grace we have been given. The more we learn about Jesus, the more we will appreciate all He has done, and the more we appreciate His love and sacrifice for us, the more we will perceive the never-ending grace of God.
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. The way to do this is by meditating on the Scriptures and applying their principles to our lives as we yield to the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Then we will prove 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.”
First Corinthians 13 is one of the most famous passages in the New Testament. It is often referred to as the “Love Chapter” because it illustrates a biblical understanding of love. It’s in this chapter that Paul speaks of a time when “we shall see face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
In 1 Corinthians 13:1–3, Paul argues that love surpasses all spiritual gifts. Even the greatest spiritual gift is worthless without love.
In 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, Paul describes the characteristics of love. These characteristics emphasize the importance of putting the interests of others above our own (cf. John 15:13; Philippians 2:14).
In 1 Corinthians 13:8–12, Paul speaks to the temporary nature of spiritual gifts and the hope that Christians have for a full, complete, and intimate knowledge of God in the future. This section reminds us that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues and prophesying are not eternal. Love, however, is eternal and will never fail (verse 8 and verse 13). Therefore, love is what truly matters.
This section also speaks to the limitations of human understanding. Because of sin and human finitude, we can only know and prophesy in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). Currently, we cannot understand God’s ways (Romans 11:33), nor can we fathom the depths of His love (Ephesians 3:17–19). But when Christ returns, sin will disappear and we will finally see God face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).
The expression face to face appears in 1 Corinthians 13:12. The full verse reads, “For now we see only a 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.” The event described in this verse is often referred to as the “Beatific Vision” (to see God as He is), promised to Christians when Christ returns: “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). In our present state, however, we only have an indirect and imperfect knowledge of God’s infinite wisdom, glory, and love. Thus, we cannot see God as He is.
Paul compares our present knowledge of divine things to a dark reflection in a mirror. In New Testament times, a mirror was formed from polished metal, which could only reflect a dim and imperfect image. Yet Paul promises that God will exchange our dim images for a face-to-face encounter with Himself. On that glorious day, the light of God will shine upon us, and we will be free from all darkness. imperfection, and error. We will know Him fully, even as we are fully known by Him. This mutual recognition and understanding is the epitome of a deeply intimate relationship.
The beatific vision has roots in the Old Testament (Genesis 32:20; Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10). In Exodus 33:18–23, Moses asks to see God’s glory, but God tells Moses that no one can see His glory and live. However, God allows Moses to see His back, but not Him in His entirety (that is, in His full glory).
In Matthew 5:8, Jesus promises that the pure in heart will see God. Jesus can make this promise because He is the only one who has seen the Father (John 1:18), and whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father (John 14:9). Jesus is the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being” (Hebrews 1:3). And when He returns, we will behold the fullness of God’s glory. On that day, we will see God as He truly is.
This hope for a face-to-face encounter with God gives Christians peace and comfort, even in difficult circumstances. When this life comes to an end, we will see and be seen by the One who loved us enough to die for us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).
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.
God made a conditional covenant with the children of Israel through His servant Moses. He promised good to them and their children for generations if they obeyed Him and His laws, but He always warned of despair, punishment, and dispersion if they were to disobey. As a reminder of His covenant, the Lord had the Israelites make a box, according to His design, to house the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. This box, or ark, was to be kept in the inner sanctum of the wilderness tabernacle and eventually in the temple when it was built in Jerusalem. This chest is known as the ark of the covenant.
Moses instructed Bezalel, God’s anointed craftsman, to build the ark of the covenant (see Exodus 37:1–9; 25:10–22). The “sacred chest” was to be a rectangular wooden box made from acacia wood, overlaid “inside and out with pure gold,” measuring approximately “45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high” (Exodus 37:1–2, NLT). The chest was fitted with two pairs of gold rings on either side in which permanent poles were inserted for transporting the ark. No one was allowed to touch the ark out of reverence for God’s holiness. The poles were also fashioned with acacia wood and overlaid with gold.
The ark of the covenant was built to contain the two tablets of the law given to Moses by God (Exodus 25:16, 21). These tablets were also known as “the testimony,” and thus, the ark was also called “the ark of the testimony” (see Numbers 4:5, Joshua 4:16, ESV). In the original Hebrew, the word translated as “testimony” refers both to the terms of God’s covenant with Israel as written on the tablets of stone and to the covenant itself. Later, Moses had Aaron place inside the ark a jar of manna to remember God’s faithfulness in providing miraculous bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4, 33) and Aaron’s staff that had budded as a warning against rebellion (Numbers 17:1–13; Hebrews 9:4).
A lid called the “mercy seat” or “the place of atonement” was constructed for the box (see Exodus 25:17). The mercy seat was made of pure gold and covered the entire length and width of the chest. Bezalel crafted two cherubim from hammered gold and molded them atop each end of the mercy seat so that the whole lid was one solid piece of gold. The cherubim faced each other and looked down on the mercy seat with their wings spread wide, overshadowing and protecting it.
The real significance of the ark of the covenant involved the mercy seat. The Hebrew word for “mercy seat” meant “cover, appeasement, or place of atonement.” Once a year, the high priest entered the holy of holies where the ark of the covenant was kept, and here he atoned for his sins and the sins of the Israelite people (Leviticus 16:2–16). Seven times, the priest sprinkled the blood of sacrificed bulls and goats onto the mercy seat. This atonement on Yom Kippur appeased God’s wrath and anger for past sins committed.
The lid of the ark of the covenant was termed a “seat” because this sacred place was considered God’s holy throne (see Psalm 99:1). Here, the Lord spoke to Moses from between the winged cherubim (Numbers 7:89). Here, where the sacrificial blood was sprinkled and God’s mercy was dispensed, was the only place in the world where atonement could take place.
The mercy seat on the ark was a symbolic foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice for all sin—the blood of Christ shed on the cross for the remission of sins (Hebrews 7:27; 9:12–14; 1 Peter 1:18–19). The apostle Paul, a former Pharisee and one familiar with the Old Testament, knew this concept quite well when he wrote about Christ being our covering for sin in Romans 3:24–25: “And all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”
Just as there was only one place for atonement of sins in the Old Testament—the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant—so there is also only one place for atonement in the New Testament—the cross of Jesus Christ (1 John 2:2; 1 Peter 3:18). As Christians, we no longer look to the ark but to the Lord Jesus Himself as the One who covers, cleanses, cancels, and atones for our sins (1 John 4:10).
As the Israelites traveled from Mount Sinai to Canaan, the ark of the covenant was to be carried before them through the wilderness as a constant reminder of God’s holy, living presence (Numbers 10:33–36). The ark played a central role in Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land (Joshua 3:3, 6, 15–16; 4:9; 6:4–16) and the life of God’s people there (Joshua 8:33; Judges 20:26–28).
Eventually, Israel lost sight of the ark’s true significance. In 1 Samuel 4, the nation was battling the Philistines. When the Israelites suffered a loss, rather than deal with the real problem—sin—they fetched the ark and took it into battle. They viewed the ark as little more than a talisman or ceremonial token that would ensure God’s help. As a result, they suffered another defeat, and God allowed the ark to be captured by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:1–11, 17–22; 5:1–12). But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the Philistines, so they returned the ark (1 Samuel 6:1–3, 10–15, 19; 7:1–2).
Much later, King David had the ark brought to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:1–12, 17), and when his son Solomon completed the temple, the ark and all the tabernacle furnishings were placed inside the temple (1 Kings 8:1–12).
The Bible doesn’t say precisely when the ark of the covenant was lost to history. Some speculate it was destroyed or potentially removed during various raids (see 1 Kings 14:25–28; 2 Kings 14:8–14). The last time the location of the ark is mentioned in Scripture is when King Josiah ordered the caretakers of the ark to return it to the Jerusalem temple (2 Chronicles 35:1–6; cf. 2 Kings 23:21–23). The ark is not cited in the list of temple spoils that Nebuchadrezzar took to Babylon when Jerusalem was sacked (2 Kings 25:13–17; Jeremiah 52:17–23).
The origins of Israel’s ark of the covenant are as mysterious and fascinating as its current whereabouts and final destiny. Archeologists and treasure hunters have sought to find it for centuries. In Revelation 11:19, John sees the ark of the covenant as part of the future heavenly temple. However, this is probably not the same ark Moses built; instead, the heavenly ark is more likely a symbolic representation of God’s holy presence.
From the four canonical Gospels through the book of Acts and the Pauline Epistles, Jesus is not only seen as the Messiah (or Christ) but also equated with God Himself. The apostle Paul refers to the divinity of Christ when he calls Jesus our "great God and Savior" (Titus 2:13) and even says that Jesus existed in the "form of God" prior to His incarnation (Philippians 2:5-8). God the Father says regarding Jesus, "Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever" (Hebrews 1:8). Jesus is directly referred to as the Creator Himself (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17). Other biblical passages teach Christ’s deity (Revelation 1:7; 2:8; 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Peter 5:4).
While these direct citations are sufficient to establish that the Bible claims Jesus is divine, a more indirect approach may prove to be more powerful. Jesus repeatedly placed Himself in the place of Yahweh by assuming the Father’s divine prerogatives. He was often doing and saying things that only God has a right to do and say. Jesus also referred to Himself in ways that hinted at His deity. Some of these instances provide us with the strongest proof of Jesus’ divine self-understanding.
In Mark 14, Jesus stands accused at His trial before the High Priest. “Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:61-62). Here, Jesus is referring to the Old Testament book of Daniel where the prophet Daniel states, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14).
In this reference to Daniel’s vision, Jesus is identifying Himself as the Son of Man, a person who was given “dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him.” The Son of Man has a dominion that is everlasting and will not pass away. One immediately wonders what kind of person has a dominion that is everlasting. What kind of a person is given a kingdom and will have all men serve Him? The High Priest, who immediately recognized Jesus’ claim to divinity, tore his robe and declared Jesus guilty of blasphemy.
Jesus’ use of the title "Son of Man" has surprisingly strong apologetic value. A skeptic of Christ’s deity cannot easily dismiss this particular self-designation of Jesus. That Christ referred to Himself in this manner enjoys multiple attestations, as it is found in all of the Gospel sources. The phrase "Son of Man" is used of Jesus only a few times outside of the Gospels themselves (Acts 7:56; Revelation 1:13; 14:14). Given its scarce usage by the early apostolic church, it is unlikely that this title would have been read back into the lips of Jesus if, in fact, He had not used this particular self-designation. And yet, if it is established that Jesus really did use this title of Himself, it becomes apparent that Jesus considered Himself to have everlasting power and a unique authority beyond that of a mere human being.
Sometimes, it was Jesus’ actions that revealed His identity. Jesus’ healing of the paralytic in Mark 2 was done to demonstrate His authority and ability to forgive sins (Mark 2:3-12). In the minds of His Jewish audience, such abilities were reserved for God alone. Jesus also receives worship several times in the Gospels (Matthew 2:11; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38; 20:28). Never did Jesus reject such adoration. Rather, He regarded their worship as well placed. Elsewhere, Jesus taught that the Son of Man will ultimately judge humanity (Matthew 25:31-46) and taught that our eternal destinies depend on our response to Him (Mark 8:34-38). Such behavior is further indication of Jesus’ divine self-understanding.
Jesus also stated that His forthcoming resurrection from the dead would vindicate the very special claims that He made for Himself (Matthew 12:38-40). After having been crucified and buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus did, in fact, rise from the dead, establishing His claims to deity.
The evidence for this miraculous event is very powerful. Numerous contemporary sources report Jesus’ post-crucifixion appearances to both individuals and groups under various circumstances (1 Corinthians 15:3-7; Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:26-30, 21:1-14; Acts 1:3-6). Many of these witnesses were willing to die for this belief, and several of them did! Clement of Rome and the Jewish historian Josephus provide us with first-century reports of several of their martyrdoms. All of the theories used to explain away the evidence for the resurrection (such as the Hallucination Theory) have failed to explain all of the known data. The resurrection of Jesus is an established fact of history, and this is the strongest evidence for Jesus’ divinity.
What does Acts 11:26 mean?
The irony of this moment is exquisite. The young church in Jerusalem largely grew in peace for some time—although the disciples were arrested a couple of times and beaten twice (Acts 2—5). When Stephen was murdered (Acts 7:54–60), a young Pharisee-in-training named Saul took it upon himself to eradicate the Jesus-followers not just from Jerusalem, but from any Jewish space in the Roman Empire (Acts 8:1–3; 9:1–2). On his way to Damascus to arrest Jewish Jesus-followers, he found Jesus and realized how wrong he had been (Acts 9:3–19).
Saul quickly switched teams. He debated with the Jews in Damascus and Jerusalem, showing them how Jesus of Nazareth was the Jewish Messiah. He caused such a commotion in Jerusalem that some of the Hellenist Jews wanted to kill him so the apostles sent him home to Tarsus, on the southeastern coast of modern-day Asia Minor (Acts 9:19–31).
The damage, so to speak, was already done. While the apostles and other church leaders stayed in Jerusalem during the earlier persecution, many of the laity fled, spreading the story of Jesus to Judea, Samaria, Damascus, and far to the north in Syrian Antioch. When the church leaders in Jerusalem hear that the gospel has even spread to Gentiles in Antioch, they send Barnabas to check it out. Barnabas realizes the conversions are real and far more extensive than he can handle alone (Acts 11:19–25). Fortunately, Tarsus is just west of Antioch.
So, the man who, through his persecution of the church, caused the spread of the gospel to Gentiles in Antioch is now in Antioch teaching the Jewish and Gentile Jesus-followers and spreading the gospel further.
This verse notes some of the origins of the term "Christian." It was almost certainly coined by non-Christian Gentiles. Although "Christ" is Greek, "-ian" is a Latin addition, as in Marian or Herodian. This suffix means "of the party of…" and was used to mean those who imitated or supported some figure. To some extent, this made the term "Christian" an expression of sarcasm or derision. Peter hints at this in his writings (1 Peter 4:16).
Elsewhere in the New Testament, only King Agrippa (Acts 26:28) and Peter (1 Peter 4:16) use the term "Christian." It would take a long time before the label passed from insult to identification. Typically, believers in the New Testament use words like disciples, saints, and brothers. Jews of that time used "the sect of the Nazarenes" as a slam referring to the saying "nothing good comes from Nazareth" (Acts 24:5; John 1:46). They wouldn't use the Greek word for Messiah, even jokingly, for those they considered heretics.
According to the Gospels, Jesus’s family, contemporaries, and religious authorities sometimes thought he was out of his mind or possessed. They reacted to his unconventional lifestyle, abandonment of his trade, radical rejection of religious norms, and claims of divinity. [1, 2, 3]
People viewed him as insane or unstable for several specific reasons:
- Abandoned Work and Family: He abruptly left his respectable career as a carpenter to wander as an itinerant preacher, which caused immense concern for his physical safety and livelihood. [1, 2, 3, 4]
- Reckless Behavior: In Mark 3:20-21, his own relatives attempted to physically restrain him, stating "he is out of his mind" because he was constantly surrounded by chaotic crowds and wouldn't even stop to eat. [1, 2]
- Radical Associations: He spent his time with social outcasts, tax collectors, and sinners, defying strict cultural and purity laws. [1]
- Claims of Divinity: Religious authorities labeled him a madman or demon-possessed because he made exclusive claims—such as forgiving sins, equating himself with God, and stating that people had to "eat his flesh" to have eternal life. [1, 2]
- Disruptive Actions: He aggressively overturned the tables of the merchants in the Temple courts—a dangerous and provocative act that threatened the ruling elite's power. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Woes to Religious Leaders
…46“Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “You weigh men down with heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load. 47Woe to you! You build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them. 48So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.…
Woe to you!
Matthew 23:13
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.
Matthew 23:27
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity.
Matthew 23:15
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
For you build tombs for the prophets,
Matthew 23:29
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.
Matthew 23:30
And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
Luke 13:34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
but it was your fathers who killed them.
Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers--
Matthew 23:31
So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
1 Thessalonians 2:15
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,
Hebrews 11:36-38
Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. / They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. / The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.
Romans 11:3
“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”?
1 Kings 19:10
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
2 Chronicles 24:20-22
Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’” / But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD. / Thus King Joash failed to remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him. Instead, Joash killed Jehoiada’s son. As he lay dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD see this and call you to account.”
Nehemiah 9:26
But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.
Jeremiah 2:30
“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”
Jeremiah 26:20-23
Now there was another man prophesying in the name of the LORD, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land the same things that Jeremiah did. / King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and officials heard his words, and the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah found out about it, he fled in fear and went to Egypt. / Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor along with some other men. …
Treasury of ScriptureWoe to you! for you build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
for.
Matthew 23:29-33
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, …
Acts 7:51
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
1 Thessalonians 2:15
Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
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Luke 11
1. Jesus teaches us to pray, and that instantly;
11. assuring us that God will give all good things to those who ask him.
14. He, casting out a demon, rebukes the blasphemous Pharisees;
27. and shows who are blessed;
29. preaches to the people;
37. and reprimands the outward show of holiness.
Study BibleBook ◦ Chapter
Woe to you!
This phrase is a strong denunciation, often used by Jesus to express lament or judgment. It indicates a serious warning or condemnation. In the context of the Gospels, "woe" is directed towards those who are hypocritical or who reject God's message. This echoes the prophetic tradition found in the Old Testament, where prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah used similar language to call out the sins of Israel.For you build tombs for the prophets,
Building tombs for the prophets can be seen as an act of honoring them. However, Jesus points out the irony and hypocrisy in this action. The religious leaders of Jesus' time were outwardly honoring the prophets by maintaining their tombs, yet they were not heeding the prophets' messages. This reflects a superficial religiosity that values tradition and appearance over genuine obedience to God. The act of building tombs could also be seen as an attempt to distance themselves from the guilt of their ancestors' actions.
but it was your fathers who killed them.
This phrase highlights the historical pattern of Israel rejecting and persecuting God's messengers. The "fathers" refers to the ancestors of the current generation, who were responsible for the deaths of the prophets. This accusation underscores the continuity of rebellion against God throughout Israel's history. It also serves as a warning that the current generation is in danger of repeating the same mistakes by rejecting Jesus, the ultimate prophet. This connects to the broader biblical theme of the rejection of God's messengers, culminating in the rejection of Christ himself, as seen in passages like Acts 7:52, where Stephen accuses the Jewish leaders of betraying and murdering the Righteous One.
Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The speaker of this verse, addressing the Pharisees and experts in the law, highlighting their hypocrisy.
2. Pharisees and Experts in the Law
Religious leaders of the time who are being rebuked by Jesus for their actions and attitudes.
3. Prophets
Messengers sent by God in the Old Testament, often persecuted and killed by the ancestors of those Jesus is addressing.
4. Ancestors/Fathers
The forefathers of the religious leaders, who were responsible for the persecution and killing of the prophets.
5. Tombs
Monuments built by the Pharisees to honor the prophets, which ironically highlight the guilt of their ancestors.
Teaching Points
Hypocrisy in Religious Practice
Jesus condemns the Pharisees for outwardly honoring the prophets while inwardly sharing the same rebellious spirit as their ancestors. We must examine our own lives for hypocrisy, ensuring our actions align with our professed beliefs.
The Danger of Tradition Over Truth
The Pharisees were more concerned with maintaining traditions than embracing the truth of God's message. We should prioritize God's truth over human traditions, ensuring our faith is rooted in Scripture.
Acknowledging Spiritual Heritage
Recognizing the sins of our spiritual forebears is crucial. We must learn from past mistakes and strive to live in a way that honors God and His messengers.
The Cost of Prophetic Ministry
The prophets faced persecution and death for their faithfulness to God's message. We should be prepared to face opposition for standing firm in our faith and proclaiming God's truth.
Building a Legacy of Faithfulness
Instead of building monuments to the past, we should focus on living a life that leaves a legacy of faithfulness and obedience to God.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Luke 11:47?
2. How does Luke 11:47 warn against honoring prophets while rejecting their message today?
3. What does building tombs for prophets signify about people's hearts in Luke 11:47?
4. How can we ensure we honor God's messengers without hypocrisy, as in Luke 11:47?
5. What Old Testament examples parallel the behavior criticized in Luke 11:47?
6. How can we apply the lesson of Luke 11:47 in our church community?
7. Why does Luke 11:47 criticize building tombs for prophets?
8. How does Luke 11:47 relate to honoring past religious figures?
9. What historical context influenced Jesus' statement in Luke 11:47?
10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Luke 11?
What Does Luke 11:47 Mean
Woe to you!• Jesus declares, “Woe to you!” (Luke 11:47), the same solemn warning He used earlier in Luke 6:24–26 and later in Revelation 8:13.
• A “woe” is not mere frustration; it is a divine verdict announcing coming judgment. Compare Isaiah 5:20, where God’s woes expose deep-seated rebellion.
• Here the warning falls on the experts in the law (Luke 11:46). Their public piety masked hearts resistant to God’s voice—just as in Matthew 23:13-36, where Jesus repeats seven woes against the scribes and Pharisees.
• The accuracy of Scripture assures us that every pronounced woe will unfold exactly as God intends (Numbers 23:19).
For you build tombs for the prophets• They financed and decorated memorials to men like Isaiah, Amos, and Zechariah—prophets whose graves still attracted reverence centuries later (2 Kings 21:18, 2 Chronicles 24:22).
• Outwardly, this looked like honoring God’s servants; inwardly, it was spiritual posturing. Acts 7:47-51 shows how people can celebrate religious history while resisting the God who authored it.
• Their monuments implied, “Had we lived then, we would have listened.” Jesus exposes the pretense (Matthew 23:29-30): “You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them.’”
• True honor for prophetic voices is seen in obedience, not stonework (John 14:23; James 1:22-25).
but it was your fathers who killed them• The same lineage that erected memorials had a history of silencing God’s messengers—Elijah hunted (1 Kings 19:10), Jeremiah beaten (Jeremiah 20:2), Zechariah stoned in the temple courts (2 Chronicles 24:20-21).
• Jesus insists the present generation inherits that guilt because they share the same unbelieving spirit (Luke 11:50-51). The pattern culminates in their rejection of “the Prophet” Himself (Acts 3:22-23; John 1:11).
• By distancing themselves from their fathers’ crimes while repeating them, they confirmed Amos 5:21-24: religious ceremony cannot cover injustice.
• Luke 11:48 adds, “So you are witnesses that you approve of the deeds of your fathers; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.” Agreement with sin—whether past or present—invites the very woe Jesus announced.
summary• Jesus’ warning unmasks the hypocrisy of honoring dead prophets while ignoring the living God.
• Building tombs did not absolve them; it highlighted agreement with a lineage of unbelief.
• Scripture’s literal record of prophetic persecution stands as a sober reminder: God desires obedience over empty memorials.
• The call remains: receive God’s Word today, lest the woes pronounced become the woes experienced (Hebrews 3:7-15).
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(47) Ye build the sepulchres of the prophets.--See Note on Matthew 23:29. St. Luke omits the reference, which we find in St. Matthew, to the "sepulchres of the righteous."
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 47, 48. - Ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. There are still existing four singular tombs at the foot of Olivet, in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Remarkable objects now to the modern traveler at Jerusalem, in all their fresh beauty they would be still more striking in the days of our Lord. The peculiar composite nature of the architecture of these great tombs has decided antiquaries to ascribe the building of these to the days of the later Herods. It is, therefore, not improbable that these conspicuous objects in the landscape, seen from the temple platform, and possibly others like them, which have since perished, were the tombs and sepulchres especially in our Lord's mind when he was speaking to the lawyer, and later at Jerusalem, when he' repeated, with some slight variations, the same awful woe (Matthew 23:29). It was, indeed, a speech of awful and cutting irony, these words of Jesus. "Your fathers," he said, "killed the prophets; you complete their evil work by building tombs for these slain men of God. In other words, you pretend to make amends for the crimes of past generations by this show of ostentatious piety; but if you really differed from your wicked fathers in spirit, if you indeed honored, as you profess to do by this gorgeous tomb-building, the holy men of God whom they slew, would you be acting as you now are doing - trying, as you know you are, to take my life? Is not my life like the lives of those old murdered prophets? are not my words resembling theirs?"
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Woe
οὐαὶ (ouai)
Interjection
Strong's 3759: Woe!, alas!, uttered in grief or denunciation. A primary exclamation of grief; 'woe'.
to you!
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.
You build
οἰκοδομεῖτε (oikodomeite)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3618: From the same as oikodome; to be a house-builder, i.e. Construct or confirm.
tombs
μνημεῖα (mnēmeia)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3419: A tomb, sepulcher, monument. From mneme; a remembrance, i.e. Cenotaph.
for the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
prophets,
προφητῶν (prophētōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4396: From a compound of pro and phemi; a foreteller; by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet.
but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.
[it was] your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.
fathers
πατέρες (pateres)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.
[who] killed
ἀπέκτειναν (apekteinan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 615: To put to death, kill; fig: I abolish. From apo and kteino; to kill outright; figuratively, to destroy.
them.
αὐτούς (autous)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
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NT Gospels: Luke 11:47 Woe to you! (Luke Lu Lk)
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◄ Isaiah 35 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The Glory of Zion
1The wilderness and the dry land will be glad;
the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.
2It will bloom profusely
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
3Strengthen the limp hands
and steady the feeble knees!a
4Say to those with anxious hearts:
“Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance.
With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6Then the lame will leap like a deer
and the mute tongue will shout for joy.
For waters will gush forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert.
7The parched ground will become a pool,
the thirsty land springs of water.
In the haunt where jackalsb once lay,
there will be grass and reeds and papyrus.
8And there will be a highway
called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not travel it--
only those who walk in the Way--
and fools will not stray onto it.
9No lion will be there,
and no vicious beast will go up on it.
Such will not be found there,
but the redeemed will walk upon it.
10So the redeemed of the LORD will return
and enter Zion with singing,
crowned with everlasting joy.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee.
Footnotes:
3 a Cited in Hebrews 12:12
7 b Or serpents or dragons
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).
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened
John 9:1-7
Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth, / and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” / Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him. …
Isaiah 42:7
to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.
Mark 8:22-26
When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. / So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and placed His hands on him. “Can you see anything?” He asked. / The man looked up and said, “I can see the people, but they look like trees walking around.” …
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Mark 7:31-37
Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. / Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him. / So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. …
Isaiah 29:18
On that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of the deep darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
Matthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Matthew 11:4-5
Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: / The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Luke 7:21-22
At that very hour Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind. / So He replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Matthew 9:27-30
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” / After Jesus had entered the house, the blind men came to Him. “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” He asked. “Yes, Lord,” they answered. / Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” …
Mark 7:32-35
Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him. / So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. / And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). …
Matthew 15:30-31
Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them. / The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
Luke 18:35-43
As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging. / When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. / “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. …
John 5:8-9
Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” / Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. Now this happened on the Sabbath day,
Acts 3:6-8
But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” / Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. / He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God.
Acts 9:17-18
So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” / At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized,
Psalm 146:8
the LORD opens the eyes of the blind, the LORD lifts those who are weighed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
Treasury of ScriptureThen the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
the eyes
Isaiah 29:18
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Isaiah 32:3,4
And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken…
Isaiah 42:5,7,16
Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: …
the ears
Isaiah 48:8
Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.
Exodus 4:11
And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
Job 33:16
Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
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Isaiah 35
1. The joyful flourishing of Christ's kingdom
3. The weak are encouraged by the virtues and privileges of the Gospel
In Revelation 12, the "woman clothed with the sun" is a highly symbolic figure. Most biblical scholars and theologians agree she represents the faithful community of God's people: primarily the nation of Israel, which gave birth to the Messiah, and the New Testament Church. [1]
The identity of the woman is unpacked in several ways:
- Israel and the Church: Throughout scripture, a woman is often used to symbolize God's covenant people (the "Daughter of Zion"). In Revelation 12:17, her "offspring" are identified as "those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus". [1, 2]
- The Virgin Mary: In Catholic tradition, the woman is widely interpreted as an individual—the Virgin Mary, who physically gave birth to Jesus. This interpretation honors the literal mother of Christ while acknowledging that the cosmic imagery points to the broader Church. [1, 2]
- The Cosmic Imagery: Her description echoes Joseph’s dream in Genesis, where the sun, moon, and stars represent the patriarchs of Israel. The twelve stars on her crown represent the twelve tribes of Israel, and her labor pains symbolize the spiritual anguish Israel endured waiting for the Messiah.
Presidential ActionsUSHERING IN THE NEXT FRONTIER OF QUANTUM INNOVATIONExecutive Orders
June 22, 2026Executive Order 14413
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. America stands at the cusp of a quantum revolution. Quantum information science and technology (QIST) will provide transformational capabilities that will drive American innovation, power economic growth, generate high-paying jobs, and bolster national security. In 2018, I laid the foundation for United States leadership in QIST by signing into law the National Quantum Initiative Act and doubling Federal investment in QIST research and development. Today, as other nations move quickly to challenge American leadership, the United States must take a cohesive, whole-of-government approach to accelerate deployment and commercialization of quantum computing, sensing, and networking.
In addition to continuing trailblazing quantum research, we must act to solidify the Nation’s position as the world’s QIST superpower and deliver the commercial and research benefits of quantum innovation to the American people. Equally important, we must protect sensitive technologies and work with allies to ensure adversaries cannot use QIST to undermine national security.
Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to ensure that the United States maintains a strategic technical advantage in QIST and leads the development of a robust and trusted quantum ecosystem across QIST research, manufacturing, commercialization, and application.
Sec. 3. Updating the National Quantum Strategy. (a) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST), in coordination with the Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), and the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), and in consultation with the Co-Chairs of the National Science and Technology Council Subcommittees on Quantum Information Science (SCQIS) and Economic and Security Implications of Quantum Information Science (ESIX), shall update the National Quantum Strategy (Strategy) with policies intended to support the maturing QIST ecosystem, including promoting commercialization and deployment of QIST, supporting the quantum-enabling technology ecosystem, and encouraging partnerships with United States industry.
(b) Within 30 days of the date of the publication of the updated Strategy, relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall each submit to the APST and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a summary of steps taken to align their processes, policies, and programs with the Strategy.
Sec. 4. Harnessing Quantum Computing for Scientific Applications. (a) There is hereby established the Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science (QC-ADDS) Effort, which shall be coordinated by the APST. This national effort shall pursue development of a quantum computer at a scale intended to initiate the era of quantum-enabled scientific discovery, with the intent to deliver at least one such computer to a Department of Energy facility and, to the extent possible, make it available to the scientific community.
(b) The Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the DNI, the Director of NSF, and the heads of other relevant agencies as appropriate, in consultation with the Director of OMB, shall ensure that relevant capabilities, manufacturing infrastructure, and expertise are made available to support the QC-ADDS Effort to the extent practicable, and shall deploy these resources towards exploration of quantum-computer-enabled capabilities for commercial, government, and national security applications. Additionally, the APST shall coordinate with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), and the heads of other relevant agencies to identify additional actions to enhance the QC-ADDS Effort.
(c) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the APST and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall identify the technical specifications required for a QC-ADDS to perform transformative scientific applications that are on a path towards economically significant applications and beyond current classical computer capabilities, and shall publicly release a summary of those specifications, as appropriate.
(d) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Director of OMB, shall explore potential private-sector partnership models to understand the potential cost, scope, and time frame for delivery of at least one QC-ADDS as described in subsection (a) of this section. Further, the Secretary of Commerce shall develop a plan, potentially including advance market commitments, to encourage contributions to the QC-ADDS Effort from commercial quantum computing companies. Finally, the Secretary of War shall establish or designate activities and programs to develop the tools and capabilities necessary to advance readiness for national security applications of quantum computing, potentially including the establishment of a center for such purpose.
(e) To provide for the robust assessment of the QC-ADDS’ and other quantum computing systems’ capabilities, within 180 days of the date of this order:
(i) the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of War and the Secretary of Commerce, shall establish a national center to develop the tools and capabilities required to accurately assess the performance of quantum computing systems; and
(ii) the Co-Chairs of the ESIX Subcommittee shall recommend to the APST a mechanism to facilitate information-sharing between relevant agencies to improve the Government’s ability to assess commercial quantum computing capabilities.
(f) The DNI and the Secretary of War, in coordination with the Co-Chairs of the ESIX Subcommittee and in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Energy, shall identify the national security implications of the increasing scale and performance of commercial quantum computers, such as the implications for the migration to post-quantum cryptography.
Sec. 5. Deploying Quantum-Enabled Sensors and Networks. (a) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of War shall identify at least three next-generation quantum sensor projects to prioritize in order to field these sensors by September 30, 2028.
(b) Each of the following heads of relevant agencies shall develop a 5-year plan for advancing quantum sensing and networking as follows:
(i) the Secretary of Commerce shall develop a plan for advancing commercial readiness of quantum sensing, quantum-sensor manufacturing technology, and quantum-network-enhanced timing;
(ii) the Secretary of Energy shall develop a plan for using quantum sensing and imaging to measure and characterize complex systems, and for using quantum networking to enable distributed quantum computing;
(iii) the Director of NSF shall develop a plan for basic science research to identify applications of quantum sensing and networking, develop novel systems-level concepts, and improve QIST manufacturing science; and
(iv) the Administrator of NASA shall develop a plan for developing and extending civilian quantum sensing and networking for space applications.
(c) The heads of relevant agencies shall prioritize research, development, testing, and evaluation of applications and hardware for quantum sensing and quantum networking.
Sec. 6. Bolstering the Domestic Ecosystem for Quantum Supply Chains. (a) The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall develop a plan to strengthen the QIST ecosystem through analyzing QIST supply chains, encouraging private sector adoption of QIST-related standards, and supporting research and development pathways that advance quantum-enabling technologies and eliminate QIST manufacturing barriers.
(b) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, and the Director of NSF shall develop a plan, with coordination from the APST and the Director of OMB, to encourage and partner with the private sector, potentially using prize challenges or advance market commitments, to develop quantum-enabling component technologies in the United States, and to identify any changes to statutory or regulatory authorities required to address quantum-specific market hurdles.
(c) All relevant agencies shall take steps to share, to the maximum extent possible, information regarding quantum computing supply chains, such as that generated by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, with the Departments of War, Commerce, and Energy and with the APST and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), to inform Government-wide decision making.
(d) Within 180 days of the date of this order:
(i) the Secretary of War, in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, shall take steps to increase domestic access to Department of War-sponsored QIST-relevant foundry resources, and strengthen efforts, as appropriate, to improve access to critical QIST supply chains; and
(ii) the Director of NSF shall take steps to issue grants for establishing QIST user facilities through the National Quantum and Nanotechnology Infrastructure program.
(e) Within 210 days of the date of this order, to support the reconstitution of the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee (NQIAC), as provided in section 104 of the National Quantum Initiative Act of 2018, as amended, and pursuant to Executive Order 14073 of May 4, 2022 (Enhancing the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee), the APST shall recommend a revised NQIAC membership list and shall task the NQIAC to develop recommendations for stimulating the development of quantum-enabling technologies in the United States.
Sec. 7. Protecting Quantum Technology. (a) The APST and the APNSA, in consultation with the Co-Chairs of the ESIX Subcommittee, shall coordinate with the relevant agencies to ensure that QIST activities and policies maintain robust and balanced security controls to safeguard critical information and protect national security interests, while not unduly impacting quantum innovation in the United States.
(b) The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the DNI, and the Director of the NSA, shall propose to the APST, the APNSA, and the Director of OMB staffing requirements to expand the Quantum Information Science and Technology Counterintelligence Protection Team (QCPT) to improve and coordinate protections against adversarial threats to the QIST ecosystem, including cybersecurity threats, coordinate public messaging and outreach related to those threats, and enhance sharing of threat information with Federal, industry, and academic QIST research and development entities. Relevant agencies shall coordinate and deconflict with the QCPT on all outreach to QIST industry and academia related to quantum-specific security guidance and threat information.
Sec. 8. Expanding and Retaining the Quantum Workforce. (a) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with the APST and the Director of OMB and in coordination with the Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the DNI, and the Director of NSF, shall develop a Government-wide QIST recruitment and retention strategy, potentially including special pay rates and increased limits for recruitment and retention incentives. This strategy should complement existing efforts to build a strong national security quantum-workforce.
(b) Within 120 days of the date of this order:
(i) the Secretary of Labor shall ensure that QIST-relevant industry needs are prioritized in workforce training efforts related to Executive Order 14278 of April 23, 2025 (Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future), and the implementation of America’s Talent Strategy where possible, including related to the expansion of registered apprenticeships for relevant occupations; and
(ii) the Secretary of Labor and the Director of NSF, in coordination with the Co-Chairs of the SCQIS Subcommittee, shall develop an approach to tracking labor statistics for assessing the needs of the United States quantum ecosystem, including developing a definition for “QIST-relevant occupations”, and associated skills and credentials.
(c) Within 180 days of the date of this order:
(i) the APST shall engage with United States industry and academic institutions to promote the expansion of post-secondary training opportunities for supporting skillsets that will lead Americans into rewarding QIST industry jobs, such as by prioritizing hands-on training with QIST systems or concepts; and
(ii) the Director of NSF shall take steps to initiate a network of National QIST Workforce Development Institutes to enhance QIST training opportunities and coordinate training efforts across Federal, State, and local agencies.
Sec. 9. Engaging with International Partners. (a) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with other relevant agencies as appropriate, shall align their respective international engagements in ways designed to:
(i) ensure that United States quantum and quantum-enabling technology companies have access to strategic markets and capital from like-minded countries;
(ii) maintain an international ecosystem of quantum-enabling technology companies with access to trusted supply chains, through, for example, harmonizing investment restrictions with international allies and partners;
(iii) prevent countries of concern from acquiring critical quantum-enabling technologies, through, for example, harmonizing research security and export control policies with international allies and partners;
(iv) promote and enhance research and development collaboration and the flow of people and ideas across like-minded countries in support of the interests of the United States quantum industry; and
(v) develop, promote, and coordinate effective quantum research and technology protection efforts with like-minded countries.
(b) The Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the United States Trade Representative, shall identify and provide recommendations to the President, through the APST, to address foreign trade barriers, discriminatory treatment, and other policies that limit the competitiveness of American QIST companies.
(c) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State shall provide recommendations to the APNSA and the APST on how to align existing bilateral and multilateral international engagements, including Pax Silica, to advance the priorities of this order.
Sec. 10. Reports. (a) Reports shall be submitted to the President, through the APST and the Director of OMB, regarding the actions directed in:
(i) section 6(a) of this order within 90 days of the date of this order; and
(ii) section 5(b) of this order within 120 days of the date of this order.
(b) Reports shall be submitted to the President, through the APST and the APNSA, regarding the actions directed in:
(i) section 7(b) of this order within 60 days of the date of this order; and
(ii) section 9(a) of this order within 180 days of the date of this order.
(c) Reports shall be submitted to the President, through the APST, the APNSA, and the National Cyber Director, regarding the actions directed in section 4(f) of this order within 1 year of the date of this order, and annually thereafter.
Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of Energy.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
June 22, 2026.
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).
◄ Acts 2 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The Holy Spirit at Pentecost
(Genesis 11:1–9; Leviticus 23:15–22)
1When the day of Pentecosta came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5Now there were dwellingb in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6And when this sound rang out, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking his own language.
7Astounded and amazed, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,c 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
12Astounded and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13But others mocked them and said, “They are drunk on new wine!”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
(Psalm 16:1–11; Joel 2:28–32)
14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day!d 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out My Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18Even on My menservants and maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness,
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.
21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’e
22Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. 23He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. 24But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip.
25David says about Him:
‘I sawf the Lord always before me;
because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will dwell in hope,
27because You will not abandon my soul to Hades,
nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.
28You have made known to me the paths of life;
You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’g
29Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne.h 31Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.
33Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand
35until I make Your enemies
a footstool for Your feet.”’i
36Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”
Three Thousand Believe
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
40With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.” 41Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.j
The Fellowship of Believers
(Acts 4:32–37)
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43A sense of awek came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.
44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.
46With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courtsl and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Footnotes:
1 a That is, Shavuot, the late spring feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; it is also known as the Feast of Harvest (see Exodus 23:16) or the Feast of Weeks (see Exodus 34:22).
5 b Or staying; similarly in verse 14
9 c That is, the Roman Province of Asia, located in what is now western Turkey
15 d That is, nine in the morning
21 e Joel 2:28–32 (see also LXX)
25 f Literally I foresaw; see verse 31.
28 g Psalm 16:8–11 (see also LXX)
30 h Literally on oath that He would place out of the fruit of his loins on his throne; BYZ and TR on oath out of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, to raise up Christ to sit on his throne; Psalm 132:11
35 i Psalm 110:1
41 j Literally about three thousand souls were added that day
43 k Or fear
46 l Literally the temple
Artificial intelligence
TechBig TechChina completes world’s first commercial brain-computer interface implant
Coin-sized implant marks a breakthrough in neurotechnology, underscoring China’s bid to lead the global race against Elon Musk’s Neuralink
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Further ReadingChina’s DeepSeek eyes US$70b valuation in new talks weeks after first roundSoft brain chip could help solve Neuralink’s big implant challengeChina’s StepFun beats Apple and OpenAI to ‘world’s first AI phone’
Iris Dengin Shenzhen
Published: 10:00pm, 15 Jul 2026Updated: 11:19pm, 15 Jul 2026
China has completed the world’s first commercial surgery using an invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) device approved in March, marking a leap in the country’s neurotechnology push to rival Elon Musk’s Neuralink.Chinese surgeons implanted a coin-sized brain chip on a patient with impaired hand mobility linked to a spinal cord injury from a car accident 10 years ago, according to a statement from the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality on Wednesday.
The procedure, performed on Monday at Huashan Hospital, captured stable, high-quality epidural brain signals, with the patient recovering and vital signs remaining stable.
Developed by local start-up Neuracle Medical Technology, the NEO device assists hand motion. It is placed on the brain’s outer surface without penetrating tissue, reading neural signals and translating them into hand movements.
It became the world’s first commercially prescribed BCI after winning approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration on March 13, making it available as a commercial product rather than confined to laboratories and clinical trials.
Since clearance, NEO had rolled out production, hospital introductions, patient screening and inclusion in local commercial health insurance within four months, according to the statement.
The milestone underscores China’s ambition to lead the global BCI race, which it has identified as one of the future industries driving economic growth, with plans to cultivate “two or three” global leaders by 2030.
A government blueprint last July set targets for key breakthroughs by 2027, including building an advanced technology system and industrial framework.Shanghai-based Neuracle began its Star Market listing process in February to bolster resources for research and production.
By contrast, Musk’s Neuralink has yet to secure full commercial approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, though it has enrolled more than 20 patients in trials for its first product, Telepathy.
The system aims to enable people with paralysis to directly control devices including computers, phones and robotic limbs.
Preaching the gospel in China is heavily restricted and, in most contexts, illegal. While Christianity is one of the officially recognized religions, the Chinese Communist Party enforces strict control over all religious practice.
The Gospel Coalition +2
Here are the specific rules regarding preaching:
- State-Sanctioned Churches Only: Preaching is legally permitted only by officially registered clergy within state-approved churches (such as the Three-Self Patriotic Movement).
The Gospel Coalition +1
- Foreigners Are Banned: The government officially prohibits foreign nationals from preaching, evangelizing, or distributing religious literature.
Open Doors +1
- Public and Online Proselytizing:
Public preaching, street evangelism, door-to-door missionary work, and sharing religious content online are entirely illegal.
YouTube·Felipe Durante +2
- Unregistered "House Churches": While millions of Christians worship in independent "house churches", these organizations operate outside the law and regularly face government surveillance, raids, and arrests.
Revelation 13:5-8 declares, “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”
The term antichrist appears exclusively in the epistles of 1 and 2 John (1 John 2:18–22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7). The word appears in both the singular (“the antichrist”) and plural form (“many antichrists”). First John 2:18 declares, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.” Many antichrists have appeared in the broad sense of those representing a false religious system. The term Antichrist may be applied both to an individual and to the religious system that person represents.
Since the first prophecy of the Messiah, the spirit of Antichrist has been in the world to oppose the work of Christ Jesus. John wrote his epistles knowing that the spiritual conflict between Christ and Antichrist had already begun. Biblical prophecies predict the coming of the Antichrist in the end times, which is, generally speaking, the period between the first and second comings of Christ. From the beginning of the church age, the great majority of believers have been certain that a final world ruler would arise who will be the very embodiment of Satan. In Revelation 13:1, the Antichrist is the “beast out of the sea” and has “ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names” (NASB 1995). Throughout the history of the church, the term Antichrist has been used synonymously with the title beast.
Until the church was granted freedom of religion by Roman Emperor Constantine, many Caesars were regarded as candidates for the Antichrist. Throughout the Middle Ages, biblical prophecies regarding the Antichrist were typically interpreted symbolically as opposed to literally. Even when the symbolic interpretation was prevalent, many Roman Catholic popes were labeled as the Antichrist. During the time of the Protestant Reformation, it was the Roman Catholic papacy, corporately, that was considered to be the Antichrist.
Premillennialism, the doctrine that Christ will return at the end of the age to establish an earthly kingdom, teaches the coming Antichrist is the final world ruler to oppose God and His Anointed (“the Christ”). Additionally, the Antichrist will persecute God’s elect relentlessly, particularly the Jewish people. The Antichrist will rule during the tribulation (known as Daniel’s seventieth week—see Daniel 9:24–27) and will have unquestioned authority for three-and-one-half years. Antichrist is an appropriate title for this future ruler because it accurately depicts the essence of his character and his opposition of God.
The Antichrist is known by many names throughout Scripture, such as the “little horn” (Daniel 7:8, KJV); “a fierce-looking king” and “a master of intrigue” (Daniel 8:23); “the prince who is to come” (Daniel 9:26, NASB 1995); “a vile person” (Daniel 11:21, NKJV); “the king [who] will do whatever he wants” (Daniel 11:36, CSB); “the worthless shepherd” (Zechariah 11:17); the “beast” (Revelation 13:1); “the man of lawlessness” and “the son of destruction” (2 Thessalonians 2:3, ESV); and “the abomination that causes desolation” (Matthew 24:15). He will achieve a false peace that ends in sudden destruction (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
The coming Antichrist is diabolically wicked in his deeds and nature. He will be against Christ, against God’s people, and against His law. The Antichrist is the great imposter who tries to take the place of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Antichrist is said to exalt himself as God and erect an image of himself to be worshiped (Daniel 11:36; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; Revelation 13:8). Through “power, signs, and lying wonders” and “unrighteous deception,” he will deceive an evil and unrepentant world (2 Thessalonians 2:9–10, NKJV).
Many kings, from Nebuchadnezzar to Antiochus to Nero, have exalted themselves as a god. But none of them have been the Antichrist to fulfill all the biblical prophecies. The final Antichrist is coming, and the grapes of God’s wrath are ripening (Revelation 14:14–20).
In the Bible, anointing the head with oil signifies being chosen and set apart by God for a specific, holy purpose. It was an Old Testament practice for consecrating kings, priests, and prophets. The word "Messiah" (Hebrew) and "Christ" (Greek) both translate to "the anointed one". [1, 2]
Here is a breakdown of the significance behind the practice:
- Old Testament Consecration: Oil was poured on the head of individuals—like King David and the High Priest Aaron—to symbolize the Holy Spirit's presence and divine approval. [1, 2]
- The Messiah: The Jewish people awaited a promised Deliverer. Christians believe Jesus is that Messiah—the ultimate "Anointed One" chosen to redeem humanity, functioning perfectly as our ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King. [1, 2]
- Symbol of Blessing: In Psalm 23, David writes, "You anoint my head with oil," symbolizing God's overflowing abundance, favor, and protection. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- Preparation for Burial: Jesus was anointed with expensive perfume on His head by women in the Gospels. He explained that this act served as preparation for His coming death and burial. [1, 2]
Israel had a long history of wandering far from God and disobeying His holy laws. Time and time again, God, in His infinite love and never-ending mercy (Lamentations 3:22), called His people to repent and come back to Him: “‘Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Malachi 3:7).
When God says, “Return to Me,” the Hebrew verb translated “return” expresses the idea of turning back or coming to a place, condition, or activity that one has experienced before. God wants His people who are far away in spiritual rebellion to repent of their sins and come back to a place of wholehearted obedience and devotion to the Lord. It’s a theme found several times in Scripture; in Zechariah 1:3, the Lord lovingly pleads, “Return to me, and I will return to you” (NLT).
However, when God says, “I will return to you,” He is not implying that He needs to repent from sin. Instead, the Lord Almighty is promising to come again as He had in the past and bring His people His unique presence and abundant blessings. Their wholehearted repentance would bring about such divine blessing that any doubt of God’s love and compassion would be removed.
Jeremiah 24:7 explains, “I will give them hearts that recognize me as the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly” (NLT). Nehemiah 1:9 further clarifies, “But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored” (NLT).
The entire book of Malachi points the way back to the Lord, explaining to the people how to get right with God. They were to begin through obedience to God’s Word and being faithful in their giving to the Lord (Malachi 3:8–12).
It is impossible to follow God and stay close to Him without faithful obedience to His Word (John 14:21). Throughout Scripture, God’s people are told to “be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32; see also Joshua 1:7; 23:6). But if we do happen to stumble or turn aside, we can be certain that God’s heart cry to us will be, “Return to Me, and I will return to you.”
Our heavenly Father cares deeply for us despite our tendency to wander into sinful disobedience (Jeremiah 31:3). He draws us back with enduring kindness, commanding, “Return to Me.” We can do this through humble confession and prayer: “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14, NLT; see also 1 John 1:9).
“Return to Me, and I will return to you” aligns with Christ’s instruction to “remain in me, and I will remain in you” (John 15:4, NLT). How much better it is for us if we never leave Him in the first place!
Jesus also said, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them” (John 14:23, NLT). In the person of the Holy Spirit, God takes up active residence in our lives at all times (1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:22).
In the Bible, "birth pains" (or "beginning of sorrows") refer to escalating global distress and tribulations preceding the Second Coming of Jesus. Derived from Jesus' Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:8) and described vividly in Revelation 12:2, they signify events that will increase in frequency and intensity. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The concept spans several key biblical contexts and interpretations:
- The Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24): Jesus compared the signs of the end of the age—including wars, famines, earthquakes, and pestilences—to labor contractions. Just like a mother's labor, these signs start out seemingly distant but grow closer together and more severe. [1, 2, 3]
- Revelation Chapter 12: Revelation 12:2 features a pregnant "woman clothed with the sun" crying out in the agony of birth while a dragon waits to devour her child. This passage is the subject of multiple theological interpretations:Marian Interpretation: In Catholic theology, the labor pains are sometimes interpreted symbolically as the spiritual anguish Mary endured at the foot of the Cross, representing the spiritual birth of the Church.
- The "Day of the Lord": The Apostle Paul builds on this exact same metaphor in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, stating that sudden destruction will come upon the world like labor pains on a pregnant woman, from which there is no escape.
According to Christian eschatology on GotQuestions.org, the end times will be marked by global apostasy, the rebuilding of a Jewish temple, and increasing hostility toward Israel. The timeline includes a rapture of the Church, a seven-year tribulation, the Battle of Armageddon, and a 1,000-year Millennial Kingdom. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key biblical signs and events outlined by the ministry include:
- Social and Spiritual Signs: A dramatic increase in false teaching, moral decay, and natural disasters, which Jesus likened to "birth pains" (Matthew 24:6-8). [1, 2, 3]
- The Tribulation: A seven-year period of divine judgment and discipline on the earth. [1]
- The Temple and the Antichrist: A new temple will be constructed in Jerusalem, which the Antichrist will eventually desecrate when he breaks his covenant with Israel. [1, 2]
- Christ’s Return: Jesus will physically return to earth, destroy the Antichrist's armies at Armageddon, and bind Satan for 1,000 years. [1, 2]
For a complete breakdown of eschatological viewpoints (such as Preterism, Dispensationalism, and Amillennialism), visit the Got Questions End Times Questions index. To read more about current global events and biblical signs, check out their article on signs that the end times are approaching. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
https://biblehub.com/matthew/23-37.htm
https://biblehub.com/matthew/3-17.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/s/sower.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/h/holy_spirit.htm
https://biblehub.com/malachi/3-2.htm
https://biblehub.com/proverbs/3-6.htm
https://biblehub.com/john/
https://biblehub.com/topical/f/faith_in_god's_word.htm
https://biblehub.com/john/20-29.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/a/accomplish.htm
https://biblehub.com/isaiah/53-1.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/s/sovereignty_of_god.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/c/christ's_fulfillment_of_the_law.htm
https://biblehub.com/galatians/5-1.htm
Jesus
answered him,
“It is also written:
‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
God is spirit,
and his worshipers must worship
in the
Spirit and in truth.”
https://biblehub.com/john/21-20.htm
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful FOUR
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
https://biblehub.com/psalms/19-1.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/c/creator.htm
Jesus answered, “It is written:
‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
https://biblehub.com/matthew/4-7.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/r/rejection_of_christ.htm
https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/3-16.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/s/speed.htm
https://biblehub.com/mark/13-10.htm
https://biblehub.com/2_thessalonians/2-8.htm
https://biblehub.com/matthew/11-3.htm
https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/6-4.htm
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/morse/missing_the_mark.htm
https://biblehub.com/john/1-14.htm
https://biblehub.com/revelation/5-12.htm
In biblical theology,
Israel's blindness
describes a partial and temporary spiritual
insensitivity toward Jesus as the Messiah.
Key aspects of this concept include a partial hardening, a divine purpose for the nations,
and a future promise of restoration.
https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/15-47.htm
https://biblehub.com/matthew/7-6.htm
The White House
pSoseotrnd1c8t9uu6t6377flml6u0i0mc4mgi39235h9iti1h64i71ttffm ·
Senator Lindsey Graham will be greatly missed!
https://www.gotquestions.org/pour-Spirit-all-people.html
https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/34-10.htm
https://biblehub.com/1_samuel/21-4.htm
https://biblehub.com/ephesians/5-14.htm
https://biblehub.com/john/18-36.htm
https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/12-9.htm
https://biblehub.com/acts/23-11.htm
https://biblehub.com/matthew/23-31.htm
https://biblehub.com/isaiah/53-5.htm
https://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/1-14.htm
https://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/8-17.htm
https://biblehub.com/matthew/19-28.htm
https://biblehub.com/matthew/6-24.htm
https://biblehub.com/john/17-12.htm
https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/1-1.htm
https://biblehub.com/revelation/18-8.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/c/code.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/s/symbolism_of_the_scarlet_thread.htm
Context
Preach the Word
1I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom: 2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.…
Berean Standard Bible · Download
Cross References
Preach the word;
Mark 16:15
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Romans 10:14-15
How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? / And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
1 Corinthians 1:17
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
be prepared in season and out of season;
1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,
Colossians 4:5-6
Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time. / Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Matthew 24:44
For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
reprove, rebuke, and encourage
Titus 2:15
Speak these things as you encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, / so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
Titus 1:9
He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.
with every form of patient instruction.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing. / He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.
1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
Colossians 1:28
We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, / 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.”
1 Corinthians 9:16
Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Acts 20:27-28
For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God. / Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,
Treasury of ScripturePreach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.
Preach.
Psalm 40:9
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; …
Jonah 3:2
Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
See on
Colossians 1:25,28
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; …
be.
Luke 7:4,23
And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: …
Acts 13:5
And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
Romans 12:12
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
in.
John 4:6-10,32-34
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour…
Acts 16:13,31-33
And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither…
Acts 20:7,18-21
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight…
reprove.
Colossians 1:28,29
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: …
1 Thessalonians 2:11,12
As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, …
1 Thessalonians 5:14
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
exhort.
1 Timothy 4:13
Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
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2 Timothy 4
1. He exhorts him to preach the Word with all care and diligence;
6. certifies him of the nearness of his death;
9. wills him to come speedily unto him, and to bring Marcus with him;
14. warns him to beware of Alexander the metalworker.
16. informs him what had befallen him at his first answering;
19. and soon after he concludes.
https://biblehub.com/john/3-16.htm
https://biblehub.com/luke/10-38.htm
https://biblehub.com/colossians/2-17.htm
https://biblehub.com/revelation/12-11.htm
The Golden Calf Sin
- Moses was on Mount Sinai for forty days receiving God's laws.
- The Israelites grew impatient and made a golden calf idol to worship.
- God told Moses what the people were doing at the bottom of the mountain.
https://www.gotquestions.org/produce-fruit-keeping-repentance.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/healing-trees-leaves-medicine.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/I-never-knew-you-depart-from-me.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/testimony-for-Jesus.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Christ-conquered-death.html
https://www.itownchurch.com/
https://biblehub.com/acts/2-15.htm
For these people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is only the third hour of the day;
https://biblehub.com/matthew/3-11.htm
The phrase "ungodliness from Jacob" comes from Romans 11:26 on Bible Hub, which quotes an Old Testament promise about a future deliverer who takes away sin. You can read different translations, Greek data, and verse notes directly on the Romans 11:26 Bible Hub Page. [1, 2, 3]
Verse Meaning and Context
- The Deliverer: Refers to Jesus Christ coming from Zion to save his people.
- Jacob: Another name for the nation of Israel.
- Ungodliness: Living without God or turning away from His laws.
- The Promise: God will remove sin and restore His covenant people. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Translation Comparison on Bible Hub
Bible VersionText for Romans 11:26
King James Version (KJV)And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)And so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
New International Version (NIV)And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.”
You can study detailed expert explanations on the Romans 11:26 Commentaries to see how scholars connect this verse back to the book of Isaiah. [1]
7 sites
- Ungodliness - Topical Bible
The Bible teaches that ungodliness leads to spiritual death and separation from God. Romans 6:23 states, "For the wages of sin is ...
Bible Hub - Romans 11:26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written
And thus all Israel will be saved, as it has been written: “The Delivering One will come out of Zion; He will remove ungodliness f...
Bible Hub - Romans 11:26 Commentaries: and so all Israel will be saved
... ungodliness from Jacob.” In Isaiah 27:9 it has, “This is his blessing, when I shall take away his sin.” St Paul seems to have ...
Bible Hub
https://biblehub.com/q/what_does_the_star_of_david_mean.htm
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.
ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry9 hours ago
We just had a double blessing at our Bible college: two cohorts of graduations in one go! Last year when we were under fire from Iranian missiles we had to cancel the celebrations, so this year we had an extra special time to honor double the number of students and their achievements. The key note speaker was Greg Denham who is an author and speaker, and the pastor of Rise Church in San Marcos, California. “I believe this college is one of the most important in the world,” said Pastor Denham. “I know that the gospel’s going to go full circle all throughout the world and then it’s going to come back, and it’s already back. And ultimately all Israel will be saved,” he declared. “You are on the front lines, my brothers and sisters, you’re leading the way. And you’re ahead of the time. You’re the minority that will become the majority. You are the right people, providentially, sovereignly, for such a time as this. So I’m honored to be here on your graduation. Congratulations!” Pastor Denham then encouraged them to remember their roots by looking back to that time of the early church, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He pointed out that the Holy Spirit drenched the disciples so they were dripping with His power, but he also stressed the importance of walking in the fear of God. “Walk in the fear of the Lord. Be awed by His greatness, overwhelmed… with His virtue and his power. And as you do, the Holy Spirit will help you, give you all that you need and more. And like Peter, bring Jesus to this generation: “You, men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.” And finally, let me just say,” he added, referring back to the drenching of the Holy Spirit, “don’t dry off. Be present in His presence. Walk in the fear of God, and the Holy Spirit will give you all that you need and more.” Click here to see more graduation highlights! https://www.oneforisrael.org/graduati...
The phrase “transformed by the renewing of the mind” is found in Romans 12:2. Chapter 12 marks the transition in that epistle from the apostle Paul’s theological teaching to his practical teaching. The book of Romans is probably the closest thing in the Bible to a systematic theology. Paul did not found the church at Rome, but he had every intention of visiting that church on his way to Spain. As a result, Paul wrote this epistle as a way of introducing himself to that congregation and to give them an overview of the gospel and what it means in the lives of believers.
After teaching the great doctrine regarding the gospel of God’s righteousness that is ours through faith in Christ in Romans chapters 1—11, Paul begins to exhort us to godly living. How are we to live in light of the saving power of the gospel? That is what Romans 12—16 aims to teach. The practical section of Romans begins with a great “therefore.” Seeing all that God did on our behalf, therefore live like this. The first of Paul’s great exhortations is to be renewed in our minds:
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1–2, ESV).
The phrase “the mercies of God” refers to all of what has preceded in chapters 1—11. The exhortation that Paul presents is that since we have been the recipients of God’s great mercies, we are to be “living sacrifices” to God. How do we do this? We are living sacrifices to God by not conforming to this world, but by being transformed by the renewal of our minds.
This exhortation really serves as a summary statement of all that follows. A living sacrifice to God is one who does not conform, but is transformed. We are not to be conformed to this world. Paul is using the word world here to refer to the spirit of the age. In other words, world refers to the popular worldview that rejects God and His revelation. As unbelievers, we are naturally conformed to the world (Ephesians 2:1–3). As believers, we are no longer conformed to this world because we no longer belong to the spirit of this age. We have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Colossians 1:13). Therefore, rather than continuing to conform to this world, we are to be transformed by having our minds renewed.
It is interesting to note that Paul says that we must be transformed by the renewing of our “minds.” The mind is the key to the Christian life. The reason why non-Christians do not respond to Christian truth is that they cannot discern spiritual truth (1 Corinthians 2:14). The gospel is a call for the unbeliever to repent of his sin and embrace Christ by faith. The Greek word translated “repentance” carries the notion of a change of mind. Our thinking must be changed (transformed) from old, ungodly ways of thinking into new, godly ways of thinking. What we know in our minds to be true forms a conviction in our hearts of that truth, and that conviction in our hearts translates into action. Therefore, we must first renew our minds.
The only way to replace the error of the world’s way of thinking is to replace it with God’s truth, and the only infallible source of God’s truth is His revealed Word, the Bible. Transformation through renewed minds comes as believers expose themselves to God’s Word through the faithful exposition of it each week in church, personal Bible study, and group Bible study. A solid church that believes in preaching the Word, reading the Word, and singing the Word is invaluable in helping us renew our minds.
There are no shortcuts. There is no magical formula for renewing our minds. We must fill our minds with God’s Word. As Jesus prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
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” (NASB). 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.
In 1 Corinthians 3:16–17, the apostle Paul wants believers to understand that the church of Jesus Christ is a holy sanctuary where God’s Spirit dwells: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (NKJV).
In this passage, the Greek term for “you” is plural; thus, Paul is speaking to the whole body of Christ. The New Living Translation reads, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16–17, NLT).
In the Old Testament, God’s name and presence resided in the wilderness tabernacle (Exodus 25:8; 33:9–10; 40:34–35) and later in Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:29; 2 Chronicles 6:2). The Lord instructed His people to keep themselves from uncleanness, disobedience, and idolatry, which would defile God’s dwelling place (Leviticus 15:31; Numbers 19:13; 2 Chronicles 29:4–5; Jeremiah 7:30; Zephaniah 3:4). The New Testament temple is the body of believers. The Holy Spirit resides in this temple made of “living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God” (1 Peter 2:5, NLT).
Elsewhere in the New Testament, this image of the “temple of God” is applied to individual believers who must recognize that their physical bodies are “the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God[.] You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20, NLT). For this reason, Paul urges Christians, “let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God” (2 Corinthians 7:1, NLT). As temples of the living God, we should be holy in everything we do, just as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15–16).
In the same way the Jerusalem temple unified the people of Israel, the metaphorical New Testament temple is designed to unite believers in one harmonious community. “In Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:5; see also 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 4:25). There ought to be no division in Christ’s body.
The Greek verb translated as “defile” in 1 Corinthians 3:17 means “to make a mess of or create disorder in; to corrupt, destroy, ruin.” When Paul wrote, “If anyone defiles the temple of God,” he was addressing a specific problem of division in the church (see 1 Corinthians 1:10–17; 11:18). The Corinthians were split in their loyalties to different leaders of the church. Some were devoted to the teachings of Paul, others followed Apollos, and some aligned with Peter. The “super-spiritual” ones declared, “I follow only Christ” (see 1 Corinthians 1:12 and 3:4–6).
Exalting our Christian leaders to the point where we see them as making us “better” or “wiser” and therefore divided from our brothers and sisters in Christ, Paul argues, is to be deceived by human, worldly wisdom, which in God’s eyes is foolishness (see 1 Corinthians 3:18–23). Church leaders are God’s servants, called to build and preserve the integrity and unity of the church. We should not defile the temple of God through unnecessary divisions.
Paul’s warning not to defile the temple of God is meant for believers. Christians must be careful not to create disorder and ruin the church through cliques, jealousy, and division. The church is torn apart and destroyed when its members are divided. The most dangerous brand of defilement comes from the inside, not the outside.
Paul’s warning is meant to be taken seriously: “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred” (1 Corinthians 3:17). If we defile and destroy the community that God has designed as a spiritual hospital, a sacred refuge, and a place of encouragement, healing, and spiritual life, then we are in sinful opposition to God’s holy purpose. We invite God’s punishment. When Paul said, “God will destroy that person,” he wasn’t talking about eternal destruction (see 1 Corinthians 3:15) but a punishment that would fit the crime. The judgment is severe because the temple of God is sacred.
God has called us to work together in the church so that “the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Ephesians 2:21–22). We are not to defile the temple of God but to “make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19).
Israel's blindness is a biblical concept describing a partial and temporary spiritual insensitivity toward God's plan. Key aspects include the definition in Romans 11, the background in Old Testament prophecy, and the purpose for the wider world. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
God's tolerance means His patience and forbearance, giving people time to repent, but it does not mean He approves of sin or accepts all beliefs. [1, 2, 3, 4]
In Revelation 5, John has a vision of the heavenly throne room. It is time for the judgment of the earth but no one is found worthy to execute the judgment, and John begins weeping. In Revelation 5:5 we read, “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘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.’”
The scroll with its seven seals is the scroll of God’s judgment. The elder who speaks to John identifies the one person who has the moral authority and legal right to open the scroll—that is, the only one who can rightly judge the world. That person is Jesus, who triumphed over temptation and sin and is capable of executing judgment (see John 5:22). Jesus is given two titles in Revelation 5:5: Lion of the tribe of Judah and Root of David. The Root of David is a reference to His connection with David (who was also from the tribe of Judah) and His rule as king.
When King David reigned, the Lord established a covenant with him, promising that David’s throne would “be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). The covenant was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, the Root of David. A root is a source and founding support of something. Jesus is the source, the origin, of David and his tribe of Judah.
Jesus is introduced in the Gospel of Matthew as “Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1), fulfilling the Jewish expectation that the Messiah would come from the lineage of David. But how could the Messiah be both the Root of David and the Son of David, or the Branch, as Isaiah 11:1 had prophesied? The answer is found in Jesus’ dual nature.
As per Jesus’ human nature, Jesus was the Son of David, a branch from David’s family tree. But, touching His divine nature, Jesus was the Root of David: He was the originator of David and the source of all David’s blessings. We see the same human-divine duality expressed in Revelation 22:16, where Jesus declares that He is “the Root and the Offspring of David.”
Jesus also alludes to His connection to David in Matthew 22:41–45. There, the Pharisees affirm that the Messiah is the Son of David (verse 4). In response, Jesus says, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet”’” (Matthew 22:43–44, quoting Psalm 110:1).
Jesus then brings it home with this piercing question: “If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” (verse 45). The answer is that the Messiah is not only David’s Son, but He is also the Root of David. Jesus is indeed David’s Lord. He is the Son of God and the Source of all things, including David.
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.
In Mark 14, Jesus stands accused at His trial before the High Priest. “Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:61-62). Here, Jesus is referring to the Old Testament book of Daniel where the prophet Daniel states, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14).
In this reference to Daniel’s vision, Jesus is identifying Himself as the Son of Man, a person who was given “dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him.” The Son of Man has a dominion that is everlasting and will not pass away. One immediately wonders what kind of person has a dominion that is everlasting. What kind of a person is given a kingdom and will have all men serve Him? The High Priest, who immediately recognized Jesus’ claim to divinity, tore his robe and declared Jesus guilty of blasphemy.
Jesus’ use of the title "Son of Man" has surprisingly strong apologetic value. A skeptic of Christ’s deity cannot easily dismiss this particular self-designation of Jesus. That Christ referred to Himself in this manner enjoys multiple attestations, as it is found in all of the Gospel sources. The phrase "Son of Man" is used of Jesus only a few times outside of the Gospels themselves (Acts 7:56; Revelation 1:13; 14:14). Given its scarce usage by the early apostolic church, it is unlikely that this title would have been read back into the lips of Jesus if, in fact, He had not used this particular self-designation. And yet, if it is established that Jesus really did use this title of Himself, it becomes apparent that Jesus considered Himself to have everlasting power and a unique authority beyond that of a mere human being.
Sometimes, it was Jesus’ actions that revealed His identity. Jesus’ healing of the paralytic in Mark 2 was done to demonstrate His authority and ability to forgive sins (Mark 2:3-12). In the minds of His Jewish audience, such abilities were reserved for God alone. Jesus also receives worship several times in the Gospels (Matthew 2:11; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38; 20:28). Never did Jesus reject such adoration. Rather, He regarded their worship as well placed. Elsewhere, Jesus taught that the Son of Man will ultimately judge humanity (Matthew 25:31-46) and taught that our eternal destinies depend on our response to Him (Mark 8:34-38). Such behavior is further indication of Jesus’ divine self-understanding.
Jesus also stated that His forthcoming resurrection from the dead would vindicate the very special claims that He made for Himself (Matthew 12:38-40). After having been crucified and buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus did, in fact, rise from the dead, establishing His claims to deity.
The evidence for this miraculous event is very powerful. Numerous contemporary sources report Jesus’ post-crucifixion appearances to both individuals and groups under various circumstances (1 Corinthians 15:3-7; Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:26-30, 21:1-14; Acts 1:3-6). Many of these witnesses were willing to die for this belief, and several of them did! Clement of Rome and the Jewish historian Josephus provide us with first-century reports of several of their martyrdoms. All of the theories used to explain away the evidence for the resurrection (such as the Hallucination Theory) have failed to explain all of the known data. The resurrection of Jesus is an established fact of history, and this is the strongest evidence for Jesus’ divinity.
The Latin verb incarnare meant “to make flesh.” When we say that Jesus Christ is God “Incarnate,” we mean that the Son of God took on a fleshly, bodily form (John 1:14). However, when this happened in the womb of Mary, Jesus’ earthly mother, He did not stop being deity. Although Jesus became fully human (Hebrews 2:17), He retained His status as God (John 1:1, 14). How Jesus is able to be both man and God simultaneously is one of the great mysteries of Christianity but is nevertheless a test of orthodoxy (1 John 4:2; 2 John 1:7). Jesus has two distinct natures, divine and human. “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (John 14:11).
The Bible clearly teaches the deity of Christ by presenting His fulfillment of numerous Old Testament prophecies (Isaiah 7:14; Psalm 2:7), His eternal existence (John 1:1–3; John 8:58), His miraculous virgin birth (Luke 1:26–31), His miracles (Matthew 9:24–25), His authority to forgive sin (Matthew 9:6), His acceptance of worship (Matthew 14:33), His ability to predict the future (Matthew 24:1–2), and His resurrection from the dead (Luke 24:36–39). The writer of Hebrews tells us Jesus is superior to angels (Hebrews 1:4–5) and angels are to worship Him (Hebrews 1:6).
The Bible also teaches the Incarnation—Jesus became fully human by taking on human flesh. Jesus was conceived in the womb and was born (Luke 2:7), He experienced normal aging (Luke 2:40), He had natural physical needs (John 19:28) and human emotions (Matthew 26:38), He learned (Luke 2:52), He died a physical death (Luke 23:46), and He was resurrected with a physical body (Luke 24:39). Jesus was human in every way except for sin; He lived a completely sinless life (Hebrews 4:15).
When Christ took on the form of a human, His nature did not change, but His position did. Jesus, in His original nature of God in spirit form, humbled Himself by laying aside His glory and privileges (Philippians 2:6–8). God can never stop being God because He is immutable (Hebrews 13:8) and infinite (Revelation 1:8). If Jesus stopped being fully God for even a split second, all life would die (see Acts 17:28). The doctrine of the Incarnation says that Jesus, while remaining fully God, became fully man.
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is both God and man. Many Christians are understandably confused when it comes to understanding how Jesus can be God and man at the same time. How could our divine Creator become a human? Could a first-century Jewish man really be God? While a certain amount of mystery will always accompany this issue, both Scripture and, to a lesser extent, church tradition provide for us important distinctions to help us make sense of this matter.
While previous church councils had deliberated over issues pertaining to the nature of Christ and His relationship to the Father, it was the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) that affirmed that Christ is “the same perfect in divinity and perfect in humanity, the same truly God and truly man.” This statement is not true simply because the council taught it. Rather, the council’s declaration was authoritative only insofar as it aligned with what the Bible teaches on the subject. Scripture is clear that Jesus is God (John 20:28; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8), and it is equally clear that He is truly human (Romans 1:2–4; 1 John 4:2–3). Jesus claimed the divine name (John 8:58) and did things that only God can do (Mark 2:1–12; Luke 7:48–50). But Jesus also displayed the weaknesses and vulnerabilities common to humanity (Luke 19:41; John 19:28).
The belief that Jesus is both God and man is of fundamental importance. The apostle Paul wrote that an affirmation of the divinity of Jesus is required to be saved (Romans 10:9), and the apostle John provided a sober warning that those who deny Christ’s true humanity are promoting the doctrine of antichrist (2 John 1:7).
The Triune God of the Bible has existed and reigned from all eternity, and the second Person of the Trinity, the Son, took on human flesh at a particular point in time (Luke 1:35; Hebrews 1:5). God the Son added a sinless human nature to His eternally existent divine nature. The result was the Incarnation. God the Son became a man (John 1:1, 14). Hebrews 2:17 gives the reason that Jesus had to be both God and man: “He had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” The Son of God took on human flesh to provide redemption to those under the law (Galatians 4:4–5).
At no time did Jesus ever cease to be God. Although He was made fully human, there was never a point when He abrogated His divine nature (see Luke 6:5, 8). It is equally true that, after becoming incarnate, the Son has never ceased to be human. As the apostle Paul wrote, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5, emphasis added). Jesus is not half-human and half-divine. Rather, He is Theanthropos, the God-man. The Lord Jesus Christ is one eternally divine Person who will forever possess two distinct yet inseparable natures: one divine and one human.
The Mosaic Law was given specifically to the nation of Israel (Exodus 19; Leviticus 26:46; Romans 9:4). It was made up of three parts: the Ten Commandments, the ordinances, and the worship system, which included the priesthood, the tabernacle, the offerings, and the festivals (Exodus 20—40; Leviticus 1—7; 23). The purpose of the Mosaic Law was to accomplish the following:
Genesis 2:7 teaches that God created Adam from the dust of the earth: “The Lord God formed a man from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” After Adam sinned, God informed him that he will toil the earth his entire life. It will be frustrating and difficult. Ultimately, Adam’s lifelong work would end in death, and he would return back to the dust from which he was created. Death was the final consequence of Adam’s choice to sin. In Genesis 3:19, God tells Adam, “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (NKJV).
God formed each element of creation with His word. He said it, and it was. But God specially formed Adam from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Humanity is made from a combination of the earth and the life-giving breath of God Himself. The glory of God is found in His breath in us, while being made from the dust of the earth is a reminder of our lowliness and dependence on Him. God’s declaration to Adam that “to dust you shall return” is final and gave Adam a continual awareness that one day he would die physically.
The curse of death that came to Adam was imparted to all humans who have lived since. Because of Adam, sin entered the world (Romans 5:12), all were condemned because of sin (verse 18), and death came to all humanity (verse 15; 1 Corinthians 15:22). All people are sinners (Romans 5:19) and will one day die and face judgment before God (Hebrews 9:27). The reality that “to dust you shall return” is for everyone. For those who trust in Christ, though, the curse of death will be overcome (Ephesians 2:1–10). Rather than fear death, believers have the assurance of eternity that fuels the way we live.
Peter urges believers to remember that we are pilgrims and sojourners, and as such we are “to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11). The certainty that “to dust you shall return” should humble us to seek and follow God. Our time on earth is short compared to eternity. Paul calls our bodies “earthly tents” in 2 Corinthians 5:1. This world is not our permanent home, and our bodies are destined to return to dust. On earth we groan and are burdened. Yet resurrection and eternity with God in a heavenly dwelling are promised to those who belong to Christ (2 Corinthians 5:4). We cannot be so entangled in the affairs of this world that we miss out on what matters eternally.
James also reminds believers, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). We are called to be Christ’s ambassadors, sharing the gospel with others and urging them to be reconciled with God (2 Corinthians 5:20). In light of the brevity of life, we should take account of how we live. Instead of living for ourselves, we should live for God and do good (James 4:16–17). “To dust you shall return” should impact how we live and what our lives are about.
As pioneer missionary C. T. Studd penned, “Only one life, ’twill soon be past, / Only what’s done for Christ will last.” God’s declaration to Adam that “to dust you shall return” still rings true for every person today. We all come from dust, and we will all return back to it. What happens in between matters. May we live our lives for His glory, in obedience to Him and telling others of the hope we have in Christ. May many turn to Him before it is too late.
(1) Reveal the holy character of the eternal God to the nation of Israel (Leviticus 19:2; 20:7–8).
(2) Set apart the nation of Israel as distinct from all the other nations (Exodus 19:5).
(3) Reveal the sinfulness of man (cf. Galatians 3:19). Although the Law was good and holy (Romans 7:12), it did not provide salvation for the nation of Israel. “No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin” (Romans 3:20; cf. Acts 13:38–39).
(4) Provide forgiveness through the sacrifice/offerings (Leviticus 1—7) for the people who had faith in the Lord in the nation of Israel.
(5) Provide a way of worship for the community of faith through the yearly feasts (Leviticus 23).
(6) Provide God’s direction for the physical and spiritual health of the nation (Exodus 21—23; Deuteronomy 6:4–19; Psalm 119:97–104).
(7) Reveal to humanity that no one can keep the Law but everyone falls short of God’s standard of holiness. That realization causes us to rely on God’s mercy and grace. When Christ came, He fulfilled the Law and with His death paid the penalty for our breaking it (Galatians 3:24; Romans 10:4). By faith in Him, the believer has the very righteousness of Christ imputed to him.
The purpose of the Mosaic Law raises these questions: “Are you trusting in yourself to keep all the Ten Commandments all the time (which you can’t do)?” OR “Have you made the choice to accept Jesus as your Savior, realizing that He has fulfilled all the commandments all the time for you, even paying your penalty for breaking them?” The choice is yours.
Various New Testament scriptures state that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law, bringing it to completion and conclusion (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–25; Ephesians 2:15). In place of the Old Testament Law, Christians are to obey the law of Christ. Rather than trying to remember the over 600 individual commandments in the Old Testament Law, Christians are simply to focus on loving God and loving others. If Christians would truly and wholeheartedly obey those two commands, we would be fulfilling everything that God requires of us.
Christ freed us from the bondage of the hundreds of commands in the Old Testament Law and instead calls on us to love. First John 4:7–8 declares, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” First John 5:3 continues, “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.”
Some use the fact that we are not under the Old Testament Law as an excuse to sin. The apostle Paul addresses this very issue in Romans. “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” (Romans 6:15). For the follower of Christ, the avoidance of sin is to be accomplished out of love for God and love for others. Love is to be our motivation. When we recognize the value of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, our response is to be love, gratitude, and obedience. When we understand the sacrifice Jesus made for us and others, our response is to be to follow His example in expressing love to others. Our motivation for overcoming sin should be love, not a desire to legalistically obey a series of commandments. We are to obey the law of Christ because we love Him, not so that we can check off a list of commands that we successfully obeyed.
According to the Bible, authority ought to be submitted to and respected. This is a hard teaching for many, as the Bible would seem to indemnify those who rule or preside over others in a cruel and unjust manner. Perhaps the most widely-quoted and well-known verse regarding this matter comes from Romans 13. God advises us to submit to “governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1). We are further advised in the Bible that rebelling against authority is rebelling against God (Romans 13:2).
Many would argue that such passages deal only with benevolent rulers because the Scripture continues to say that these rulers “hold no terror for those who do right” and that they are “God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer”. This is why “it is necessary to submit” and “why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing” (Romans 13:3-6).
What does God say about reacting to unjust rulers? In another well-known and challenging passage, the Bible says: “Slaves, submit yourselves to your master with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.” He explains further: “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men” and “Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, [and] if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:15, 17-21).
These are very difficult messages and may incline some to feel God has a sadistic streak. This would be a misreading of the Bible. God’s call always to show love, honor, and respect to others represents how He envisions His Kingdom on earth. He wishes us to live life to the fullest (John 10:10) and promises us a glorious and eternal life (John 3:16; 14:2-3, 23).
Ephesians 6:6-9 exhorts us to obey not merely to win favor just when people’s eyes are on us, but to act as “slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart,” serving wholeheartedly as if serving the Lord and knowing that He will reward us for whatever good we do. His message is consistent for slave masters, enjoining them to “treat your slaves in the same way” because He is master of both them, and their slaves.
Despite instances of poor or tyrannical government, of which many examples are provided in the books of Judges, 1 Kings, and 2 Kings (as well as in today’s world), God assures us that respect, kindness, and submission are part of His plan (1 Thessalonians 5:12-18) and failure to follow this prescription results in our devolving into depravity and anarchy because of self-centeredness (2 Timothy 3:1-9).https://www.foxnews.com/video/6400952695112
The Holy Spirit, one of the three persons of the Trinity, had a significant role in creation. Though He is often associated with regeneration, guidance, and sanctification, the Holy Spirit is also integral to God’s creative work. Several biblical passages reveal the Holy Spirit’s participation in the creation of the universe. He imparts order to the world and sustains life. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit worked harmoniously to create the universe.
The Bible opens with a reference to the Holy Spirit’s role in creation. Genesis 1:1–2 states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Here, the term Spirit of God refers to the Holy Spirit, who is depicted as active in the initial moments of creation. The Hebrew word for “Spirit” is ruach, meaning “breath, wind, or spirit.” The image of the Spirit hovering over the waters suggests that the Holy Spirit prepared and shaped the primordial chaos into a habitable world.
The word for “hovering,” also translated as “brooding” or “moving gently,” implies a protective and creative function. The Holy Spirit ensured that creation moved from void and emptiness to order and fullness. This introduces a profound idea: the Holy Spirit not only was present at the beginning of creation but is actively involved in organizing, animating, and infusing the creation with life and potential.
The Holy Spirit’s role in creation is closely linked to that of the Word of God, which Christians identify as the Son, Jesus Christ. Psalm 33:6 states, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” The word translated as “breath” here is again ruach. This passage highlights the collaboration between the Word of God and the Spirit of God in the creation of the universe.
In John’s Gospel, the Word refers to Jesus Christ, as confirmed in John 1:1–3: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” The Word was the agent through which creation was spoken into existence, and the Holy Spirit animated creation, filling it with life. This partnership between the Word and the Spirit shows how both were indispensable in the creative process.
The Holy Spirit is responsible for giving life to all creatures. In Job 33:4, Job’s friend Elihu declares, “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Human life itself is a result of the Spirit’s creative power. A related passage is Genesis 2:7, where God creates Adam: “The Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” The life-giving role of the Spirit is not limited to humanity but extends to all creatures, as seen in Psalm 104:30: “When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.” The Spirit’s creative power is ongoing, constantly renewing and sustaining life.
The Holy Spirit is deeply involved in the ongoing sustaining and re-creation of the world. As Psalm 104:30 suggests, the Spirit continues to renew creation. This is reflected in Isaiah 32:15, which speaks of a future renewal: “Till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest.” Here, the Spirit is a renewal agent, transforming desolation into abundance.
From the earliest moments of creation to the ongoing renewal of life, the Holy Spirit has a significant role in creation. He was present at the dawn of time, hovering over the waters. The Spirit collaborated with the Word of God in forming the heavens and the earth, and He breathes life into all living creatures. Moreover, the Spirit’s work continues in the present, renewing creation and bringing about new life in Christ (John 3:5–8). The Holy Spirit’s continuous, life-giving work reflects His power, wisdom, and integral role in God’s creative and re-creative plan.
Many of the familiar expressions we use today originated in the Bible. One such idiom, “the blind leading the blind,” comes from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 15:14: “Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit” (see also Luke 6:39).
As Jesus traveled around ministering in Galilee, He attracted crowds from places near and far, including Jerusalem—the authoritative center of Judaism at the time. The Gospel of Matthew records a scene in which a group of Pharisees and scribes travel from Jerusalem to confront Jesus. These religious leaders were the representatives of Judaism in that day. They were entrusted with studying the Scriptures and guiding God’s people in the ways of the Lord.
Without a doubt, these Jewish leaders were receiving reports of miracles and unconventional activities surrounding Jesus’ ministry. They became alarmed that their many regulations, laws, and age-old “traditions of the elders” (Matthew 15:2, ESV) were not being kept. Specifically, they had come to question why Jesus’ disciples were breaking the tradition of ceremonial handwashing before meals. According to their procedures—which, in reality, were human-made regulations and not part of God’s Word—Jesus and His disciples were behaving in a way that made them ritually unclean. These so-called spiritual leaders had elevated their legalistic traditions to the point of equality with the commands of God in Scripture, a transgression Jesus was now compelled to confront.
Leading up to His description of the religious leaders as blind leaders of the blind, Jesus pointed out how the Pharisees had broken God’s commandments (Matthew 15:3–9). First, He established their hypocrisy—they regularly broke the laws of God while demanding that others follow their human-made traditions. They displayed outward piety but lacked true devotion to God and His Word in their hearts. They were rebellious toward God and blind to their spiritual emptiness.
In Matthew 15:10–14, Jesus returns to their question about handwashing. Instead of addressing the Pharisees and scribes directly, He shared a parable with the crowd. The teaching upended the Pharisee’s tradition, revealing that it’s not what is outside of a person that causes defilement. What makes a person unclean, Jesus taught, originates from inside the individual: “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them” (verse 11). Christ wasn’t refuting the idea that people can become unacceptable before God, only how it happens. Handwashing can’t make a person clean if his or her heart is tarnished. And the human heart can be deceitfully wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).
Employing a second parable, Jesus calls the Pharisees “blind guides” (Matthew 15:14). He repeats this characterization in Matthew 23:16: “Woe to you, blind guides!” And again in verse 24: “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”
When Jesus said of the Pharisees, “The blind lead the blind,” He was emphasizing the foolishness of the situation. Only a person who can see ought to lead a blind person. To be a successful guide to others, one must be able to see where he or she is going. If the blind lead the blind, those leaders are arrogant, overconfident, and in serious denial about their own sightless condition. Jesus knew this was true of the scribes and Pharisees who had come to confront Him. “Guide for the blind” was a common title for Jewish teachers of that day (Romans 2:19). Jesus wasn’t about to let His detractors continue claiming this title when, in truth, they needed someone to lead them.
After Christ called the Pharisees “blind leaders of the blind,” He said to “leave them” in Matthew 15:14. By this, He meant for His disciples to ignore the Pharisees, to let them alone and not to try to please them. These religious leaders thought they were experts in God’s law, but they were blind and ignorant of the law’s true meaning. Christ revealed that they were contradicting the very laws they claimed to understand. Instead of leading their students along the right path that leads to life, they were guiding themselves and their followers straight to disaster: “Both will fall into a pit.”
Christ’s parable of the blind leading the blind is just as relevant today as in Jesus’ day. The tendency to elevate human interpretation of Scripture and tradition to a place of equal authority with God’s Word is a blindness that has afflicted people of every generation. The inclination Jesus confronted in the Pharisees is no different from the legalistic traditions and unwritten rules that many churches, denominations, spiritual leaders, and individual believers try to enforce today.
When we allow human rules and regulations to take priority over God’s laws, we lead people astray from “the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3, NKJV). If we become blind leaders of the blind, we heap God’s judgment on ourselves: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to” (Matthew 23:13; see also Matthew 18:6).
We must be careful not to let arrogance and denial blind us to our spiritual condition. We must make sure that our vision is clear enough to guide others in their spiritual walk. Likewise, we do well to choose our leaders wisely, being careful not to follow blind guides who will lead us away from the straight and narrow path of God’s Word.
What does Acts 3:15 mean?Peter is explaining to a crowd of Jews that they—like all people of all nations—are responsible for the death of the Holy One whom God sent.
"Author" is from the Greek root word archēgos and has the double-meaning of both originator and leader; in the New American Standard Bible, it is translated "Prince." Jesus is the originator of life; John 1:3 says of Him, "All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." He also maintains creation: "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17). Jesus is also ultimately the ruler of creation: "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16).
It's significant that the Bible states God raised Jesus from the dead (Galatians 1:1); Jesus did not raise Himself. Jesus died as an act of submission to God and God's plan (Philippians 2:5–8). He submitted to the burden of sin that made God turn His face away (1 Peter 2:24; Mark 15:34). He submitted Himself to death and burial. That God raised Him from the dead proves that He was the perfect, sinless sacrifice who died for the sins of the world (Romans 4:24–25).
Shortly before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples they would be His witnesses "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). "Witness" is from the Greek root word martys. As witnesses, the disciples gave first-hand testimony about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. But as persecution against the church rose, martys took on a different meaning and is now the base of our word "martyr." A witness in this context, then, is someone who will speak the truth about Jesus, even at the expense of their own life. Church tradition says that all of the apostles, except John, died as martyrs.
In many places in the New Testament, the apostle Paul refers to himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ” (e.g., Romans 1:1; Colossians 4:12; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 4:6). The Lord’s half-brother Jude refers to himself in the same way (Jude 1:1). Rather than capitalize on his close relationship to Jesus, Jude relegated himself to the status of a servant. Jesus’ family, friends, and chosen apostles refer to themselves as His servants, the plain implication being that Jesus is Lord.
“Servant” is a translation of the Greek word doulos, which means more literally “a slave or bondservant, someone who sets aside all rights of his own to serve another.” Because the word slave carries such a negative connotation to our modern sensitivities, we often choose the word servant instead. However, servant does not quite capture the real meaning of doulos. Paul said he was a “slave” to Christ.
In ancient times, slaves were purchased or born into a slave family and served the master until they died or until the master decided to free them. Some slaves had developed such a close and loving relationship with the master’s family that they wanted to continue serving, even when they could go free. That’s the idea Paul and others were conveying when they referred to themselves as servants of Christ. The Lord has bought us with a high price (1 Corinthians 6:20), and those who come to know Him desire to abandon all rights to Him and choose to serve Him faithfully.
A servant of Christ knows who is the King. A servant of Christ is one who has voluntarily set aside his or her personal rights in order to love, serve, and obey the will of God in Christ Jesus. Servants of Christ die daily to sin and fleshly desires, allowing Christ’s life to flow through them (Galatians 2:20).
To be a servant of Christ is to seek His will in all things. Our primary desire every day, as servants of Christ, is to honor and glorify the One who bought our freedom from sin (1 Corinthians 10:31). This means we must die to ourselves (Luke 9:23), renounce our right to direct our own lives (Luke 6:46), and seek ways to bring our Master pleasure (Psalm 37:23; Proverbs 11:20). Just as a master in ancient times took on the responsibility of caring for his bondservants, so our Lord says that He will provide all we need when we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19).
Our Master, Jesus, has given us instructions in His Word and expects those who profess His name to know them. As we learn more, we do better. Servants of Christ put into practice all they learn about pleasing their Lord. While He has specific jobs for each of us according to the gifts and opportunities He provides, some requirements are universal for anyone called to be a servant of Christ:
• Continue in faith.
• Destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.
• Take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
• Pursue holy living (1 Peter 1:14–16).
• Daily crucify the lusts of the flesh (Romans 6:1–6).
• Love brothers and sisters in the faith (1 John 3:14–15).
• Store up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19–20).
• Eagerly await the Master’s return (Revelation 22:20; 2 Timothy 4:8).
Servants of Christ do their work humbly and selflessly, desiring only to please their benevolent Master. There’s no pretension, no self-importance, no compensation-seeking in true servanthood. Jesus reminds us of the lowly place a servant occupies: “You also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty’” (Luke 17:10, ESV).
Servants of Christ consider their lives on earth as a brief time of preparation for eternity. The hardships and struggles we must face while in the flesh will be far outmatched by the glory and reward awaiting us (2 Corinthians 4:17). Just as a servant who loves his master lives for the master’s approval, so servants of Christ live for the moment He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master!” (Matthew 25:21, 23)
Speaking to a group of Jews, Jesus says, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
Satan is the “father of lies” in that he is the original liar. He is the “father” of lies in the same way that Martin Luther is the “father” of the Reformation and Robert Goddard is the “father” of modern rocketry. Satan told the first lie in recorded history to Eve, in the Garden of Eden. After planting seeds of doubt in Eve’s mind with a question (Genesis 3:1), he directly contradicts God’s Word by telling her, “You will not certainly die” (Genesis 3:4). With that lie, Satan led Eve to her death; Adam followed, and so have we all.
Lying is Satan’s primary weapon against God’s children. He uses the tactic of deceit to separate people from their heavenly Father. Some of his more common lies are “there is no God,” “God doesn’t care about you,” “the Bible cannot be trusted,” and “your good works will get you into heaven.” The apostle Paul tells us that Satan “masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14), so that what he says and does sounds good and seems reasonable. But it is nothing more than a false appearance.
Many of Satan’s lies tend to perpetuate themselves. This is what happened when Eve convinced Adam to also believe the devil’s lie. Today, Satan still uses people to spread his lies for him. Often, he uses charismatic but foolish people to further his falsehoods, as in the case of false religions and cults.
The Bible has many names for Satan to describe his true nature, including “ruler of this world” (John 12:31), “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4), “tempter” (1 Thessalonians 3:5), “deceiver” (Revelation 12:9), “Beelzebub” (literally, “lord of the flies,” the ruler of demons, in Matthew 10:25), and “Belial,” meaning “wicked” (2 Corinthians 6:15).
Satan has told more lies to more people (and even angels) than any other being ever created. His success depends on people believing his lies. He has used everything from “little white lies” to huge, pants-on-fire whoppers to deceive folks. Adolph Hitler, a man who learned how to lie effectively, once said, “If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.”
Whether a lie is small or large is not really the issue. Lies are of the devil. The Bible teaches that all liars “will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). Warnings are never pleasant, but they are better than ignorance of danger; the Bible faithfully warns sinners of danger, including the danger of lying. Proverbs 19:9 also teaches that liars will be punished.
Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6), and He will never deceive you. Thankfully, Jesus is also the Savior, and His death and resurrection provide the basis for your forgiveness of all sin, including the sin of lying. Come to Jesus in faith and humility, and you will find that “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
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.
To be spiritually blind is not to see Christ, and not to see Christ is not to see God (Colossians 1:15-16; 2 Corinthians 4:6). Spiritual blindness is a grievous condition experienced by those who do not believe in God, Jesus Christ, and His Word (Romans 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:12). Those who reject Christ are the lost (John 6:68-69). Being spiritually blind, they are perishing (2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Revelation 3:17). They choose not to accept the teachings of Christ and His authority in their lives (Matthew 28:18). They are blind to the manifestations of God as revealed throughout His Word and Jesus Christ (John 1:1; Acts 28:26-27). They are described as those who “do not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Peter spoke of such people as “scoffers [who] will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires” (2 Peter 3:3; see also Proverbs 21:24; Jude 1:18). Those who reject Christ and His Word are spiritually blind and cannot understand the truth of the Scriptures. The truth sounds foolish to them (Isaiah 37:23; 1 Corinthians 1:18). The Bible describes those denying God as fools (Psalm 14:1; Matthew 7:26). Because of their blindness and rejection of God and His Word, they are in a perilous, unsaved condition (John 12:48; Hebrews 2:2-4).
The spiritually blind are simply unable to understand God’s Word (Matthew 13:13; Deuteronomy 29:4). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17). Paul echoed this when he told the believers in Rome, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:8-9). Those outside of Christ are not of God because their lives are steeped in the things of the world with all its passions, their eyes blind to the Spirit of God. The Apostle John said, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” but that person’s love “is from the world” (1 John 2:15-16).
The cause of spiritual blindness is made quite clear in the Scriptures: “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Paul refers to Satan as the “god of this world.” Extraordinarily evil (John 8:44), Satan destroys the flesh (1 Corinthians 5:5), masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and is the cause of all temptations (Luke 4:2; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 7:5). He revels in scheming against and trapping the unbelievers (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:26). Satan’s goal is to devour the weak who fall prey to temptation, fear, loneliness, worry, depression, and persecution (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Without God and left to ourselves, we easily succumb to the devil’s schemes. We can become so mired in the affairs of this world and its moral darkness that, in the end, God turns us over to spiritual blindness and eternal condemnation (John 12:40; Romans 1:24-32).
As believers, we have the Spirit of God reigning in our lives to ward off the debilitating effects of Satan’s power and the world’s influence (1 John 4:13). John tells us, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15). Satan wars within and without us. His weapons are deceitful and crafty schemes to make us doubt and stumble (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 4:14). Yet God has provided us with powerful weapons to ward off his flaming arrows (Ephesians 6:10-18). As believers we can overcome the evil one and remain in the Light and never become spiritually blind. For, in truth, Jesus has given us His wonderful promise: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
“The truth will set you free” is a common saying in academic circles that want to promote academic freedom and the power of learning. Many universities have this statement emblazoned on a sign near the entrance of a building. But “the truth will set you free” did not originate in academia; Jesus said it in John 8:32. In context, Jesus’ statement has nothing to do with classroom learning. In fact, John 8:32 speaks of a higher form of knowledge than is capable of being learned in a classroom.
Jesus had just finished a speech at the temple where He delineated differences between Himself and His listeners. “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:23–24). The result of Jesus’ message was that “even as he spoke, many believed in him” (verse 30). Then, in verse 31, Jesus begins to speak just to those who had believed.
“Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” (John 8:31). True discipleship is more than intellectual assent; those who are “really” followers of Christ will “hold to” His Word. That means they will not only accept His teachings as truth, but they will also obey His teachings. Action is proof of faith (cf. James 2:17).
True disciples of Jesus believe that He speaks the truth about God and the Scriptures. They also know that He is who He claims to be. Back in verse 25, the people asked Jesus who He was, and He responded, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.” There may be a tinge of exasperation in His response; He had repeatedly made known that He was the Messiah, the one they had anticipated for many years.
Verse 32 begins with, “Then you will know the truth.” “You” refers to those who are true disciples of Jesus. True disciples will know the truth. More than that, their eyes are opened to a greater understanding of the truth (cf. 1 John 5:20).
The truth Jesus’ disciples receive brings with it freedom. Jesus continues, “And the truth will set you free” (verse 32). At that point in history, the Jews were under the rule of the Roman government. Even though Rome gave them an exceptional amount of autonomy, they were keenly aware of the Roman presence around them in the form of soldiers, governors, and empirically appointed kings. When Jesus said the truth would set them free, however, He was not talking about political freedom (though the following verses indicate that’s how the Jews took it). Jesus provides the best commentary for His own statement in verse 34. Jesus explains, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Being a slave to sin is the ultimate bondage.
The freedom Jesus offers is a spiritual freedom from the bondage of sin—that is, release from the lifestyle of habitual lawlessness. He continues with an analogy: “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever” (verse 35). The people would have understood Jesus to mean that they were not members of God’s family, despite their biological relationship to Abraham (verse 37), because they were slaves to sin. If they were to become disciples of Jesus, they would know the truth of their condition and the truth about Christ, and Jesus would set them free. Believers would be freed from their bondage and brought into the family of God.
Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). Knowing the Truth will set one at liberty—free from sin, free from condemnation, and free from death (Romans 6:22; 8:1–2). Jesus came to proclaim liberty to the captives (Luke 4:18). “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16, ESV).
The Ten Commandments (or Decalogue) are a foundational set of biblical laws given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Found in the books of Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, they are divided into duties toward God and duties toward humanity. [1, 2, 3]
The Ten Commandments are generally listed as follows: [1, 2]
- You shall have no other gods before Me.
- You shall not make or worship idols.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet (anything that belongs to your neighbor). [1, 2, 3, 4]
These guidelines act as a moral compass across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, setting the stage for ethical living and community harmony. [1]
The seven things God hates are a catalog of sins summed up in Proverbs 6:16–19. While these aren’t the only sins that should be avoided, they do sum up most of the wicked things condemned by God. The seven things God hates are the sins that deal with the deep heart motives of the individual. The writer of Proverbs points the finger straight at our hearts and our sinful thought processes.
This is in line with our Lord Jesus Christ’s elaboration of the Ten Commandments during His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21–48). Sin is committed the moment it is conceived in the heart, even before it is actually committed. Avoiding the seven things God hates will help us expose our hidden intentions and motives.
The following is Proverbs’ list of seven things God hates:
Arrogant (haughty) eyes: This describes a feeling of pride and looking down upon others (Philippians 2:3, 5–11). When we begin to think of ourselves more highly and with unparalleled importance, we are forgetting the fact that anything good in us is the result of Christ living in us and that the old self is now dead (Galatians 2:20). Often, believers feel superior to other believers when they receive godly wisdom and display amazing tenacity against sin. We fail to realize these gifts were given by God through Christ and fanned into flame by the Holy Spirit and are not due to our own goodness. This sin of pride is so detested by the LORD that Paul was kept from committing this sin by being provided with “a thorn in the flesh” to humble him (2 Corinthians 12:7).
Lying tongue: A lying tongue is one that speaks falsehood, knowingly and willingly, with an intention to deceive others. Lying can be used to impugn the character of a brother or to flatter a friend. It is a most detestable evil to God, who is a God of truth. Nothing we do causes us to more closely resemble the devil, who is the father of lies (John 8:44).
Hands that shed innocent blood: This refers to cold-blooded murder. We may never have orchestrated killing someone or never have touched a gun or knife, but in Matthew 5:21–24, Jesus says that anyone who is angry with someone else unreasonably without offering room for forgiveness commits a sin equivalent to murder. John reiterates this concept in 1 John 3:15.
A heart that devises wicked schemes: This encompasses thinking or conceiving evil against any individual or group for personal benefit or other misguided objectives, like modern-day terrorists indulge in. Any sin is basically a wicked scheme. David’s sin against Uriah the Hittite and Bathsheba comes to mind (2 Samuel 11). The heart of an evil man continually contrives schemes to bring others to ruin, whether physically or spiritually.
Feet that are quick to rush into evil: Those whose feet are quick to rush into evil display no resistance whatsoever to sin. Having many examples in the Bible, and having the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; Galatians 5:16), we are expected to be wise in this regard (Romans 6:11–14; Ephesians 5:5, 11). In the Garden of Eden, Eve had the first experience of temptation. She displayed no resistance to the serpent’s temptation. Instead, as soon as the devil attracted her to the fruit, she “saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye” (Genesis 3:6). Eve had sinned at that moment itself. Contrast this with the attitude of Jesus: when tired and hungry after forty days and forty nights of fasting, He refused to yield to the devil’s tempting and killed the temptation in His mind without allowing it to grow into sin (Matthew 4:1–11). “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
False witness who pours out lies: This is similar to the sin of the lying tongue mentioned earlier, but this form of lying is given special mention as it could send an innocent person to jail or even lead to him being stoned to death as happened to Naboth, thanks to false witnesses instigated by the wicked Jezebel (1 Kings 21:8–14). The prohibition against bearing false witness is the ninth of the Ten Commandments, and the New Testament is equally condemning of it. Colossians 3:9–10 explains the reason for the continued prohibition against lying. Christians are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and, as such, we reflect His nature. We have been released from our “old self” with its evil practices such as lying and bearing false witness.
A man who stirs up dissension among brothers: Brothers are created by God to live in unity (Psalm 133:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:9). Believers are brothers and sisters since they have one Father God and one Brother, Jesus Christ. The Church is also the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25–27). In many situations strife among brothers and even within the church seems unavoidable, but anyone who purposely causes disruption to peace in the body of Christ will displease God above all, since that person gives room for others to sin and for himself to sin further (1 John 2:9–11; 4:19–21). Moreover, Jesus pronounced a great blessing on peacemakers, the privilege to be called “sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).
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Franklin Graham
todrosenSp77mm2g392h02590a911m7011334f83lh4i76cchuh4l30m1t93 ·
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)
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Franklin Graham
todrosenSp77mm2g392h02590a911m7011334f83lh4i76cchuh4l30m1t93 ·
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11
https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en-US/coda-bartolomeo
In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (Hebrew: מָשִׁיחַ, romanized: māšīaḥ; Greek: μεσσίας, messías; Arabic: مسيح, masīḥ; lit. 'anointed one') is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of mashiach, messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism,[1][2] and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a mashiach is the heavenly sovereign, king of prophets, or High Priest traditionally anointed with holy anointing oil.
In Judaism, Ha-mashiach (המשיח, 'the Messiah'),[3][a] often referred to as melekh ha-mashiach (מלך המשיח, 'King Messiah'),[5] is a fully human non-deity Jewish leader, physically descended via a human genetic father of an unbroken paternal Davidic line through King David and King Solomon. He will accomplish predetermined things in a future arrival, including the unification of the tribes of Israel,[6] the gathering of all Jews to Eretz Israel, the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, the ushering in of a Messianic Age of global universal peace,[7] and the annunciation of the world to come.[1][2]
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.
Blasphemy is the act of expressing irreverence, contempt, or insult toward a deity, religion, or something considered sacred. It can manifest through spoken words, written text, or actions, and essentially involves defying or mocking religious figures, doctrines, or objects of worship. [1, 2]
Etymology and Broader Meaning
The term derives from the Late Latin word blasphemare, which roots back to the Greek word blaspēmeō—a combination of "injure" and "speech". While primarily a religious concept, the term is frequently used in secular contexts today to describe profound disrespect toward any highly revered or inviolable principle, idea, or institution. [1, 2]
Blasphemy in Major Religions
Legal Status and Human Rights
Historically, blasphemy was a punishable offense in many Western nations (often categorized as an injury against the state or established church). In the United States, however, such laws have been ruled unconstitutional under the First Amendment's protections for free speech. [1, 2]
Today, the enforcement and criminalization of blasphemy remain highly controversial globally. Organizations like the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) monitor and report on the persecution of individuals under blasphemy laws in countries like Pakistan, Iran, and Nigeria, often highlighting how these laws can be used to target religious minorities or settle personal grievances. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” (Romans 11:7)
One of the saddest aspects of our world is the blindness of Israel. Even the Orthodox Jews, who strongly affirm their belief in the Old Testament Scriptures, seem unable to see what the Scriptures clearly show: that their Messiah has come and gone. In the first book of the Torah, we read, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10). Ancient Jewish commentators agreed that Shiloh was another name for Messiah, but this very fact should prove to modern Jewish expositors that the Messiah has already come, for the scepter (the symbol of national leadership) did depart from Judah, very soon after Jesus was crucified.
King David was the first descendant of Judah to attain the scepter of leadership among the tribes of Israel, and the divine promises were clear that the Messiah would be in David’s lineage. That Jesus’ legal father, Joseph, and human mother, Mary, were both in that lineage was shown in the genealogies of Matthew 1:1–17 and Luke 3:23–38, respectively, both of which were written when the genealogical records in the Temple were still intact. No one at that time questioned their validity, in spite of intense opposition by the Jews to the claims of Jesus and His disciples that He was the Messiah. In AD 70, the records and the Temple were destroyed so that no later claimant to the title could ever prove his right to the throne. The Messiah had come and was slain, so the scepter departed from Judah until He comes again. It is certain that Jesus was, indeed, the Jews’ promised Messiah, and we should pray that God will soon open their eyes to see and believe
In the New Testament, reverence for God's glory is exemplified in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus consistently pointed to the Father, glorifying Him through His words and actions. In John 17:4, Jesus prays, "I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do." His life was a perfect model of reverence, demonstrating complete submission to the Father's will.
The apostle Paul also emphasizes reverence for God's glory in the life of believers. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, he instructs, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God." This comprehensive approach to living underscores the importance of reverence in every aspect of life.
The Role of the Church
The church, as the body of Christ, is called to reflect God's glory and cultivate a culture of reverence. Corporate worship, teaching, and fellowship are avenues through which the church can honor God's glory. In Ephesians 3:21, Paul writes, "to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." The church's mission is to glorify God and lead others to a reverent understanding of His majesty.
In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (Hebrew: מָשִׁיחַ, romanized: māšīaḥ; Greek: μεσσίας, messías; Arabic: مسيح, masīḥ; lit. 'anointed one') is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of mashiach, messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism,[1][2] and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a mashiach is the heavenly sovereign, king of prophets, or High Priest traditionally anointed with holy anointing oil.
In Judaism, Ha-mashiach (המשיח, 'the Messiah'),[3][a] often referred to as melekh ha-mashiach (מלך המשיח, 'King Messiah'),[5] is a fully human non-deity Jewish leader, physically descended via a human genetic father of an unbroken paternal Davidic line through King David and King Solomon. He will accomplish predetermined things in a future arrival, including the unification of the tribes of Israel,[6] the gathering of all Jews to Eretz Israel, the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, the ushering in of a Messianic Age of global universal peace,[7] and the annunciation of the world to come.[1][2]
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.
Blasphemy is the act of expressing irreverence, contempt, or insult toward a deity, religion, or something considered sacred. It can manifest through spoken words, written text, or actions, and essentially involves defying or mocking religious figures, doctrines, or objects of worship. [1, 2]
Etymology and Broader Meaning
The term derives from the Late Latin word blasphemare, which roots back to the Greek word blaspēmeō—a combination of "injure" and "speech". While primarily a religious concept, the term is frequently used in secular contexts today to describe profound disrespect toward any highly revered or inviolable principle, idea, or institution. [1, 2]
Blasphemy in Major Religions
- Christianity: The Bible strictly condemns blasphemy, with Old Testament law initially prescribing severe penalties. In the New Testament, Jesus specifically mentions "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit," often described as the unforgivable sin. This concept generally refers to a hardened, persistent refusal to acknowledge the grace and power of God, rather than a mere slip of the tongue. [1, 2, 3]
- Islam: Many predominantly Muslim countries maintain strict blasphemy laws. In these jurisdictions, defaming, mocking, or showing contempt for Allah, the Quran, or the Prophet Muhammad can carry heavy penalties ranging from severe prison sentences to capital punishment. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- Judaism: According to traditional Jewish law, blasphemy involves the deliberate reviling or cursing of God (specifically the Sacred Name) and was historically punishable by death. [1]
Legal Status and Human Rights
Historically, blasphemy was a punishable offense in many Western nations (often categorized as an injury against the state or established church). In the United States, however, such laws have been ruled unconstitutional under the First Amendment's protections for free speech. [1, 2]
Today, the enforcement and criminalization of blasphemy remain highly controversial globally. Organizations like the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) monitor and report on the persecution of individuals under blasphemy laws in countries like Pakistan, Iran, and Nigeria, often highlighting how these laws can be used to target religious minorities or settle personal grievances. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” (Romans 11:7)
One of the saddest aspects of our world is the blindness of Israel. Even the Orthodox Jews, who strongly affirm their belief in the Old Testament Scriptures, seem unable to see what the Scriptures clearly show: that their Messiah has come and gone. In the first book of the Torah, we read, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10). Ancient Jewish commentators agreed that Shiloh was another name for Messiah, but this very fact should prove to modern Jewish expositors that the Messiah has already come, for the scepter (the symbol of national leadership) did depart from Judah, very soon after Jesus was crucified.
King David was the first descendant of Judah to attain the scepter of leadership among the tribes of Israel, and the divine promises were clear that the Messiah would be in David’s lineage. That Jesus’ legal father, Joseph, and human mother, Mary, were both in that lineage was shown in the genealogies of Matthew 1:1–17 and Luke 3:23–38, respectively, both of which were written when the genealogical records in the Temple were still intact. No one at that time questioned their validity, in spite of intense opposition by the Jews to the claims of Jesus and His disciples that He was the Messiah. In AD 70, the records and the Temple were destroyed so that no later claimant to the title could ever prove his right to the throne. The Messiah had come and was slain, so the scepter departed from Judah until He comes again. It is certain that Jesus was, indeed, the Jews’ promised Messiah, and we should pray that God will soon open their eyes to see and believe
In the New Testament, reverence for God's glory is exemplified in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus consistently pointed to the Father, glorifying Him through His words and actions. In John 17:4, Jesus prays, "I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do." His life was a perfect model of reverence, demonstrating complete submission to the Father's will.
The apostle Paul also emphasizes reverence for God's glory in the life of believers. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, he instructs, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God." This comprehensive approach to living underscores the importance of reverence in every aspect of life.
The Role of the Church
The church, as the body of Christ, is called to reflect God's glory and cultivate a culture of reverence. Corporate worship, teaching, and fellowship are avenues through which the church can honor God's glory. In Ephesians 3:21, Paul writes, "to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." The church's mission is to glorify God and lead others to a reverent understanding of His majesty.
Romans 10
New International Version10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”[a] 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”[b] (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’”[c] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”[d] that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[e] 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[f]
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”[g]
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”[h] 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”[i]
19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,
“I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”[j]
20 And Isaiah boldly says,
“I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”[k]
21 But concerning Israel he says,
“All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people.”[l]
Footnotes
- Romans 10:5 Lev. 18:5
- Romans 10:6 Deut. 30:12
- Romans 10:7 Deut. 30:13
- Romans 10:8 Deut. 30:14
- Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16 (see Septuagint)
- Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32
- Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7
- Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1
- Romans 10:18 Psalm 19:4
- Romans 10:19 Deut. 32:21
- Romans 10:20 Isaiah 65:1
- Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2
https://biblehub.com/romans/10-4.htm
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Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of the glory of God is central to Christian theology and is intricately linked with the idea of reverence. Reverence, in the biblical sense, is a profound respect and awe for the divine majesty and holiness of God. It is an acknowledgment of His supreme authority and an appropriate response to His glory.
Biblical Foundation
The glory of God is often depicted in Scripture as a manifestation of His divine presence and power. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word "kavod" is frequently used to describe God's glory, conveying a sense of weightiness and honor. In the New Testament, the Greek word "doxa" is used, emphasizing brightness and splendor.
Reverence for God's glory is commanded and exemplified throughout the Bible. In the book of Exodus, when Moses encounters God in the burning bush, he is instructed to remove his sandals because he is standing on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). This act of reverence acknowledges the sacredness of God's presence.
Expressions of Reverence
Reverence for God's glory is expressed through worship, obedience, and fear of the Lord. Worship is a primary means by which believers honor God's glory. In Psalm 29:2, the psalmist exhorts, "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness." Worship involves both adoration and submission, recognizing God's worthiness and responding with humility.
Obedience is another expression of reverence. In Deuteronomy 10:12-13, Moses instructs the Israelites, "And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD that I am giving you this day for your own good?" Obedience to God's commands is a tangible demonstration of reverence for His authority and glory.
The fear of the Lord, often misunderstood, is a profound respect and awe for God's holiness and power. Proverbs 9:10 states, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." This fear is not terror but a recognition of God's greatness and a desire to live in accordance with His will.
Reverence in the New Testament
In the New Testament, reverence for God's glory is exemplified in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus consistently pointed to the Father, glorifying Him through His words and actions. In John 17:4, Jesus prays, "I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do." His life was a perfect model of reverence, demonstrating complete submission to the Father's will.
The apostle Paul also emphasizes reverence for God's glory in the life of believers. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, he instructs, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God." This comprehensive approach to living underscores the importance of reverence in every aspect of life.
The Role of the Church
The church, as the body of Christ, is called to reflect God's glory and cultivate a culture of reverence. Corporate worship, teaching, and fellowship are avenues through which the church can honor God's glory. In Ephesians 3:21, Paul writes, "to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." The church's mission is to glorify God and lead others to a reverent understanding of His majesty.
Conclusion
Reverence for the glory of God is a foundational aspect of the Christian faith. It involves recognizing God's holiness, responding with worship and obedience, and living in a manner that reflects His greatness. Through reverence, believers honor God and bear witness to His glory in the world.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Isaiah 59:19
So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
How to wean your child from the pacifier | Huckleberry
A plumb line, also called a plummet, is a cord with a non-magnetic weight attached to one end. When the cord is held in such a way that the weight can dangle freely, an exact vertical can be determined. Painters and carpenters use plumb lines to keep their work straight. It is difficult, while in the middle of a project, to determine a true horizontal or vertical line without an objective measuring tool, so a plumb line is employed. A plumb line applies the law of gravity to find right angles, to indicate the most direct route from top to bottom, and to keep things plumb. A plumb line doesn’t change or move with the whims of the carpenter. It remains true, and all work must line up with it or risk being crooked.
The term plumb line is used in Scripture in several contexts. The Lord pictures Himself as a builder in Isaiah 28: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16). This is a promise of an unshakeable kingdom, with the Messiah in charge. Jesus Christ is the “precious cornerstone” (see Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6). As the Lord builds His kingdom, He will ensure it is perfect in every way: “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line” (Isaiah 28:17). There will be no crookedness/sin in the kingdom of Christ.
When the Jews returned from captivity in Babylon, they began to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. For a time, the work languished, and God sent the prophets Zechariah and Haggai to spur the people on to finish the rebuilding. The message was encouraging: do not despair over the small beginnings; God will see to it that the temple is completed, and Zerubbabel the governor will oversee the project. “Whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel” (Zechariah 4:10, ESV).
Amos 7:7–8 says, “This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, ‘What do you see, Amos?’ ‘A plumb line,’ I replied. Then the Lord said, ‘Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.’” When God said He was setting a plumb line among His people, He was declaring an end to their attempts to justify their crooked ways. The Lord was setting the standard. God does not negotiate His laws. He does not change with the whims of culture (Numbers 23:19). God’s moral law is the plumb line against which we determine right and wrong (John 17:17). Just as a carpenter’s plumb line is not subject to the opinions or the frustration of the worker, so God’s moral standards are not subject to the opinions of man. Wise people are those who line up their lives according to God’s plumb line rather than trying to move it to satisfy their own agendas.
Oldest Kid with a Pacifier — The Pacifier (2005 Film)In the 2005 Disney action comedy The Pacifier, the oldest child is Zoe Plummer, portrayed by Brittany Snow disney.fandom.com. She is the eldest of the Plummer siblings and is initially annoyed by her older brother Shane’s strict military-style rules.
Zoe’s character is shown as a rebellious teenager who resents Shane’s control, especially when he enforces rules like driving lessons and strict discipline. Her personality contrasts with Shane’s, and she often challenges his authority. Despite their differences, the film’s plot revolves around Shane’s attempts to protect his family from a dangerous situation, and Zoe plays a key role in the events that unfold disney.fandom.com.
If you’re looking for more about her, in the movie she is:
- Oldest sibling in the Plummer family.
- Known for her defiance toward Shane’s rules.
- A central character in the family’s interactions and the film’s comedic and action sequences.
The 40-nanometer chip, created by researchers from Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, integrates an artificial neural network into its hardware. According to the team, it reconstructs the brain’s intricate folded surface in less than half a second.
Pacifier Canvas Print | CanvasWorld
How to wean your child from the pacifier | Huckleberry
Christ’s Perfect Sacrifice
(Psalm 40:1–17)
1For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins.
3Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said:
“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
but a body You prepared for Me.
6In burnt offerings and sin offerings
You took no delight.
7Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll:
I have come to do Your will, O God.’”a
8In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to the law). 9Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.10And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God. 13Since that time, He waits for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet, 14because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.
15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says:
16“This is the covenant I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord.
I will put My laws in their hearts
and inscribe them on their minds.”b
17Then He adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”c
18And where these have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer needed.
A Call to Persevere
(Jude 1:17–23)
19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Placed by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body,e 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. 25Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
26If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
30For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,”f and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”g 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32Remember the early days that you were in the light.h In those days, you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering. 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated. 34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.
35So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward. 36You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. 37For,
“In just a little while,
He who is coming will come and will not delay.
38But My righteous one will live by faith;i
and if he shrinks back,
I will take no pleasure in him.”j
39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.i
Footnotes:
7 a Psalm 40:6–8 (see also LXX)
16 b Jeremiah 31:33
17 c Jeremiah 31:34
19 d Or the Holy Place
20 e Literally through the veil that is His flesh
30 f Deuteronomy 32:35 (see also LXX)
30 g Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalm 135:14
32 h Or Remember when you were first enlightened.
38 i BYZ and TR But the righteous will live by faith
38 j Habakkuk 2:3–4 (see also LXX)
Overview
China’s brain-computer interface (BCI) industry is advancing rapidly. Chinese regulators approved the world's first commercial invasive brain chip, NEO, for patients with spinal cord injuries. Developed by Tsinghua University and Neuracle, this coin-sized implant sits on the brain's protective outer membrane, enabling users to control assistive robotic gloves with their thoughts. [1, 2, 3, 4]
China’s BCI development is a heavily state-backed strategic priority, with the country aiming for global competitiveness in brain technology by 2030. Key breakthroughs and characteristics of the Chinese brain chip sector include: [1, 2]
- Commercial Availability: Approved by China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for use in commercial medical care. [1, 2, 3]
- Minimally Invasive Design: Unlike chips that penetrate deep into brain tissue (like Neuralink), systems such as NEO and Beinao-1 rest on the dura mater (the protective outer layer of the brain). This shorter 90-minute surgical procedure significantly reduces risks of bleeding or tissue damage. [1, 2, 3]
- Real-World Hardware: Researchers from Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed a 40-nanometer memory chip integrated with an artificial neural network. This hardware can model complex brain structures and folded surfaces in under half a second—making it exponentially faster than state-of-the-art Nvidia A100 GPU systems. [1, 2]
- Broader Applications: Chinese researchers have conducted trials enabling paralyzed patients to control tablets, wheelchairs, and robotic dogs in three dimensions with ultra-low latency (under 100 milliseconds). [1]
(Jerusalem Dateline)
Following
#Archaeologists in Israel believe they may have found the ruins of the location housing the
#Ark of the Covenant, the world’s most sought-after ancien… See more
Jerusalem Dateline
#Archaeologists in Israel believe they may have found the ruins of the location housing the #Ark of the Covenant, the world’s most sought-after ancien… See mo
In Luke 6, Jesus
describes the way His faithful followers are to live. In verses 27–38,
He zeroes in on heart attitudes, teaching His disciples to cultivate an inner generosity of forgiveness, grace, and love: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (verses 37–38, NLT).
Jesus wants us to remember that we reap what we sow and in proportion to the measure that we sow. If we don’t want to be judged and condemned, we’ll stop judging and condemning others. If we wish to receive abundant forgiveness, then we’ll liberally demonstrate forgiveness toward others (Matthew 6:14; 18:21–35; Ephesians 4:32). We will treat others how we would want to be treated if we were in their shoes (Luke 6:31). If we seek only to acquire things for ourselves, we will lose everything (Luke 9:25).
But if we spend our lives generously pouring out God’s grace, forgiveness, and love onto others, we will receive back “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over” (Luke 6:38).
The proverbs that Solomon records “give prudence to the naïve and to the youth knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs 1:3–4). The wisdom they provide is better than silver, gold, and fine jewels, and there is nothing we can desire that compares with it (Proverbs 3:14–15). In Solomon’s proverbs of wisdom are found many contrasts, especially between the wise and the foolish and the righteous and the wicked. These contrasts help us understand how to hold to the one path and reject the other. One such contrast is found in Proverbs 28:1: “The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” The wicked have many reasons to fear, but the righteous have clear consciences and no reason at all to fear. The fears of the wicked will come to pass, while the righteous will see what he desires (Proverbs 10:24).
The irony in the principle that “the righteous are as bold as a lion” is that righteousness actually involves fear. Solomon expounds, writing that the one who walks in righteousness fears the Lord, while the wicked person despises or disregards God (Proverbs 14:2). Solomon even observes that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7) and the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).
In order to be wise or righteous, a person must begin with the fear of the Lord, which is discovered in the Word of the Lord (Proverbs 2:6). When one fears the Lord, his life is generally prolonged (Proverbs 10:27). In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence and refuge (Proverbs 14:26). The fear of the Lord is “a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27). By the fear of the Lord one avoids evil (Proverbs 16:6). The fear of the Lord provides life and satisfying sleep (Proverbs 19:23). The one who fears the Lord is blessed always, in contrast to the one who hardens his heart and falls into calamity (Proverbs 28:14).
The fear of the Lord, which could be defined as the proper perspective of and response to the Lord, is a key ingredient for righteousness, and Solomon lists many benefits of fearing the Lord. It is no wonder then that “the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1).
The righteous one fears the Creator and Designer of life, and then accordingly follows the design that is prescribed.
Paul, like Solomon, understands that “the righteous are as bold as a lion.” Paul expresses that he has confidence through Christ toward God (2 Corinthians 3:4) and that in Christ he has found reason to boast in things pertaining to God (Romans 15:17). He acknowledges that one should boast in the Lord (2 Corinthians 10:17). Paul’s confidence in God was great, even in the most difficult of circumstances. He could have courage facing those difficulties, knowing that it was Christ who strengthened him (Philippians 4:12).
And as he asked the Romans, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).
God is faithful.
He is trustworthy.
He is dependable.
Those who rely on Him are blessed. As David remarked,
“I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken”
(Psalm 37:25).
Solomon learned well from his own father that “the righteous are as bold as a lion.”
The terminology
“pressed down, shaken together” described the measuring practice of a generous merchant in Bible times. In the original Greek, the word translated as “pressed down” (piezomai) means
“to be or become compacted by downward force or pressure.”
“Shaken together” (saleuomai)
denotes the process of agitating an ingredient in a back-and-forth motion until it becomes tightly packed and settled.
For example, an open-handed seller of barley grain would pour his grain into a measuring jar or basket, then press it down and shake it together to maximize the space. He would do this until the grain overflowed, ensuring the full grain volume would be given. The contents were then spilled into the recipient’s lap, who folded his outer garment like a pocket and used it to transport the grain (see Ruth 3:15).
Jesus used the “pressed down, shaken together” illustration to help us understand a principle of reciprocity in our treatment of others and our approach to life. He said we will get back to the degree we are willing to invest in others and in this life—“The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (verse 38). Jesus wasn’t focused on financial giving here. He was talking about everything we do, urging us to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).
Are we stingy with our grace, kindness, forgiveness, and love toward others, or are we lavishing these gifts to the same degree Jesus poured them out on us? We cannot love like Jesus in our own strength, but only through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22–23).
Although Jesus wasn’t explicitly talking about monetary giving in Luke 6:38, the “pressed down shaken together” principle does apply: “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything” (Proverbs 11:24, NLT; see also Proverbs 11:25; 22:9; Malachi 3:10). The apostle Paul taught, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:6–8, see also 2 Corinthians 9:9–11).
Romans 11:26 plainly says, “All Israel will be saved.” The question that arises is: “What is meant by Israel?” Is the future “Israel” literal or figurative (i.e., referring to the ethnic Jews or referring to the Church)? Those who take a literal approach to the promises of the Old Testament believe that the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be restored to a right relationship with God and receive the fulfillment of the covenants. Those who advocate replacement theology basically affirm that the Church has completely replaced Israel and will inherit God’s promises to Israel; the covenants, then, will be fulfilled only in a spiritual sense. In other words, replacement theology teaches that Israel will not inherit the actual land of Israel; the Church is the “new Israel,” and ethnic Israel is forever excluded from the promises—the Jews will not inherit the Promised Land as Jews per se.
We take the literal approach. The passages that speak of future Israel are difficult to view as figurative for the Church. The classic text (Romans 11:16–24) depicts Israel as distinct from the Church: the “natural branches” are the Jews, and the “wild branches” are the Gentiles. The “olive tree” is the collective people of God. The “natural branches” (Jews) are “cut off” the tree for unbelief, and the “wild branches” (believing Gentiles) are grafted in. This has the effect of making the Jews “jealous” and then drawing them to faith in Christ, so they might be “grafted in” again and receive their promised inheritance. The “natural branches” are still distinct from the “wild branches,” so that God’s covenant with His people is literally fulfilled. Romans 11:26–29, citing Isaiah 59:20–21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33–34, says,
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’ As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.irrevocable.
Here, Paul emphasizes the “irrevocable” nature of Israel’s calling as a nation (see also Romans 11:12). Isaiah predicted that a “remnant” of Israel would one day “be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord” (Isaiah 62:12). Regardless of Israel’s current state of unbelief, a future remnant will in fact repent and fulfill their calling to establish righteousness by faith (Romans 10:1–8; 11:5). This conversion will coincide with the fulfillment of Moses’ prediction of Israel’s permanent restoration to the land (Deuteronomy 30:1–10).
When Paul says Israel will be “saved” in Romans 11:26, he refers to their deliverance from sin (verse 27) as they accept the Savior, their Messiah, in the end times. Moses said, “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live” (Deuteronomy 30:6). Israel’s physical inheritance of the land promised to Abraham will be an integral part of God’s ultimate plan (Deuteronomy 30:3–5).
So how will “all Israel be saved”? The details of this deliverance are filled out in passages such as Zechariah 8—14 and Revelation 7—19, which speak of end-times Israel at Christ’s return. The key verse describing the coming to faith of the future remnant of Israel is Zechariah 12:10, “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” This occurs at the end of the tribulation prophesied in Daniel 9:24–27. The apostle John references this event in Revelation 1:7. The faithful remnant of Israel is epitomized in Revelation 7:1–8. These faithful ones the Lord will save and bring back to Jerusalem “in truth and righteousness” (Zechariah 8:7–8, NASB).
After Israel is spiritually restored, Christ will establish His millennial kingdom on earth. Israel will be regathered from the ends of the earth (Isaiah 11:12; 62:10). The symbolic “dry bones” of Ezekiel’s vision will be brought together, covered with flesh, and miraculously resuscitated (Ezekiel 37:1–14). As God promised, the salvation of Israel will involve both a spiritual awakening and a geographical home: “I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land” (Ezekiel 37:14).
In the Day of the Lord, God will “reclaim the surviving remnant of his people” (Isaiah 11:11). Jesus Christ will return and destroy the armies gathered against Him in rebellion (Revelation 19). Sinners will be judged, and the faithful remnant of Israel will be set apart forever as God’s holy people (Zechariah 13:8—14:21). Isaiah 12 is their song of deliverance; Zion will rule over all the nations under the banner of Messiah the King.
Romans 9:33 says, “As it is written: ‘See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.’” In this passage, the apostle Paul begins by expressing his anguish over the Jews who reject Christ. In verses 30–33, he shows us why. Instead of accepting God’s righteousness by faith, they attempt to earn righteousness through their own works, causing them to stumble over the stumbling stone, which is Christ (verse 33).
In contrast, Paul declares that those who believe in Christ will not be put to shame. The statement is presented as a matter of fact and can be seen as a promise. It signifies that those who trust in Christ for eternal life and are declared righteous by faith will never experience disappointment or disgrace at the end. They will not be ashamed. This assurance in Christ motivates us to remain in Him, unlike pursuing a works-based righteousness, where our confidence relies on our own abilities.
Scripture gives us certainty that whoever believes in Jesus will not be put to shame, and it points to the monumental event of the resurrection. In another of his letters, Paul argues that Christianity would be false if Christ’s resurrection never occurred, and our hope would be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:12–20). Evidence for the resurrection abounds, including the conversion of Paul, the radical transformation of the disciples, their willingness to suffer for what they claimed to have seen, and their credible eyewitness testimony.
Our faith in Christ is never misplaced. Those who trust in Him will not be put to shame, for He has won the victory over death and the grave (Revelation 1:18). But various factors can sometimes shake our confidence. These include our own sins and even our lack of spiritual growth. It is easy to lose assurance of salvation after a major failure, and sometimes we make the mistake of the unbelieving Jews in Romans 9, placing hope in our good deeds rather than Christ’s perfect work.
Christians at all stages of spiritual development must be reminded that our hope is firmly anchored in Christ:
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
(Townend, S., and Getty, K. Thankyou Music, adm. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com, 2001).
Our response to having a secure foundation in Christ should be one of gratitude. Knowing that we will not be put to shame provides motivation to live for God every day in every circumstance. This security doesn’t give us a license to sin but rather empowers us to freely obey God without fear of condemnation from the law.
This security should also motivate us to evangelize the lost. Christ is not just our hope; He is the hope of everyone else as well. It is our responsibility to point others to Christ through our words and actions. Our prayer is that they may not stumble over the Stumbling Stone but instead discover true, life-giving hope.
Zipporah in the Bible was the wife of Moses and the daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian. When Moses fled from Egypt to the land of Midian, he met Jethro’s seven daughters, who were having some trouble getting enough water for their flocks (Exodus 2). In that area, the troughs for watering flocks were being monopolized by some shepherds who denied Jethro’s daughters access to the troughs. Moses assisted the women by driving the shepherds away so their flocks could be watered. Zipporah was among the sisters helped by Moses.
Zipporah and her sisters brought Moses back to their tent to meet their father, the priest of Midian, who liked Moses. Moses was content to stay there in Midian (Exodus 2:21). Moses later married Zipporah and began a new life. Zipporah gave birth to a son. Moses named him Gershom, a name that sounds like the Hebrew word meaning “a foreigner there.” Gershom’s name was a reminder that Moses was a foreigner and living among foreigners. Later, Zipporah had another son named Eliezer (Exodus 18:4).
Later in the book of Exodus, there is a strange passage involving Zipporah. Moses and his wife are traveling to Egypt because God had told Moses to bring the Israelites out of bondage (Exodus 3). On the way, Moses and Zipporah stop at an inn, and the Lord meets Moses there, seeking to kill him. Perceiving that Moses was in mortal danger, Zipporah takes a sharp stone and circumcises her son. She takes her son’s foreskin and, touching Moses’ feet with it, she utters the enigmatic statement, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” (Exodus 4:25). Her action worked. After Zipporah’s intervention, the Lord left Moses alone. The Bible does not explicitly explain why the Lord desired to kill Moses, but it was probably because Moses had not performed the rite of circumcision. Circumcision was an important symbol of the Abrahamic Covenant, and the lack of circumcision would mark a person as cut off from God’s people (Genesis 17:9–14). For Moses to neglect to circumcise his son was an affront to God, as if he were saying that he and his family did not truly belong to God. How could Moses be an effective leader of God’s people if he were in violation of God’s clear command?
Zipporah’s words to Moses are puzzling, but the text explains that “she said ‘bridegroom of blood,’ referring to circumcision” (Exodus 4:26). It seems that Zipporah was angry at having to perform the rite, which should have been completed by Moses. Sometime after this incident, Moses sent Zipporah and his two sons back to Midian to stay with Zipporah’s father (see Exodus 18:2–3).The word "how" is frequently used in the context of marveling at God's creation and His incomprehensible wisdom. In Job 38:4-5 , God challenges Job with questions that begin with "how," emphasizing the limits of human understanding: "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it?" These rhetorical questions highlight the vastness of God's knowledge compared to human limitations.
In the Psalms, "how" is used in prayers and songs that seek understanding and guidance from God. Psalm 119:9 asks, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word." This verse reflects a desire to understand the path of righteousness and the role of God's Word in guiding one's life.
The coupling of grace and truth is found in numerous places in the Bible, including Colossians 1:6 and 2 John 1:3 in the New Testament, and 2 Samuel 15:20 and Psalm 86:15 in the Old Testament. Then there is John 1:14, 17, which says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
There is a strong possibility that John is referencing the Hebrew terms hesed (“mercy” or “lovingkindness”) and emet (“truth” or “faithfulness”), found together in Exodus 34:6: “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.’” Note that the attributes of God in the Old Testament are applied to Christ in the New. At the beginning of his gospel, John is making a subtle statement regarding the divinity of Jesus. The rest of John’s gospel will expound on that truth.
It is important for grace and truth to work in tandem. An emphasis on grace alone can dissipate into a shallow and sentimental foundation where justice or truth is discarded. However, a focus only on truth can devolve into a cold, hardened dogma. Jesus’ character demonstrates the perfect balance of both grace and truth. He is “full” of both.
Grace and truth meld together in the gospel message to form a key distinction of Christianity over other religions. In all other religions, grace and truth are never balanced. Instead, the deity being worshiped either dispenses justice at the expense of grace or dispenses grace at the expense of justice and truth. Christianity is unique in that God delivers grace through His justice and truth.
The truth is, everyone has fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and deserves God’s justice. However, God’s justice is satisfied, and His truth upheld, through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. That act delivers God’s grace to those who will accept it by faith.
In this way, Christianity stands alone as an ontological faith—one that is fully dependent on a person—Jesus Christ—who perfectly balances and embodies both grace and truth in His very being.
When the Bible speaks of “the law,” it refers to the detailed standard God gave to Moses, beginning in Exodus 20 with the Ten Commandments. God’s Law explained His requirements for a holy people and included three categories: civil, ceremonial, and moral laws. The Law was given to separate God’s people from the evil nations around them and to define sin (Ezra 10:11; Romans 5:13; 7:7). The Law also clearly demonstrated that no human being could purify himself enough to please God—i.e., the Law revealed our need for a Savior.
By New Testament times, the religious leaders had hijacked the Law and added to it their own rules and traditions (Mark 7:7–9). While the Law itself was good, it was weak in that it lacked the power to change a sinful heart (Romans 8:3). Keeping the Law, as interpreted by the Pharisees, had become an oppressive and overwhelming burden (Luke 11:46).
It was into this legalistic climate that Jesus came, and conflict with the hypocritical arbiters of the Law was inevitable. But Jesus, the Lawgiver, said, “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). The Law was not evil. It served as a mirror to reveal the condition of a person’s heart (Romans 7:7). John 1:17 says, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Jesus embodied the perfect balance between grace and the Law (John 1:14).
God has always been full of grace (Psalm 116:5; Joel 2:13), and people have always been saved by faith in God (Genesis 15:6). God did not change between the Old and New Testaments (Numbers 23:19; Psalm 55:19). The same God who gave the Law also gave Jesus (John 3:16). His grace was demonstrated through the Law by providing the sacrificial system to cover sin. Jesus was born “under the law” (Galatians 4:4) and became the final sacrifice to bring the Law to fulfillment and establish the New Covenant (Luke 22:20). Now, everyone who comes to God through Christ is declared righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 9:15).
The conflict between Jesus and the self-righteous arose immediately. Many who had lived for so long under the Pharisees’ oppressive system eagerly embraced the mercy of Christ and the freedom He offered (Mark 2:15). Some, however, saw this new demonstration of grace as dangerous: what would keep a person from casting off all moral restraint? Paul dealt with this issue in Romans 6: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (verses 1—2). Paul clarified what Jesus had taught: the Law shows us what God wants (holiness), and grace gives us the desire and power to be holy. Rather than trust in the Law to save us, we trust in Christ. We are freed from the Law’s bondage by His once-for-all sacrifice (Romans 7:6; 1 Peter 3:18).
There is no conflict between grace and the Law, properly understood. Christ fulfilled the Law on our behalf and offers the power of the Holy Spirit, who motivates a regenerated heart to live in obedience to Him (Matthew 3:8; Acts 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:14). James 2:26 says, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” A grace that has the power to save also has the power to motivate a sinful heart toward godliness. Where there is no impulse to be godly, there is no saving faith.
We are saved by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). The keeping of the Law cannot save anyone (Romans 3:20; Titus 3:5). In fact, those who claim righteousness on the basis of their keeping of the Law only think they’re keeping the Law; this was one of Jesus’ main points in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:20–48; see also Luke 18:18–23).
The purpose of the Law was, basically, to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). Once we are saved, God desires to glorify Himself through our good works (Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 2:10). Therefore, good works follow salvation; they do not precede it.
Conflict between “grace” and the “Law” can arise when someone 1) misunderstands the purpose of the Law; 2) redefines grace as something other than “God’s benevolence on the undeserving” (see Romans 11:6); 3) tries to earn his own salvation or “supplement” Christ’s sacrifice; 4) follows the error of the Pharisees in tacking manmade rituals and traditions onto his doctrine; or 5) fails to focus on the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).
When the Holy Spirit guides our search of Scripture, we can “study to show ourselves approved unto God” (2 Timothy 2:15) and discover the beauty of a grace that produces good works.
Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet
ALEPH
1Blesseda are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the Law of the LORD.
2Blessed are those who keep His testimonies
and seek Him with all their heart.
3They do no iniquity;
they walk in His ways.
4You have ordained Your precepts,
that we should keep them diligently.
5Oh, that my ways were committed
to keeping Your statutes!
6Then I would not be ashamed
when I consider all Your commandments.
7I will praise You with an upright heart
when I learn Your righteous judgments.
8I will keep Your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
ב
BETH
9How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to Your word.
10With all my heart I have sought You;
do not let me stray from Your commandments.
11I have hidden Your word in my heart
that I might not sin against You.
12Blessed are You, O LORD;
teach me Your statutes.
13With my lips I proclaim
all the judgments of Your mouth.
14I rejoice in the way of Your testimonies
as much as in all riches.
15I will meditate on Your precepts
and regard Your ways.
16I will delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.
Connections to Other Psalms
• Psalm 1: delight in the law parallels Psalm 119’s opening.
• Psalm 19:7-11 extols God’s word in condensed form.
• Psalm 42-43: longing for God’s presence matches the psalmist’s yearning here.
Psalm 119 is more than an alphabet poem—it is a lifelong companion. It invites readers to love, learn, and live God’s word, discovering along every step that the Author of Scripture is also the sustainer of souls.
1 Peter 1:22-23
Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. / For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
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.’”
Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Teaching Points
The Centrality of God's Word
Psalm 119 repeatedly emphasizes the importance of God's Word in the life of a believer. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105) highlights how Scripture guides us.
The Joy of Obedience
The psalmist finds delight in following God's commandments. I rejoice in Your promise like one who finds great spoil (Psalm 119:162) shows the joy that comes from living according to God's Word.
The Necessity of Meditation
The psalmist frequently mentions meditating on God's statutes. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways (Psalm 119:15) underscores the importance of thoughtful reflection on Scripture.
The Role of Affliction
The psalmist acknowledges that affliction can lead to a deeper understanding of God's statutes. It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes (Psalm 119:71) suggests that trials can draw us closer to God.
The Eternal Nature of God's Word
The psalmist declares the everlasting truth of God's Word. Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens (Psalm 119:89) affirms the unchanging nature of Scripture.
Commit to reading a portion of Scripture daily to allow God's Word to guide and shape your life.
Scripture Memorization
Memorize key verses from Psalm 119 to help internalize God's promises and commands.
Reflective Meditation
Set aside time each day to meditate on a specific verse or passage, allowing it to speak to your heart and mind.
Embrace Trials as Learning Opportunities
When facing difficulties, seek to understand what God might be teaching you through His Word.
Share the Word
Encourage others by sharing insights and truths from your study of Psalm 119.
Josh Howerton
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This passage in Exodus 4 is one of the most confusing verses in the Bible... until you overlay it with what happens with Jesus in John 13. The. Bible. Is. Amazing.
The idea of “circumcision of the heart” is found in Romans 2:29. It refers to having a pure heart, separated unto God. Paul writes, “A Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.” These words conclude a sometimes confusing passage of Scripture regarding circumcision and the Christian. Verses 25-29 provide context:
“For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”
Paul is discussing the role of the Old Testament Law as it relates to Christianity. He argues that Jewish circumcision is only an outward sign of being set apart to God. However, if the heart is sinful, then physical circumcision is of no avail. A circumcised body and a sinful heart are at odds with each other. Rather than focus on external rites, Paul focuses on the condition of the heart. Using circumcision as a metaphor, he says that only the Holy Spirit can purify a heart and set us apart to God. Ultimately, circumcision cannot make a person right with God; the Law is not enough. A person’s heart must change. Paul calls this change “circumcision of the heart.”
This concept was not original with the apostle Paul. As a Jew trained in the Law of Moses, he was certainly aware of this discussion from Deuteronomy 30. There, the Lord used the same metaphor to communicate His desire for a holy people: “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:6). Physical circumcision was a sign of Israel’s covenant with God; circumcision of the heart, therefore, would indicate Israel’s being set apart to love God fully, inside and out.
John the Baptist warned the Pharisees against taking pride in their physical heritage and boasting in their circumcision: “Do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham” (Matthew 3:9).
True “children of Abraham” are those who follow Abraham’s example of believing God (Genesis 15:6). Physical circumcision does not make one a child of God; faith does. Believers in Jesus Christ can truly say they are children of “Father Abraham.” “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
God has always wanted more from His people than just external conformity to a set of rules. He has always wanted them to possess a heart to love, know, and follow Him. That’s why God is not concerned with a circumcision of the flesh. Even in the Old Testament, God’s priority was a spiritual circumcision of the heart: “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts, you men of Judah and people of Jerusalem, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done” (Jeremiah 4:4).
Both Testaments focus on the need for repentance and inward change in order to be right with God. In Jesus, the Law has been fulfilled (Matthew 5:17). Through Him, a person can be made right with God and receive eternal life (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9). As Paul said, true circumcision is a matter of the heart, performed by the Spirit of God.
A mediator is one who mediates, that is, one who acts as an intermediary to work with opposing sides in order to bring about a settlement. A mediator attempts to influence a disagreement between two parties with the goal of resolving a dispute. There is only one Mediator between mankind and God, and that is Jesus Christ. In this article, we’ll see why God has a dispute with us, why Jesus is our mediator, and why we are doomed if we try to represent ourselves alone before God.
God has a dispute with us because of sin. Sin is described in the Bible as transgression of the law of God (1 John 3:4) and rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18). God hates sin, and sin stands between all of us and Him. “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). All human beings are sinners by virtue of sin we have inherited from Adam, as well as the sin we commit on a daily basis. The only just penalty for this sin is death (Romans 6:23), not only physical death but eternal death (Revelation 20:11–15). The rightful punishment for sin is an eternity in hell.
Nothing we could do on our own would be sufficient to mediate between ourselves and God. No amount of good works or law-keeping makes us righteous enough to stand before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16). Without a mediator, we are destined to spend eternity in hell, for by ourselves salvation from our sin is impossible. Yet there is hope! “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus represents those who have placed their trust in Him before God’s throne of grace. He mediates for us, much as a defense attorney mediates for his client, telling the judge, “Your honor, my client is innocent of all charges against him.” That is true for us also. Some day we will face God, but we will do so as totally forgiven sinners because of Jesus’ death on our behalf. The “Defense Attorney” took the penalty for us!
We see more proof of this comforting truth in Hebrews 9:15: “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” It is because of the great Mediator that we are able to stand before God clothed in the righteousness of Christ Himself. On the cross Jesus exchanged our sin for His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). His mediation is the only means of salvation.
Isaiah 53 is one of the most profound messianic prophecies because of its list of details that were unquestionably fulfilled in Jesus Christ. One of those details is found in verse 2: “He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.”
Isaiah uses the metaphor “a root out of dry ground” to emphasize the unfavorable conditions in which the Messiah would appear and the lack of physical attractiveness He would possess. He would not fit the stereotype of previous Jewish leaders: He was not handsome like David (1 Samuel 16:12) nor tall and imposing like Saul (1 Samuel 9:2). A dry root in the barren ground does not appear to have much of a chance; it doesn’t appear to have life in it at all. However, God can make a dormant bulb produce incredible beauty. That is the point Isaiah is making when he compares the coming Messiah to a root springing out of dry ground.
The Lord came to earth “in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:5–8). He did not arrive in a palace or make His appearance among the religious elite. He came without pomp and circumstance; rather, His coming was like the slow growth of an overlooked plant. God sent His Son to a peasant woman (Luke 1—2) in a region of Galilee that was not known for producing greatness (John 1:46). The Son took on the form of a common man in order to identify with us in our weakness (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was largely overlooked by His own people (John 1:11–12), as disregarded as a root out of dry ground. Even when He began His teaching ministry, those who heard Him were perplexed because He was thought to be only the “carpenter’s son” (Matthew 13:55).
The Jewish nation anticipated a Messiah who would display God’s glory, rally the people, and, by demonstrating of His power, lead them to magnificent victory over the Romans to usher in an age of prosperity and peace. But that’s not what they got. To borrow from Isaiah’s metaphor, the Messiah did not come like a luxurious, well-watered plant, springing from rich and fertile soil; rather, He came like a scrubby, withering plant struggling up from the arid desert sands. Their expectations went unmet. Once they saw Him face to face, the Messiah seemed to them rather stunted and fruitless.
Jesus had not come to be honored and to set up the kingdom. Jesus came to be humbled and to “give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). He had to take care of the sin problem before He could bring people into the kingdom. His own people rejected Him (John 1:11), yet, like so many roots that appear dead and useless, Jesus had life within Him (John 11:25), and He brought new life to everyone who believed in Him (John 14:6). He provided the kind of life people cannot obtain on their own. The “root out of dry ground” proved to be the most beautiful, most glorious, and most life-giving Root. All who abide in Him bear fruit of their own (John 15:1–8).
Isaiah also writes of the Messiah’s future glory: “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” (Isaiah 11:10). The root out of dry ground seemed worthless, and they killed Him (Luke 24:20). Yet, when He rose from the dead, He proved that He contained more life than anyone had imagined, and He continues to offer that same life to all who trust in Him (John 3:16–18).
On one occasion, the disciples of John the Baptist approached Jesus with a question: “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” (Matthew 9:14, ESV). The Lord responded with this short parable: “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse” (Matthew 9:16).
At first, Christ’s mention of a sewing technique may seem out of place and unrelated to the original question. Even more perplexing, Jesus follows the comment about an unshrunk cloth on an old garment with this statement: “Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved” (Matthew 9:17).
The significance of both the “unshrunk cloth on an old garment” and the “new wine into old wineskins” lies in the incompatibility of the pairings. With His metaphor, Christ says that His teachings are radically different and cannot be simply superimposed on the old ways of religious ritual and observance. The Old Covenant and the New Covenant are incompatible.
In ancient times, most garments were made of natural fibers such as wool or linen. An unshrunk cloth is a new piece of fabric that has not been pre-washed and, therefore, is prone to shrinkage after exposure to water, heat, and drying. Sewing such a patch onto an old, well-worn garment creates an inherent problem: once the new cloth shrinks, it strains and pulls at the older material, creating a tear.
The “old garment” symbolizes the old established religious system of Judaism, particularly the Mosaic Law and the traditions upheld by the Pharisees. The “unshrunk cloth” represents the teachings and the transformative grace brought by Jesus. John’s disciples were Jews who still adhered to the rules of Judaism and lived by the obligations of the Old Covenant, including ceremonial rituals such as fasting (see Leviticus 16:29–31; 23:32; Luke 18:12).
Christ was ushering in an altogether new era, inaugurating a new covenant relationship between God and His people. The message of salvation in Jesus was too fresh and vital to be slapped over the old system of Judaism. The gospel was never intended to be a mere patch on the existing framework but a revolutionary shift requiring complete renewal of faith, heart, and practice. Attempting to embrace Christ’s teachings while clinging to outdated traditions would only create friction and spiritual disaster.
The new life in Christ cannot be contained within the old, empty forms of religion (see Matthew 15:8–9; 23:23–28). The Jewish followers of John would need to broaden their understanding of God’s mercy and grace to include Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, not just for Israel but for the entire world (Matthew 26:28; John 1:29; Hebrews 9:23–26; 10:14; 1 Corinthians 11:25). They would need to understand that salvation is God’s gift through faith (John 3:16–18; Ephesians 2:5, 8–9), that temple sacrifices were no longer needed (Hebrews 7:26–27; 10:1–18), and that all believers were united through the Holy Spirit into God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). This new reality was difficult for the Jews to grasp—including those who became Christians after the death and resurrection of Jesus (see Acts 10:1—11:18).
The metaphor of the unshrunk cloth on an old garment warns against superficial attempts to remedy a profound spiritual problem. True transformation cannot happen through adherence to the religious rules of our past. John’s disciples fasted to demonstrate their devotion to God, which was appropriate under the old, legalistic system but was no longer necessary under the new covenant of grace (Romans 3:20–24; 5:20; John 1:16–17; Galatians 2:16; 5:4). Jesus brought the good news of the gospel—the New Covenant—which is the message of salvation by grace through faith, and not works, obtained for us by the blood of Christ (Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 10:29).
The principle of not sewing an unshrunk cloth onto an old garment remains relevant for Bible readers today. It challenges us to avoid rigid adherence to outdated traditions when confronted with the transformative power of Christ’s grace and truth. Instead of trying to patch up our “old garment” with an “unshrunk cloth,” we should wholly embrace our new identity in Jesus Christ: “The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT).
“Stripes,” (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24) in the language of the King James Version of the Bible, and in some others, means “wounds,” as seen in more modern translations such as the New International Version. These stripes were administered by whipping the bare backs of prisoners whose hands and feet were bound, rendering them helpless. The phrase “by His stripes we are healed” refers to the punishment Jesus Christ suffered—floggings and beatings with fists that were followed by His agonizing death on a cross—to take upon Himself all of the sins of all people who believe Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
The whips used were made of braided leather, with pottery shards and sharp stones affixed to the ends, which tore open the flesh of the prisoner with each cruel swing of the whip. When we picture this terrible, inhumane form of physical punishment we recoil in horror. Yet the physical pain and agony were not all Jesus suffered. He also had to undergo the mental anguish brought on by the wrath of His Father, who punished Him for the sinfulness of mankind—sin carried out in spite of God’s repeated warnings, sin that Jesus willingly took upon Himself. He paid the total price for all of our transgressions.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Peter wrote, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” In Isaiah 53, Jesus’ future life on earth was foretold in the clearest of terms, to include his eventual torture and death: “But He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds [stripes] we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).
Although these two verses are central to the topic of healing, they are often misunderstood and misapplied. The word “healed” as translated from both Hebrew and Greek, can mean either spiritual or physical healing. However, the contexts of Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 2 make it clear that they are referring to spiritual healing, not physical. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). The verse is referring to sin and righteousness, not sickness and disease. Therefore, being “healed” in both these verses is speaking of being forgiven and saved, not being physically healed.
Matthew uses Isaiah 53:5 and speaks of its fulfillment in the context of Jesus’ healing ministry: “Many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases’” (Matthew 8:16–17). Jesus was not actually bearing sin in Matthew 8, but He was bearing some of the consequences of sin; thus, Jesus showed Himself to be the true Messiah prophesied by Isaiah. In healing the multitudes of their physical ailments, Jesus proved His power to also heal them of their spiritual ailments (cf. Mark 2:8–12). Matthew finds in Jesus’ healing miracles a foretaste of Jesus’ atonement for sin: the bearing of the diseases was emblematic of the removal of sin. The ultimate cause of sickness, the sin of the world, would be borne later on the cross, and our ultimate physical healing, with resurrection, will come at the end (1 Corinthians 15:42).
The Bible does not say much about Moses’ wife, Zipporah. We know that she was the daughter of a man called Jethro (or Reuel), who was a priest in the land of Midian (Exodus 3:1; cf. 2:18). The Bible does not explicitly say that Moses had more than one wife. However, Numbers 12:1 leads many to surmise another wife: “Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.” The question of the number of Moses’ wives hinges on the identity of this Cushite (or Ethiopian) woman. Is this a reference to Zipporah? Or is this another woman?
First, some background. While he was still in Egypt, Moses killed an Egyptian guard who was assaulting a Hebrew slave, and he hid the body. Soon, Moses got word that Pharaoh knew what he had done and was going to kill him, so he fled from Egypt to the land of Midian to avoid prosecution. When he got to Midian, he sat down by a well, and there he encountered a family living in that area. The priest of Midian had seven daughters, shepherdesses who came to water their father’s flock. Some shepherds tried to drive the women away, but Moses fought the shepherds off and helped the women, even drawing water for their animals. The seven reported this heroic action to their father, and he asked Moses to come and eat with his family. Sometime later, Moses was married to Zipporah, the daughter of Reuel, the priest of Midian (Exodus 2:16–22).
In later chapters Reuel is called Jethro. There is no explanation for this name change, but the title “priest of Midian” accompanies both names, and he is called Moses’ father-in-law, so it is safe to assume this was the same man. The only other possibility is that there were two priests of Midian, one called Jethro and one called Reuel and that Moses had married a daughter from each family—but that would be very unlikely.
Moses’ wife, Zipporah, is mentioned again in Exodus 4:20: “Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt.” Wife is singular, and there is no mention of any other wife or wives that Moses had. On the way to Egypt, Zipporah circumcised their son and thus saved her husband’s life—Moses had neglected to obey the Lord in this matter, and the Lord would have killed Moses had not Zipporah intervened (Exodus 4:24–26). After this event, it seems that Moses sent Zipporah and his sons back home to stay with Jethro. We don’t encounter Zipporah again until after the exodus when she returns to Moses in the wilderness (Exodus 18).
That brings us to Numbers 12:1 and the reference to Moses’ marriage to the Cushite, or Ethiopian. It is possible that the Cushite is Zipporah. Arguing against that possibility are two facts: 1) the link between Midianites and Ethiopians is difficult to trace convincingly; and 2) the objection to the marriage raised by Miriam and Aaron seems to be occasioned by a recent event. Moses and Zipporah would have been married for some time by then, and it is unlikely that Moses’ siblings would just then be protesting. It could be that Zipporah had died (although her death is not recorded in Scripture) and that Moses had remarried a Cushite. Alternatively, it could be that Moses had taken a second wife in addition to Zipporah.
Some see Moses’ marriage to a Gentile (or possibly two Gentiles) as prefiguring the gospel message going into all the world, blessing all people (see Acts 1:8). Zipporah the Midianite was related to the Israelites but only through Abraham’s son by a concubine (Genesis 25:1–2); the Cushites were farther removed from the lineage of Israel. Moses’ marriage(s) brought the Gentile world into the covenant, helping to show that in Abraham’s seed all the nations of the world would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).
It is this spirit, this sense of mission.
https://www.youtube.com/live/ImDYvEQkrZI?si=73ByCcYNqg0B81aB
The stars and stripes of the U.S. flag,
and the
Star of David of Israel.
The Prime Minister of Israel
tonresSdpolm3097l51tihgf1f355t41hci7793a8u4a83g2i07u03lt9la1 ·
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today at the Graduation Ceremony of the IAF Pilot’s Course
(Wings Ceremony):
“My friends, In the light-blue uniforms of the Air Force, the olive-drab uniforms of the Ground Forces, and the white uniforms of the Navy – the spirit of mission of our soldiers and commanders is felt everywhere.
This spirit is felt here today, at the Hatzerim Base.
The moment at the start of Operation
Rising Lion,
when I announced to the citizens of Israel that our daring pilots were flying in the skies of Iran, was one of the most moving moments of my life, and I am certain it was also one of the most moving moments in your lives and in the lives of all Israeli citizens.
I am
always moved at the
Wings Ceremony,
and even more so at this specific ceremony, whose graduates participated in the War of Redemption, Operation Rising Lion and Operation Roaring Lion. This Wings Ceremony teaches us once again that a wonderful young generation has risen: A generation committed to ensuring Israel's existence. A generation that did not fear and did not hesitate. The generation of victory!
Honorable President of the State, Isaac Herzog. Minister of Defense, Israel Katz. The Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. Commander of the Air Force, Major General Omer Tishler. We spent many hours together in the "Pit" [Command Bunker]. And I wish to thank you, the base commander, the course commander, and all the command and training staff. You invested continuous effort in training these pilots and navigators. They are a massive addition to our Air Force.
Dear families, parents, brothers, and sisters, you are proud of these graduates from the bottom of your hearts. Thank you, the families, for educating them to love the country and for nurturing sky-high capabilities. You are part of this ceremony, and you will also march on this field afterward. Within the wider Air Force family, a place of honor is reserved for the bereaved families. And I wish to say to the relatives of the fallen: Your pain is our pain. The void left within you is a void left within us. We have lost heroes and heroines who acted with supreme sacrifice, and their story will accompany us for generations to come. I wish a full recovery to all the wounded, in body and in soul.
The day before yesterday, I visited IDF wounded at Rambam Hospital in Haifa. I heard from them about the heroism of the helicopter pilots who fly into the line of fire deep inside Lebanon to rescue our wounded at record speed. The Commander of the Air Force just told me that the number of these rescues exceeds 3,500. This is a staggering figure, unparalleled anywhere else in the world. There is also no better example of our mutual responsibility for one another. We will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary to ensure the security of our communities in the north.
And now I wish to turn to you, the male and female graduates of the course: You successfully navigated a training path harder than any other. You mastered the complex array of systems, the controls, the sensors, the simulators, and you did so with unparalleled talent. As of today, you are authorized to soar independently into the heavens.
Pilots and navigators, female flight engineer and female navigator, I salute you. The entire People of Israel, all citizens of Israel, salute you. We all place our trust in you.
My friends, the skies of the Middle East have seen activity over the past year like never before. The fighting across various fronts, and particularly the two successful operations we initiated against Iran, Operations Rising Lion and Roaring Lion, all of these established our aerial superiority over our enemies. If we had not acted when we did, and with the force that we did, Iran would have armed itself with nuclear weapons to destroy Israel. That is their plan, and the citizens of Israel would have been in danger of mass death. Therefore, we launched these operations alongside our American friends, to ward off an immediate danger of destruction from ourselves, and also a great danger to the entire Western world. Our heroic pilots carried out thousands of sorties, thousands of strikes. They delivered a powerful opening blow to Iran, in fact, two.
These preemptive strikes stand in line with operations we all know from the past, such as the Air Force's Operation 'Moked', which opened the Six-Day War. Audacity and surprise are what enabled the brilliant result, just as occurred in 'Operation Yonatan' to rescue our hostages from Entebbe 50 years ago. A historic operation in which the Air Force was a senior partner, and which held Israel's head high among the nations. If you want to understand just how daring that operation was, you must realize that if there had been even a single truck on the runway in Entebbe, a disaster would have occurred. And other disasters could have happened as well. When going out on such operations, soldiers are given escape maps. An escape map allows you to return to nearby Israeli lines.
In Entebbe, the soldiers received an escape map, it was
a map of the
continent of Africa. That is audacity!
That is what we see here.
It is this spirit, this sense of mission.
In 'Operation Yonatan,' international terrorism suffered a severe blow. The same is true for the past year: The Iranian terror regime has suffered a most crushing blow. We neutralized 20 senior Iranian nuclear experts. We decapitated their top leadership. We shattered their nuclear infrastructure.
We shattered their production infrastructure for ballistic missiles. And our policy is clear: With an agreement or without an agreement, Iran will not have nuclear weapons.
In Operations Rising Lion and Roaring Lion, we turned military facilities into dust and ash. We crushed Iran's air force and navy. We inflicted massive damage on the economy of the Revolutionary Guards in Iran. During both operations, I followed the constantly updating airspace picture alongside the Air Force commanders. I saw our aircrews cruising back and forth in the heavens, commanding absolute control over the enemy's skies, peeling away their capabilities, hunting down their operatives. And all of this in a country that is 75 times larger than the Land of Israel. The cooperation with the U.S. military was a major force multiplier.
The American Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, said that the integration between the two most powerful air forces in the world was unprecedented and invincible.
He added that when the Revolutionary Guards and the Iranian regime looked up, they see only two things on the sides of the aircraft:
The stars and stripes of the U.S. flag,
and the
Star of David of Israel.
I thank our heroic pilots, our dedicated ground, ordnance, and maintenance crews in the Air Force. They worked around the clock. And our thanks go also to the air defense teams who intercepted the vast majority of the enemy's missiles. Well done to you!
In this war, the Air Force played a decisive role in our chain of operations: In entering Rafah, in taking control of the Philadelphi Corridor, in eliminating senior Hamas leaders, in eliminating Nasrallah and the top leadership of Hezbollah in Lebanon, in destroying the vast majority of the 150,000 missiles and rockets that Hezbollah possessed on the eve of the war, and of course, in the powerful strikes in Iran.
The Iranian axis is weaker than ever, while Israel is stronger than ever. Together, we changed not only the face of the Middle East; first and foremost, we changed ourselves. We dared, we took the initiative and we attacked. We proved that the long arm of the Air Force reaches everywhere, from Yemen to Iran.
And when I speak of Israel's long arm, I am talking about you, graduates, and about all your comrades in the Air Force. Yet, I must say that the war is not yet over. Alongside old challenges, new ones are emerging. Axes fall, and axes rise. We are turning our attention to this. We are prepared for any scenario. And we know one thing: We must always be stronger than our enemies. Maintaining Israel's aerial superiority is a foundational pillar of our national security doctrine. Equally, it is the key to maintaining stability in the turbulent Middle East. We do this through the constant enhancement of both man and machine. You are the finest pilots and navigators we have, and we equip you with the finest tools.
Two central principles guide us: Force buildup and independence. We are advancing a policy of munitions independence. Together with the Minister of Defense, I decided to add another NIS 350 billion to the defense budget over the coming decade. A large portion of this goes to the Air Force. But within this, we will also develop an extensive, Israeli-made munitions industry, our own munitions, which will reduce our dependence on foreign procurement. All of these actions contribute to establishing our strength: In deterrence, in defense, in stratagem, in offense, and when the situation demands it, in preemptive strikes as well. These actions also contribute to expanding the circle of alliances in our region. Our strength draws other nations closer to us. And you have a very large part in this. I have not met a single leader in the region, and I meet many of them, as well as leaders from outside the region, who does not talk about Israel's Air Force. You bring strength. You bring immense honor and respect to the State of Israel and to the Israel Defense Forces.
From today, you man the army of the skies of the State of Israel, and there is no greater privilege.
And when the call is heard over the radio – 'cleared for takeoff,' 'cleared to strike,' 'cleared to land’ – the spirit of the entire nation will be with you in the cockpit.
Spread your wings, fulfill your missions safely, safeguard us, and safeguard yourselves.
Much success to all of you!”
Photos: Ma’ayan Toaf, GPO
It is this spirit,
this
sense of
mission.
517
An “artificial intelligence” is a program or computer system mimicking aspects of human communication. Artificial intelligence is usually abbreviated as AI. The ultimate expression of this is labeled “artificial general intelligence,” or AGI. A synthetic system would be considered AGI when it thinks, reasons, and learns in the same way as a human being. AGI has long been a theme of science fiction. For instance, the droids from Star Wars films are sentient, emoting machines. Fictional AGI often takes on a villain’s role, such as HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey, the machines of The Matrix, or the character Ultron from Marvel Comics.
Today, the term AI is most often associated with language-based systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Watson, Copilot, and Grok. It is also connected to the idea of a technological singularity: the point at which artificial reasoning, problem-solving, and self-development overtake that of humans. This second concept, more associated with AGI, generates both hopes and fears. Yet there is no reason to think that “true” artificial intelligence—a self-aware, sentient, “living” program—is possible, let alone actual.
Tools
God allows us to use our minds to create useful tools (1 Timothy 4:4). The general concept of AI is not morally different from using a kitchen knife or driving a car. AI can be used appropriately or inappropriately. As with any other technology, AI has upsides and downsides that should be understood.
Recent generations of AI are incredibly complex, analyzing tremendous amounts of data. New AI models are much better than former iterations at correctly interpreting human language. They are narrowly tuned toward creating new content based on user instructions and a large database of background data.
These developments have led to an explosion of AI use for all sorts of tasks. Some uses of AI are wonderful, such as sorting and summarizing huge databases. Other AI impacts are concerning. Academic cheating is one. Creating even greater dependence on machines for basic knowledge and skills is another. The generation of false yet convincing pictures and voices raises alarm. A growing number of people are becoming emotionally addicted to custom-tuned AI models and struggling to relate to actual humans.
There has long been speculation that computer intelligence could eventually eclipse human ability. Computers store, recall, and manipulate bulky data far more efficiently than a person can. Computers have beaten human opponents in contests such as chess and the TV game show Jeopardy. The possibilities excite some people, but others are unsettled by the idea of machines that think as well as or better than the average person.
Efficiency vs. Intelligence
For all their potential, every “artificial intelligence” is still a machine limited by its own creators. AI serves the same basic functions of all machines: to make a task easier and faster. Industrial robots are stronger and work longer than people. Computers sort data more quickly and accurately. But extending these ideas to say that AI can become equal or superior to humans falls short. Computers occasionally appear intelligent, but their actual mechanism is performing extremely low-level thinking extremely quickly in extremely long chains. They aren’t truly “smart” but complete certain tasks in less time than people. Some things they cannot do at all. If a person defines intelligence in a way that eliminates concepts such as morality, emotion, empathy, humor, relationship, and so forth, then the term artificial intelligence is not so meaningful.
When someone says, “Machines and AI (or AGI) will be better or smarter than human beings,” it’s like saying, “Animals are better than humans. Cheetahs are faster. Elephants are bigger. Birds are more agile.” Of course, those are all separate animals, and they are only “better” than humans in separate categories. A single AI program might be “better” at chess or cooking or even making music. But for AI to be legitimately as smart as or smarter than people, a single program would need to excel in all those things at once.
Modern AI systems are adept at some of these multi-disciplinary tasks. Yet none of them are “thinking” the way a person does. Large Language Models (LLMs) are used in AI to imitate human speech patterns. But they do so via an algorithm matching inputs to mathematically preferred outputs. This is why modern AI often fumbles answers to speech-based questions. AI is also known to “hallucinate”: to combine information incorrectly and present false statements as truth.
This is key to understanding AI: even the most advanced computer is still a product of human intelligence. Thus, it is limited by human intelligence. A computer playing chess or Jeopardy is not smarter than the people it beats. ChatGPT is not better educated on literature or philosophy than actual experts. They do not “understand” their interactions any more than a gasoline engine, a mousetrap, or a digital bathroom scale. These systems are simply machines tuned to give automated results according to a complex set of manmade rules.
The Singularity
The phrase technological singularity specifically refers to a theoretical moment when artificial intelligence reaches a tipping point. Once it moves from “artificial intelligence” to “artificial general intelligence,” the system then self-improves without human input and beyond human ability. Some people anticipate great benefits from discoveries made by a vastly superior intellect. In most cases, however, the singularity is feared as the downfall of humanity. A common staple of science fiction is an AGI computer system that outruns the human mind and eventually dominates the world. The resulting dystopia is depicted in movie franchises such as The Terminator and The Matrix.
The concept of technological singularity also assumes that processing power will advance infinitely. This is contrary to what we know about the natural laws of the universe. Advancement in computing technology eventually runs into the limits of physics. Scientists and computer experts agree there is a “hard limit” to how fast certain technologies can operate. Since the complexity required to simulate a human mind is so far beyond even theoretical designs, there is no objective reason to say that sentient artificial intelligence can exist, let alone that it will exist. Even in its current form, modern AI requires mind-boggling levels of electrical and computing power.
The Creations and the Creators
On an abstract level, math and logic suggest that AI can never exceed the human mind. Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem is a powerful argument that a system can never become more complex or more capable than its originator. To make an AI better than a human brain, we’d need to fully understand and then surpass ourselves, which is logically contradictory.
Spiritually, we understand our own limits because, being creations of God (Genesis 1:27), we can’t outdo God’s creative power (Isaiah 55:8–9). Also, God’s depiction of the future does not seem to include any kind of technological singularity (see the book of Revelation). It’s possible, however, that the false prophet’s “living” image and the mark of the beast may be enabled by some form of artificial intelligence.
In the meantime, as researchers continue to develop AI systems, humanity continues to react in bizarre and unfortunate ways. Scripture describes idolatry as man worshiping his own creation (Isaiah 2:8; Habakkuk 2:18–19). This may sound absurd to the modern reader. Yet it’s already being embraced by some. A new religion, called Way of the Future, was started by a former Google engineer as a means to worship AI as mankind’s caretaker and guide. Such strangeness is nothing new; humanity has often been guilty of worshiping the work of their own hands. The Way of the Future is just a modern version of carving an idol.
The Choice
In short, AI might be able to perform certain tasks faster than a human being. Yet there is no logical, philosophical, or biblical reason to think it can be “better” in a meaningful sense. AI might emulate human thought patterns, but it can never replace the prowess, dexterity, and creativity of the human mind. Overdependence on AI legitimately threatens to make those traits weak and undeveloped. If AI is “good enough” for complex tasks, fewer people may choose to undertake hard projects, and human competence may regress. God called us to steward the created world (Genesis 1:28). This can include use of AI, but it excludes misuse of artificial intelligence the same way it excludes abuse of any tool.
Despite fears and speculations, the possibility of fully sentient AGI or a technological singularity is refuted by science, observation, and Scripture. The concept of self-aware, sentient, superhuman AI makes for entertaining fiction but not much else.
The “seven spirits of God” are mentioned several times in the book of Revelation:
• Revelation 1:4–5, “John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ . . .”
• Revelation 3:1, “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God . . .”
• Revelation 4:5, “From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.”
• Revelation 5:6, “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”
The identity of “the seven spirits” is not explicit in these passages, but arriving at the proper interpretation is fairly straightforward. The “seven spirits” cannot be seven angelic beings such as seraphim or cherubim because of the context of Revelation 1:4. John says that “grace and peace” are coming to the churches from three sources: “him who is, and who was, and who is to come” (verse 4), “the seven spirits before the throne” (verse 4), and “Jesus Christ” (verse 5). This is a depiction of the Trinity: grace and peace are given by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the three co-equal Persons of the Godhead.
In Revelation 3:1 Jesus “holds” the seven spirits of God. In John 15:26, Jesus “sends” the Holy Spirit from the Father. Both passages suggest the superordinate role of the Son and the subordinate role of the Spirit.
In Revelation 4:5 the seven spirits of God are symbolized as seven burning lamps that are before God’s throne. This picture agrees with Zechariah’s vision in which he sees the Holy Spirit symbolized as “a solid gold lampstand . . . with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it” (Zechariah 4:2).
In Revelation 5:6 the seven spirits are the “seven eyes” of the Lamb, and they are “sent out into all the earth.” The seven eyes speak of the Spirit’s (and the Lamb’s) omniscience, and the fact that He is sent into all the earth speaks of His omnipresence.
Once we identify the “seven spirits” as the Holy Spirit, the question remains, why are there “seven” of Him? The Bible, and especially the book of Revelation, uses the number seven to refer to perfection and completion. John’s vision includes a picture of the perfect and complete Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 11:2 also references the Holy Spirit using a seven-fold description: “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” The prophecy is that the Messiah would be empowered not by seven individual spirits but by the One Spirit, described seven ways:
1) The Spirit of the LORD
2) The Spirit of wisdom
3) The Spirit of understanding
4) The Spirit of counsel
5) The Spirit of power
6) The Spirit of knowledge
7) The Spirit of the fear of the Lord
The “seven spirits of God” in the book of Revelation are thus a reference to the Holy Spirit in the perfection of His manifold ministry.
John 10:10 records Jesus saying, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” This verse sets up a contrast between “the thief,” the destroyer; and Jesus, the life-giver.
Looking at the verse in context, we see that Jesus is presenting Himself as the Good Shepherd. He is essentially telling the Pharisees that He is Messiah, the same Lord that David called “my Shepherd” in Psalm 23:1.
Just prior to Jesus’ discussion of shepherds and sheep, He had healed a man born blind (John 9). The man was taken to the Pharisees, who investigated the healing but refused to acknowledge Jesus as the healer; in fact, they mocked the healed man for trusting Jesus. When Jesus heard what happened, He went to the previously blind man, revealed Himself as the Son of Man, and accepted the man’s worship of Him. Then Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (John 9:39). Some Pharisees overheard this and, taking offense, asked, “What? Are we blind too?” (John 9:40). Jesus replied, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep” (John 9:41—10:2).
Jesus continued talking about the gatekeeper and how the shepherd calls out his sheep. Sheep will only follow the shepherd whom they know (John 10:3–5). Jesus then interpreted His words: “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:7–10). With these words, Jesus declares that He is the only way to salvation and the fullness of life. But who is the thief? And what does it mean that the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy?
The Greek word for “thief” used in John 10:10 means “one who steals” (see Matthew 6:19–20); figuratively, the same word is used to refer to false teachers. Anyone who claimed a way of salvation other than Jesus was “robbing” the people of truth. Just as a thief clambers over the wall of the sheepcote, bypassing the gate, false teachers attempt to bypass Jesus. Those who, like the Pharisees, put manmade requirements on people for salvation are false teachers who “steal” people’s ability to see the true means of salvation. The result of such thievery is death and destruction, as Jesus said the thief’s plan is to “kill and destroy.” It should be stated that the Law and the Prophets, though they came before Jesus, are not thieves and robbers. The Law and the Prophets did not offer another way of salvation but pointed forward to the one way of salvation (John 5:39).
False teachers are thieves who may claim to offer salvation, but their intentions are not good. Jesus had earlier told some unbelievers, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Ultimately, these false teachers/thieves are carrying out Satan’s intentions. Rather than bring life, they bring death. Rather than give, they steal. Rather than build up, they destroy.
Dealing with spiritual thieves is a serious matter. Twice, Paul told the Galatians that “if anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8–9). There is only one gospel, and that is the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3–5). Any other so-called gospel is to be rejected.
We are not free of false teachers today. Peter wrote, “There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping” (2 Peter 2:1–3).
Praise the Lord, God’s sheep are protected from the thief by their Shepherd. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). The sheep “follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice” (John 10:4–5). It is by knowing truth, knowing God’s voice, that we defend against the deceptions of those who would seek to steal, kill, and destroy. Life is in Jesus and Him alone.
Darkness and light are metaphors for evil and good. If anyone sees an angel of light, it will automatically seem to be a good being, for the correlation of evil with darkness, and of good with light, is a powerful archetype in human history. In the Bible, light is a spiritual metaphor for truth and God’s unchanging nature (James 1:17). It is repeatedly used in the Bible to help us understand that God is wholly good and truthful (1 John 1:5). When we are “in the light,” we are with Him (1 Peter 2:9). He exhorts us to join Him in the light (1 John 1:7), for giving us light was His purpose (John 12:46). Light is the place where love dwells and is comfortable (1 John 2:9-10). God has created light (Genesis 1:3), dwells in the light (1 Timothy 6:16) and puts the light in human hearts so that we can see and know Him and understand truth (2 Corinthians 4:6).
So, when 2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us that “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light,” it means that Satan capitalizes on our love of the light in order to deceive. He wants us to think that he is good, truthful, loving, and powerful – all the things that God is. To portray himself as a dark, devilish being with horns would not be very appealing to the majority of people. Most people are not drawn to darkness, but to light. Therefore, Satan appears as a creature of light to draw us to himself and his lies.
How can we discern which light is of God and which light is of Satan? Our minds and hearts are easily confused by conflicting messages. How can we make sure we are on the right path? Psalm 119 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (verse 105) and “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple” (verse 130). The words of God have power. Just as God’s voice spoke physical light into existence, it can speak spiritual light into our hearts. Exposure to His voice – in His Word – will help us recognize the difference between the good light of God and that which is counterfeit.
Satan presents sin to us as something pleasing and beautiful to be desired, and he presents false teaching as enlightening and life-changing. Millions follow his deceptions simply because they do not know God’s truth. Isaiah 8:20-22 describes the darkness that results from ignoring the Word. The people of Israel have been seeking truth by consulting mediums, deceived by Satan’s lie. Isaiah says, “To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.”
Darkness is a result of attempting to find truth without the Word of God. Sadly, as Isaiah says, when people do not have the “dawn,” they wander in darkness and often become angry at God, refusing to come to Him for help. This is why Satan’s masquerade as an angel of light is so effective. It turns white to black and black to white and gets us believing that God is the liar, that God is the source of darkness. Then, in our distress, we focus our hatred towards the only One who can save us.
Today, the term AI is most often associated with language-based systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Watson, Copilot, and Grok. It is also connected to the idea of a technological singularity: the point at which artificial reasoning, problem-solving, and self-development overtake that of humans. This second concept, more associated with AGI, generates both hopes and fears. Yet there is no reason to think that “true” artificial intelligence—a self-aware, sentient, “living” program—is possible, let alone actual.
Tools
God allows us to use our minds to create useful tools (1 Timothy 4:4). The general concept of AI is not morally different from using a kitchen knife or driving a car. AI can be used appropriately or inappropriately. As with any other technology, AI has upsides and downsides that should be understood.
Recent generations of AI are incredibly complex, analyzing tremendous amounts of data. New AI models are much better than former iterations at correctly interpreting human language. They are narrowly tuned toward creating new content based on user instructions and a large database of background data.
These developments have led to an explosion of AI use for all sorts of tasks. Some uses of AI are wonderful, such as sorting and summarizing huge databases. Other AI impacts are concerning. Academic cheating is one. Creating even greater dependence on machines for basic knowledge and skills is another. The generation of false yet convincing pictures and voices raises alarm. A growing number of people are becoming emotionally addicted to custom-tuned AI models and struggling to relate to actual humans.
There has long been speculation that computer intelligence could eventually eclipse human ability. Computers store, recall, and manipulate bulky data far more efficiently than a person can. Computers have beaten human opponents in contests such as chess and the TV game show Jeopardy. The possibilities excite some people, but others are unsettled by the idea of machines that think as well as or better than the average person.
Efficiency vs. Intelligence
For all their potential, every “artificial intelligence” is still a machine limited by its own creators. AI serves the same basic functions of all machines: to make a task easier and faster. Industrial robots are stronger and work longer than people. Computers sort data more quickly and accurately. But extending these ideas to say that AI can become equal or superior to humans falls short. Computers occasionally appear intelligent, but their actual mechanism is performing extremely low-level thinking extremely quickly in extremely long chains. They aren’t truly “smart” but complete certain tasks in less time than people. Some things they cannot do at all. If a person defines intelligence in a way that eliminates concepts such as morality, emotion, empathy, humor, relationship, and so forth, then the term artificial intelligence is not so meaningful.
When someone says, “Machines and AI (or AGI) will be better or smarter than human beings,” it’s like saying, “Animals are better than humans. Cheetahs are faster. Elephants are bigger. Birds are more agile.” Of course, those are all separate animals, and they are only “better” than humans in separate categories. A single AI program might be “better” at chess or cooking or even making music. But for AI to be legitimately as smart as or smarter than people, a single program would need to excel in all those things at once.
Modern AI systems are adept at some of these multi-disciplinary tasks. Yet none of them are “thinking” the way a person does. Large Language Models (LLMs) are used in AI to imitate human speech patterns. But they do so via an algorithm matching inputs to mathematically preferred outputs. This is why modern AI often fumbles answers to speech-based questions. AI is also known to “hallucinate”: to combine information incorrectly and present false statements as truth.
This is key to understanding AI: even the most advanced computer is still a product of human intelligence. Thus, it is limited by human intelligence. A computer playing chess or Jeopardy is not smarter than the people it beats. ChatGPT is not better educated on literature or philosophy than actual experts. They do not “understand” their interactions any more than a gasoline engine, a mousetrap, or a digital bathroom scale. These systems are simply machines tuned to give automated results according to a complex set of manmade rules.
The Singularity
The phrase technological singularity specifically refers to a theoretical moment when artificial intelligence reaches a tipping point. Once it moves from “artificial intelligence” to “artificial general intelligence,” the system then self-improves without human input and beyond human ability. Some people anticipate great benefits from discoveries made by a vastly superior intellect. In most cases, however, the singularity is feared as the downfall of humanity. A common staple of science fiction is an AGI computer system that outruns the human mind and eventually dominates the world. The resulting dystopia is depicted in movie franchises such as The Terminator and The Matrix.
The concept of technological singularity also assumes that processing power will advance infinitely. This is contrary to what we know about the natural laws of the universe. Advancement in computing technology eventually runs into the limits of physics. Scientists and computer experts agree there is a “hard limit” to how fast certain technologies can operate. Since the complexity required to simulate a human mind is so far beyond even theoretical designs, there is no objective reason to say that sentient artificial intelligence can exist, let alone that it will exist. Even in its current form, modern AI requires mind-boggling levels of electrical and computing power.
The Creations and the Creators
On an abstract level, math and logic suggest that AI can never exceed the human mind. Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem is a powerful argument that a system can never become more complex or more capable than its originator. To make an AI better than a human brain, we’d need to fully understand and then surpass ourselves, which is logically contradictory.
Spiritually, we understand our own limits because, being creations of God (Genesis 1:27), we can’t outdo God’s creative power (Isaiah 55:8–9). Also, God’s depiction of the future does not seem to include any kind of technological singularity (see the book of Revelation). It’s possible, however, that the false prophet’s “living” image and the mark of the beast may be enabled by some form of artificial intelligence.
In the meantime, as researchers continue to develop AI systems, humanity continues to react in bizarre and unfortunate ways. Scripture describes idolatry as man worshiping his own creation (Isaiah 2:8; Habakkuk 2:18–19). This may sound absurd to the modern reader. Yet it’s already being embraced by some. A new religion, called Way of the Future, was started by a former Google engineer as a means to worship AI as mankind’s caretaker and guide. Such strangeness is nothing new; humanity has often been guilty of worshiping the work of their own hands. The Way of the Future is just a modern version of carving an idol.
The Choice
In short, AI might be able to perform certain tasks faster than a human being. Yet there is no logical, philosophical, or biblical reason to think it can be “better” in a meaningful sense. AI might emulate human thought patterns, but it can never replace the prowess, dexterity, and creativity of the human mind. Overdependence on AI legitimately threatens to make those traits weak and undeveloped. If AI is “good enough” for complex tasks, fewer people may choose to undertake hard projects, and human competence may regress. God called us to steward the created world (Genesis 1:28). This can include use of AI, but it excludes misuse of artificial intelligence the same way it excludes abuse of any tool.
Despite fears and speculations, the possibility of fully sentient AGI or a technological singularity is refuted by science, observation, and Scripture. The concept of self-aware, sentient, superhuman AI makes for entertaining fiction but not much else.
The “seven spirits of God” are mentioned several times in the book of Revelation:
• Revelation 1:4–5, “John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ . . .”
• Revelation 3:1, “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God . . .”
• Revelation 4:5, “From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.”
• Revelation 5:6, “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”
The identity of “the seven spirits” is not explicit in these passages, but arriving at the proper interpretation is fairly straightforward. The “seven spirits” cannot be seven angelic beings such as seraphim or cherubim because of the context of Revelation 1:4. John says that “grace and peace” are coming to the churches from three sources: “him who is, and who was, and who is to come” (verse 4), “the seven spirits before the throne” (verse 4), and “Jesus Christ” (verse 5). This is a depiction of the Trinity: grace and peace are given by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the three co-equal Persons of the Godhead.
In Revelation 3:1 Jesus “holds” the seven spirits of God. In John 15:26, Jesus “sends” the Holy Spirit from the Father. Both passages suggest the superordinate role of the Son and the subordinate role of the Spirit.
In Revelation 4:5 the seven spirits of God are symbolized as seven burning lamps that are before God’s throne. This picture agrees with Zechariah’s vision in which he sees the Holy Spirit symbolized as “a solid gold lampstand . . . with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it” (Zechariah 4:2).
In Revelation 5:6 the seven spirits are the “seven eyes” of the Lamb, and they are “sent out into all the earth.” The seven eyes speak of the Spirit’s (and the Lamb’s) omniscience, and the fact that He is sent into all the earth speaks of His omnipresence.
Once we identify the “seven spirits” as the Holy Spirit, the question remains, why are there “seven” of Him? The Bible, and especially the book of Revelation, uses the number seven to refer to perfection and completion. John’s vision includes a picture of the perfect and complete Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 11:2 also references the Holy Spirit using a seven-fold description: “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” The prophecy is that the Messiah would be empowered not by seven individual spirits but by the One Spirit, described seven ways:
1) The Spirit of the LORD
2) The Spirit of wisdom
3) The Spirit of understanding
4) The Spirit of counsel
5) The Spirit of power
6) The Spirit of knowledge
7) The Spirit of the fear of the Lord
The “seven spirits of God” in the book of Revelation are thus a reference to the Holy Spirit in the perfection of His manifold ministry.
John 10:10 records Jesus saying, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” This verse sets up a contrast between “the thief,” the destroyer; and Jesus, the life-giver.
Looking at the verse in context, we see that Jesus is presenting Himself as the Good Shepherd. He is essentially telling the Pharisees that He is Messiah, the same Lord that David called “my Shepherd” in Psalm 23:1.
Just prior to Jesus’ discussion of shepherds and sheep, He had healed a man born blind (John 9). The man was taken to the Pharisees, who investigated the healing but refused to acknowledge Jesus as the healer; in fact, they mocked the healed man for trusting Jesus. When Jesus heard what happened, He went to the previously blind man, revealed Himself as the Son of Man, and accepted the man’s worship of Him. Then Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (John 9:39). Some Pharisees overheard this and, taking offense, asked, “What? Are we blind too?” (John 9:40). Jesus replied, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep” (John 9:41—10:2).
Jesus continued talking about the gatekeeper and how the shepherd calls out his sheep. Sheep will only follow the shepherd whom they know (John 10:3–5). Jesus then interpreted His words: “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:7–10). With these words, Jesus declares that He is the only way to salvation and the fullness of life. But who is the thief? And what does it mean that the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy?
The Greek word for “thief” used in John 10:10 means “one who steals” (see Matthew 6:19–20); figuratively, the same word is used to refer to false teachers. Anyone who claimed a way of salvation other than Jesus was “robbing” the people of truth. Just as a thief clambers over the wall of the sheepcote, bypassing the gate, false teachers attempt to bypass Jesus. Those who, like the Pharisees, put manmade requirements on people for salvation are false teachers who “steal” people’s ability to see the true means of salvation. The result of such thievery is death and destruction, as Jesus said the thief’s plan is to “kill and destroy.” It should be stated that the Law and the Prophets, though they came before Jesus, are not thieves and robbers. The Law and the Prophets did not offer another way of salvation but pointed forward to the one way of salvation (John 5:39).
False teachers are thieves who may claim to offer salvation, but their intentions are not good. Jesus had earlier told some unbelievers, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Ultimately, these false teachers/thieves are carrying out Satan’s intentions. Rather than bring life, they bring death. Rather than give, they steal. Rather than build up, they destroy.
Dealing with spiritual thieves is a serious matter. Twice, Paul told the Galatians that “if anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8–9). There is only one gospel, and that is the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3–5). Any other so-called gospel is to be rejected.
We are not free of false teachers today. Peter wrote, “There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping” (2 Peter 2:1–3).
Praise the Lord, God’s sheep are protected from the thief by their Shepherd. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). The sheep “follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice” (John 10:4–5). It is by knowing truth, knowing God’s voice, that we defend against the deceptions of those who would seek to steal, kill, and destroy. Life is in Jesus and Him alone.
Darkness and light are metaphors for evil and good. If anyone sees an angel of light, it will automatically seem to be a good being, for the correlation of evil with darkness, and of good with light, is a powerful archetype in human history. In the Bible, light is a spiritual metaphor for truth and God’s unchanging nature (James 1:17). It is repeatedly used in the Bible to help us understand that God is wholly good and truthful (1 John 1:5). When we are “in the light,” we are with Him (1 Peter 2:9). He exhorts us to join Him in the light (1 John 1:7), for giving us light was His purpose (John 12:46). Light is the place where love dwells and is comfortable (1 John 2:9-10). God has created light (Genesis 1:3), dwells in the light (1 Timothy 6:16) and puts the light in human hearts so that we can see and know Him and understand truth (2 Corinthians 4:6).
So, when 2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us that “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light,” it means that Satan capitalizes on our love of the light in order to deceive. He wants us to think that he is good, truthful, loving, and powerful – all the things that God is. To portray himself as a dark, devilish being with horns would not be very appealing to the majority of people. Most people are not drawn to darkness, but to light. Therefore, Satan appears as a creature of light to draw us to himself and his lies.
How can we discern which light is of God and which light is of Satan? Our minds and hearts are easily confused by conflicting messages. How can we make sure we are on the right path? Psalm 119 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (verse 105) and “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple” (verse 130). The words of God have power. Just as God’s voice spoke physical light into existence, it can speak spiritual light into our hearts. Exposure to His voice – in His Word – will help us recognize the difference between the good light of God and that which is counterfeit.
Satan presents sin to us as something pleasing and beautiful to be desired, and he presents false teaching as enlightening and life-changing. Millions follow his deceptions simply because they do not know God’s truth. Isaiah 8:20-22 describes the darkness that results from ignoring the Word. The people of Israel have been seeking truth by consulting mediums, deceived by Satan’s lie. Isaiah says, “To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.”
Darkness is a result of attempting to find truth without the Word of God. Sadly, as Isaiah says, when people do not have the “dawn,” they wander in darkness and often become angry at God, refusing to come to Him for help. This is why Satan’s masquerade as an angel of light is so effective. It turns white to black and black to white and gets us believing that God is the liar, that God is the source of darkness. Then, in our distress, we focus our hatred towards the only One who can save us.
We went to the Japanese Restaurant last night where they
cook in front you- and
my sister (the boss of everything)
told the cook
that he was using too much butter.
He sais butter was better.
she said it butter be better.
Who has believed our message?
This phrase reflects the prophet's lament over the widespread unbelief among the people regarding the prophetic message. Historically, the message of the prophets was often met with skepticism and rejection, as seen throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Jeremiah 6:10, Ezekiel 33:32). The "message" refers to the prophetic revelation concerning the suffering servant, a theme central to Isaiah 53. This disbelief is echoed in the New Testament, where the Apostle John cites this verse in John 12:38 to describe the rejection of Jesus by many of His contemporaries. The rhetorical question underscores the challenge of accepting divine truth, which often contradicts human expectations and understanding.And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
The "arm of the LORD" symbolizes God's power and intervention in human history, often associated with deliverance and salvation (Exodus 6:6, Psalm 98:1). In the context of Isaiah, it points to the divine action in bringing about redemption through the suffering servant. The revelation of God's power is selective, often hidden from those who are spiritually blind or hardened in heart (Isaiah 6:9-10). In the New Testament, this concept is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, whose life and works reveal God's power and salvation (Luke 1:51, Acts 13:17). The phrase challenges readers to recognize and respond to God's revealed power, which may not align with worldly expectations of strength and victory.
Persons / Places / Events
1. Isaiah
The prophet who authored the book of Isaiah, delivering messages from God to the people of Israel. He is known for his prophecies concerning the coming Messiah.
2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal existence and faithfulness to His promises.
3. The Arm of the LORD
A metaphor for God's power and salvation, often associated with His deliverance and intervention in human history.
Teaching Points
The Challenge of Belief
The question "Who has believed our message?" highlights the difficulty and rarity of true faith. Believers are called to examine their own faith and the reasons for their belief in the gospel.
Revelation of God's Power
The "arm of the LORD" signifies God's mighty power in action. Reflect on how God has revealed His power in your life and the world around you.
Prophetic Fulfillment
Isaiah's prophecy points to the coming of Jesus Christ. Understanding the fulfillment of prophecy strengthens our faith in the reliability of Scripture.
The Role of the Messenger
Isaiah's message was often met with unbelief, yet he remained faithful. Believers are encouraged to share the gospel, trusting God with the results.
Faith in Action
True belief in the message of Christ should lead to transformation and action. Consider how your faith is demonstrated in your daily life.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Isaiah 53:1?
2. How does Isaiah 53:1 reveal the challenge of accepting God's message today?
3. What does "the arm of the LORD" symbolize in Isaiah 53:1?
4. How does John 12:38 connect with Isaiah 53:1's message of disbelief?
5. How can we strengthen our faith when others reject God's message?
6. How does Isaiah 53:1 encourage sharing the Gospel despite rejection?
7. Who has believed our message, and why is belief in Isaiah 53:1 significant?
8. How does Isaiah 53:1 relate to the prophecy of the Messiah?
9. What historical evidence supports the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:1?
10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 53?
Baal was the name of the supreme god worshiped in ancient Canaan and Phoenicia. The practice of Baal worship infiltrated Jewish religious life during the time of the Judges (Judges 3:7), became widespread in Israel during the reign of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31-33) and also affected Judah (2 Chronicles 28:1-2). The word baal means “lord”; the plural is baalim. In general, Baal was a fertility god who was believed to enable the earth to produce crops and people to produce children. Different regions worshiped Baal in different ways, and Baal proved to be a highly adaptable god. Various locales emphasized one or another of his attributes and developed special “denominations” of Baalism. Baal of Peor (Numbers 25:3) and Baal-Berith (Judges 8:33) are two examples of such localized deities.
According to some versions of Canaanite mythology, Baal was the son of Dagon; other accounts make him out to be a son of El, the chief god, and Asherah, the goddess of the sea. Baal was considered the most powerful of all gods, eclipsing El, who was seen as rather weak and ineffective. In various battles Baal defeated Yamm, the god of the sea, and Mot, the god of death and the underworld. Baal’s sisters/consorts were Ashtoreth, a fertility goddess associated with the stars, and Anath, a goddess of love and war. The Canaanites worshiped Baal as the sun god and as the storm god—he is usually depicted holding a lightning bolt—who defeated enemies and produced crops. They also worshiped him as a fertility god who provided children. Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. At times, appeasing Baal required human sacrifice, usually the firstborn of the one making the sacrifice (Jeremiah 19:5). The priests of Baal appealed to their god in rites of wild abandon which included loud, ecstatic cries and self-inflicted injury (1 Kings 18:28).
Before the Hebrews entered the Promised Land, the Lord God warned against worshiping Canaan’s gods (Deuteronomy 6:14-15), but Israel turned to idolatry anyway. During the reign of Ahab and Jezebel, at the height of Baal worship in Israel, God directly confronted the paganism through His prophet Elijah. First, God showed that He, not Baal, controlled the rain by sending a drought lasting three-and-one-half years (1 Kings 17:1). Then Elijah called for a showdown on Mt. Carmel to prove once and for all who the true God was. All day long, 450 prophets of Baal called on their god to send fire from heaven—surely an easy task for a god associated with lightning bolts—but “there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention” (1 Kings 18:29). After Baal’s prophets gave up, Elijah prayed a simple prayer, and God answered immediately with fire from heaven. The evidence was overwhelming, and the people “fell prostrate and cried, ‘The LORD–he is God! The LORD–he is God!’” (verse 39).
In Matthew 12:27, Jesus calls Satan “Beelzebub,” linking the devil to Baal-Zebub, a Philistine deity (2 Kings 1:2). The Baalim of the Old Testament were nothing more than demons masquerading as gods, and all idolatry is ultimately devil-worship (1 Corinthians 10:20).
God took a rib from Adam to make Eve, but this removal of a rib from Adam did not result in all men having one less rib. There are some interesting reasons why this is true and why God chose to take a rib in the first place.
On the sixth day of creation, God created the first man. It was a special work of creation: “The Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). The structure and design of the human body is amazing—not to mention the soul and the fact that humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
After creating Adam, God guided the man to the discovery that he was, in a sense, alone in the world; unlike the animals, the man had no counterpart, no equal companion: “For Adam no suitable helper was found” (Genesis 2:20). Once Adam was aware of his need, God took steps to remedy the problem. He created the woman.
How God created the woman is significant. In Genesis 2:21–22, after causing Adam to fall into a deep sleep, God took a rib out of the man and used it to form the woman. So Adam and Eve were of the same substance and were connected physically. All people are from Adam, including Eve. When God brought the woman to the man, Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man” (Genesis 2:23).
Learning of God’s removal of a rib from Adam, some people assume that men today have one fewer rib than women have. It’s a wrong assumption, of course. Ribs are easily counted, and men and women have the same number of them. God made a surgical change to Adam, not a genetic change. Performing surgery does not alter one’s genetic makeup. Every descendant of Adam has the DNA encoding that produces 12 pairs of ribs—24 ribs total in the rib cage. Adam’s sons all had the same number of ribs that Adam had originally; in the same way, the son of a kidney donor will have two kidneys, not just one, and the daughter of an amputee will not be born missing a limb.
The fact that God pulled a rib out of Adam and not some other piece of his body shows God’s wisdom, planning, and foresight. Ribs regrow. All bones in the human body are able to mend themselves, but rib bone is unique in that it can regenerate. When a surgeon performs a costectomy (the removal of part or all of a rib), he or she will be careful to leave the perichondrium (the membrane surrounding the rib). The rib taken can be used for bone grafts elsewhere in the body, and in the spot of the missing rib will grow a new rib—usually within one or two months. (See Moore, K., Dalley, A., and Agur, M., Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 7th ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2013, p. 83).
Given the rib’s ability to regenerate, we know that God did not permanently wound Adam when He took a rib from his side to make Eve. Adam did not live the rest of his life with a defect or a weak spot in his skeletal thorax. Because of God’s wonderful design, Adam lived out the rest of his days with the same number of ribs that he had been created with.
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in history, providing irrefutable evidence that Jesus is who He claimed to be – the Son of God. The resurrection was not only the supreme validation of His deity; it also validated the Scriptures, which foretold His coming and resurrection. Moreover, it authenticated Christ’s claims that He would be raised on the third day (John 2:19-21; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34). If Christ’s body was not resurrected, we have no hope that ours will be (1 Corinthians 15:13, 16). In fact, apart from Christ’s bodily resurrection, we have no Savior, no salvation, and no hope of eternal life. As the apostle Paul said, our faith would be “useless” and the life-giving power of the gospel would be altogether eliminated.
Because our eternal destinies ride on the truth of this historical event, the resurrection has been the target of Satan’s greatest attacks against the church. Accordingly, the historicity of Christ’s bodily resurrection has been examined and investigated from every angle and studied endlessly by countless scholars, theologians, professors, and others over the centuries. And even though a number of theories have been postulated that attempt to disprove this momentous event, no credible historical evidence exists which would validate anything other than His literal bodily resurrection. On the other hand, the clear and convincing evidence of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is overwhelming.
Nonetheless, from the Christians in ancient Corinth to many today, misunderstandings persist relative to certain aspects of our Savior’s resurrection. Why, some ask, is it important that Christ’s body was resurrected? Couldn’t His resurrection have just been spiritual? Why and how does the resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantee the bodily resurrection of believers? Will our resurrected bodies be the same as our earthly bodies? If not, what will they be like? The answers to these questions are found in the fifteenth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, a church that he established several years earlier during his second missionary journey.
In addition to growing factions in the young Corinthian church, there was rampant misunderstanding of some key Christian doctrines, including the resurrection. Although many of the Corinthians accepted that Christ has been resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:1, 11), they had difficulty believing others could or would be resurrected. The continuing influence of Gnostic philosophy, which held that everything spiritual was good whereas everything physical, such as our bodies, was intrinsically evil, was essentially responsible for their confusion regarding their own resurrection. The idea of a detestable corpse being eternally resurrected was, therefore, strongly opposed by some and certainly by the Greek philosophers of the day (Acts 17:32).
Yet, most of the Corinthians understood that Christ’s resurrection was bodily and not spiritual. After all, resurrection means “a rising from the dead”; something comes back to life. They understood that all souls were immortal and at death immediately went to be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Thus, a “spiritual” resurrection would make no sense, as the spirit doesn’t die and therefore cannot be resurrected. Additionally, they were aware that the Scriptures, as well as Christ Himself, stated that His body would rise again on the third day. Scripture also made it clear that Christ’s body would see no decay (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27), a charge that would make no sense if His body was not resurrected. Lastly, Christ emphatically told His disciples it was His body that was resurrected: “A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luke 24:39).
Again, however, the Corinthians’ concern was regarding their personal resurrection. Accordingly, Paul tried to convince the Corinthians that because Christ rose from the dead, they also would rise from the dead some day, and that the two resurrections – Christ’s and ours – must stand or fall together, for “if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised” (1 Corinthians 15:13).
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits 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” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).
When Jesus Christ was resurrected, He became the “first fruits” of all who would be raised (see also Colossians 1:18). The Israelites could not fully harvest their crops until they brought a representative sampling (first fruits) to the priests as an offering to the Lord (Leviticus 23:10). This is what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22; Christ’s own resurrection was the “first fruits” of the resurrection “harvest” of the believing dead. The “first fruits” language Paul uses indicates something to follow, and that something would be His followers – the rest of the “crop.” This is how Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours. Indeed, His resurrection requires our resurrection.
And to allay their concerns regarding connecting the spirit to what was deemed an undesirable body, Paul explained to them the nature of our resurrected bodies and how they would differ from our earthly bodies. Paul likened our deceased earthly bodies to a “seed,” and God would ultimately provide another body (1 Corinthians 15:37-38) that would be like Christ’s glorious resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:49; Philippians 3:21). Indeed, just as with our Lord, our bodies which are now perishable, dishonored, weak, and natural will one day be raised into bodies that are imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Our spiritual bodies will be perfectly equipped for heavenly, supernatural living.
Why was "baldhead" considered an insult in Elisha's time?Historical and Cultural Context
In the account recorded in 2 Kings 2:23-24, as Elisha was traveling to Bethel, a group of young males emerged and mocked him, saying:
“Go on up, you baldhead!”
The term “baldhead” (or “baldy” in some translations) in the ancient Near Eastern context carried insulting connotations that captured both disrespect and ridicule. Hair in that culture often symbolized vitality, honor, and God’s blessing. To be bald voluntarily (such as shaving one’s head) could sometimes be associated with mourning (cf. Isaiah 15:2). By contrast, natural baldness was sometimes unfairly unfair stigmatized.
The custom of mocking baldness specifically appears to have been a scornful way to impugn a man’s dignity or to suggest that he had been forsaken by God. In Elisha’s case, calling him “baldhead” was not merely teasing about appearance; it was deep-seated contempt toward him as a prophet and, by extension, contempt toward the God he served.
Biblical Context and Immediate Setting
The story occurs immediately after Elijah’s dramatic departure, when a chariot of fire took him to heaven (2 Kings 2:11). Elisha had just inherited Elijah’s mantle and prophetic office. The young men’s scornful cry “Go on up!” likely alluded to Elijah’s ascension. They were effectively urging Elisha to “disappear like Elijah” while taunting him about his perceived physical frailty or lack of Elijah’s glory.
Their jeers insulted God’s newly appointed prophet in a very public manner; disregarding God’s chosen messenger also equated to rejecting God Himself (cf. Luke 10:16). The mocking was so severe and spiritually dangerous that it triggered a curse by Elisha in the name of the LORD, followed by a swift judgment.
Significance of “Baldhead” in the Ancient Near East
1. Association with Shame
Baldness could be connected with leprosy or ceremonial uncleanness (Leviticus 13:40-44). A bald or diseased scalp might cause social ostracism. Even if Elisha was not literally bald, the children’s insult conveyed a deep charge of shame or uncleanness against him.
2. Loss of Honor
Hair was often seen as a symbol of manly dignity. The deliberate act of shaving the head sometimes expressed profound grief or repentance. Consequently, someone naturally bald might be mocked as spiritually or physically dishonored. However, in Elisha’s situation, the insult was aimed at him being “insignificant” or lesser than Elijah.
3. Excessive Disrespect Toward a Prophet
Elisha’s baldness-whether real or figurative-seems secondary to their arrogance and hatred of God’s appointed servant. By calling him “baldhead,” they were ultimately mocking his divine calling. This heightened the seriousness of the offense further than a simple insult about appearance.
Parallel Biblical and Cultural Insights
• Mockery of God’s Representative
Similar patterns of insult and condemnation appear throughout Scripture. For example, in 2 Chronicles 36:16, the people repeatedly mocked God’s messengers, leading to judgment. This pattern underscores how ridiculing a prophet was tantamount to ridiculing God’s message and authority.
• Baldness in Mourning
In passages such as Amos 8:10, God declares He will make people bald as a sign of lament. The cultural association of a shaved head with grief or a curse often led people to view baldness negatively.
• Broader Ancient Near Eastern References
In numerous archaeological texts, hair frequently represented vitality and status. Carvings and temple inscriptions depict kings and warriors with well-groomed hair or beards as marks of strength. Loss of hair-especially if involuntary-was perceived as weakness. Thus, calling Elisha “baldhead” amplified the perceived insults of weakness and divine disfavor.
Theological and Moral Dimensions
The severity of the youths’ punishment (as recorded in 2 Kings 2:24: “Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.”) underscores the importance of reverence for God’s appointed spokespeople. Their insult was a direct challenge against the authority of the prophet and thus an affront to the LORD.
From a theological perspective, their disrespect nullified the significance of God’s new messenger after Elijah’s ascension. In the face of open rebellion, God’s swift response reinforced Elisha’s legitimacy and the seriousness with which God defends His truth and His servants.
Practical Lessons and Reflections
1. Reverence for God’s Calling
The episode reminds readers that insults directed toward God’s ministers-or by extension, toward God’s message-have severe spiritual implications. Mocking the divine message, even in the form of name-calling, reveals a hardened heart.
2. Respect for the Person and Role
While modern cultures may not attach the same stigma to hair or baldness, the passage highlights a timeless lesson: showing contempt toward those serving in God’s name misrepresents our attitude toward our Creator.
3. Sobering Example of Judgment
This episode can be unsettling because it demonstrates God’s judgment for apparently “small” acts of mockery. However, its primary lesson is that no taunt against God’s truth is ever trivial. Scripture stresses that God will defend the honor of His word and His chosen servants.
Conclusion
“Baldhead” was considered an insult in Elisha’s time because of the cultural importance placed on hair as a sign of honor, vitality, and divine favor. Mocking a prophet’s physical appearance was more than mere teasing; it denoted profound disrespect toward God’s delegated authority. In the historical setting of ancient Israel, such a verbal assault served as a challenge to God Himself.
While our modern lens might see “baldhead” as a mild playground-type insult, within Scripture’s context, it represented the rejection of God’s message and messenger. The swift response in 2 Kings 2:23-25 highlights how seriously God defends the dignity of those who speak in His name. Indeed, what may have looked like a minor jibe was, to God, a grave offense against His righteous rule and sovereign truth.
Who has believed our message?“Who has believed our message?” (Isaiah 53:1) sounds like a sigh from the prophet’s heart. The good news of the Servant’s coming sacrifice is announced, yet it is met with widespread disbelief.
• Isaiah’s lament is prophetic. Centuries later John records, “Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him. … ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’” (John 12:37-38).
• Paul echoes the same concern when he writes, “Not all of them welcomed the good news, for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’” (Romans 10:16).
• Unbelief is never due to lack of evidence but to hardened hearts (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Miracles, prophecies, and resurrection power all stood before Israel, yet many turned away.
• Today the identical gospel goes out. Some respond with faith; others dismiss it as “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:18). The verse reminds us that saving faith is a gift to be received, not a conclusion forced by argument alone.
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?The “arm of the LORD” is Scripture’s picture of God’s mighty, saving power on full display.
• Isaiah has already declared, “The LORD has bared His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God” (Isaiah 52:10). That arm is personified in the Servant—Jesus—whose life, death, and resurrection unveil divine power in human flesh.
• Mary celebrates the same truth: “He has performed mighty deeds with His arm” (Luke 1:51).
• From the Exodus (“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm,” Exodus 6:6) to the empty tomb, God’s saving strength is undeniable—yet it must be “revealed.” Revelation implies God opening blind eyes. Paul testifies, “God… made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
• Therefore, the question is not whether the arm exists but whether it is seen. Those who believe the message perceive divine power; those who reject remain in the dark (Acts 13:41).
summaryIsaiah 53:1 pairs two inseparable ideas: faith in the message and revelation of God’s power. Many missed the Messiah because they would not believe, yet where faith is granted, the Lord’s mighty arm becomes unmistakable. The verse challenges us to receive the Servant’s report and celebrate the revealed power of God that brings salvation to all who trust in Him.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
LIII.(1) Who hath believed our report? . . .--The question has been variously interpreted as coming from the lips of the prophet or of Israel. The former view commends itself most, and the unusual plural is explained by his mentally associating with himself the other prophets, probably his own disciples, who were delivering the same message. The implied answer to the question may be either "None," or, "Not all." St. Paul (Romans 10:16) adopts the latter.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 1. - Who hath believed? Isaiah felt that he spoke, mainly, to unbelieving ears (see above, Isaiah 28:9-15; Isaiah 29:10-15; Isaiah 30:9-11; Isaiah 42:23, etc.). The unbelief was likely to be intensified when so marvellous a prophecy was delivered as that which he was now commissioned to put forth. Still, of course, there is rhetorical exaggeration in the question, which seems to imply that no one would believe. Our report; literally, that which has been heard by us. But the word is used technically for a prophetic revelation (see Isaiah 28:9, 19; Jeremiah 49:14). Here it would seem to refer especially to the Messianic prophecies delivered by Isaiah. To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? The "arm of the Lord," which has been "made bare in the eyes of all the nations" (Isaiah 52:10), yet requires the eye of faith to see it. Many Jews would not see the working of God's providence in the victories of Cyrus, or in the decision to which he came to restore the Jews to their own country. Unbelief can always assign the most plainly providential arrangements to happy accident.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Who
מִ֥י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix
has believed
הֶאֱמִ֖ין (he·’ĕ·mîn)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 539: To confirm, support
our message?
לִשְׁמֻעָתֵ֑נוּ (liš·mu·‘ā·ṯê·nū)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 8052: Something heard, an announcement
And to
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against
whom
מִ֥י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix
has the arm
וּזְר֥וֹעַ (ū·zə·rō·w·a‘)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2220: The arm, the foreleg, force
of the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel
been revealed?
נִגְלָֽתָה׃ (niḡ·lā·ṯāh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal
You need a haircut.
This phrase reflects the prophet's lament over the widespread unbelief among the people regarding the prophetic message. Historically, the message of the prophets was often met with skepticism and rejection, as seen throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Jeremiah 6:10, Ezekiel 33:32). The "message" refers to the prophetic revelation concerning the suffering servant, a theme central to Isaiah 53. This disbelief is echoed in the New Testament, where the Apostle John cites this verse in John 12:38 to describe the rejection of Jesus by many of His contemporaries. The rhetorical question underscores the challenge of accepting divine truth, which often contradicts human expectations and understanding.And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
The "arm of the LORD" symbolizes God's power and intervention in human history, often associated with deliverance and salvation (Exodus 6:6, Psalm 98:1). In the context of Isaiah, it points to the divine action in bringing about redemption through the suffering servant. The revelation of God's power is selective, often hidden from those who are spiritually blind or hardened in heart (Isaiah 6:9-10). In the New Testament, this concept is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, whose life and works reveal God's power and salvation (Luke 1:51, Acts 13:17). The phrase challenges readers to recognize and respond to God's revealed power, which may not align with worldly expectations of strength and victory.
Persons / Places / Events
1. Isaiah
The prophet who authored the book of Isaiah, delivering messages from God to the people of Israel. He is known for his prophecies concerning the coming Messiah.
2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal existence and faithfulness to His promises.
3. The Arm of the LORD
A metaphor for God's power and salvation, often associated with His deliverance and intervention in human history.
Teaching Points
The Challenge of Belief
The question "Who has believed our message?" highlights the difficulty and rarity of true faith. Believers are called to examine their own faith and the reasons for their belief in the gospel.
The "arm of the LORD" signifies God's mighty power in action. Reflect on how God has revealed His power in your life and the world around you.
Prophetic Fulfillment
Isaiah's prophecy points to the coming of Jesus Christ. Understanding the fulfillment of prophecy strengthens our faith in the reliability of Scripture.
The Role of the Messenger
Isaiah's message was often met with unbelief, yet he remained faithful. Believers are encouraged to share the gospel, trusting God with the results.
Faith in Action
True belief in the message of Christ should lead to transformation and action. Consider how your faith is demonstrated in your daily life.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Isaiah 53:1?
2. How does Isaiah 53:1 reveal the challenge of accepting God's message today?
3. What does "the arm of the LORD" symbolize in Isaiah 53:1?
4. How does John 12:38 connect with Isaiah 53:1's message of disbelief?
5. How can we strengthen our faith when others reject God's message?
6. How does Isaiah 53:1 encourage sharing the Gospel despite rejection?
7. Who has believed our message, and why is belief in Isaiah 53:1 significant?
8. How does Isaiah 53:1 relate to the prophecy of the Messiah?
9. What historical evidence supports the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:1?
10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 53?
Baal was the name of the supreme god worshiped in ancient Canaan and Phoenicia. The practice of Baal worship infiltrated Jewish religious life during the time of the Judges (Judges 3:7), became widespread in Israel during the reign of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31-33) and also affected Judah (2 Chronicles 28:1-2). The word baal means “lord”; the plural is baalim. In general, Baal was a fertility god who was believed to enable the earth to produce crops and people to produce children. Different regions worshiped Baal in different ways, and Baal proved to be a highly adaptable god. Various locales emphasized one or another of his attributes and developed special “denominations” of Baalism. Baal of Peor (Numbers 25:3) and Baal-Berith (Judges 8:33) are two examples of such localized deities.
According to some versions of Canaanite mythology, Baal was the son of Dagon; other accounts make him out to be a son of El, the chief god, and Asherah, the goddess of the sea. Baal was considered the most powerful of all gods, eclipsing El, who was seen as rather weak and ineffective. In various battles Baal defeated Yamm, the god of the sea, and Mot, the god of death and the underworld. Baal’s sisters/consorts were Ashtoreth, a fertility goddess associated with the stars, and Anath, a goddess of love and war. The Canaanites worshiped Baal as the sun god and as the storm god—he is usually depicted holding a lightning bolt—who defeated enemies and produced crops. They also worshiped him as a fertility god who provided children. Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. At times, appeasing Baal required human sacrifice, usually the firstborn of the one making the sacrifice (Jeremiah 19:5). The priests of Baal appealed to their god in rites of wild abandon which included loud, ecstatic cries and self-inflicted injury (1 Kings 18:28).
Before the Hebrews entered the Promised Land, the Lord God warned against worshiping Canaan’s gods (Deuteronomy 6:14-15), but Israel turned to idolatry anyway. During the reign of Ahab and Jezebel, at the height of Baal worship in Israel, God directly confronted the paganism through His prophet Elijah. First, God showed that He, not Baal, controlled the rain by sending a drought lasting three-and-one-half years (1 Kings 17:1). Then Elijah called for a showdown on Mt. Carmel to prove once and for all who the true God was. All day long, 450 prophets of Baal called on their god to send fire from heaven—surely an easy task for a god associated with lightning bolts—but “there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention” (1 Kings 18:29). After Baal’s prophets gave up, Elijah prayed a simple prayer, and God answered immediately with fire from heaven. The evidence was overwhelming, and the people “fell prostrate and cried, ‘The LORD–he is God! The LORD–he is God!’” (verse 39).
In Matthew 12:27, Jesus calls Satan “Beelzebub,” linking the devil to Baal-Zebub, a Philistine deity (2 Kings 1:2). The Baalim of the Old Testament were nothing more than demons masquerading as gods, and all idolatry is ultimately devil-worship (1 Corinthians 10:20).
God took a rib from Adam to make Eve, but this removal of a rib from Adam did not result in all men having one less rib. There are some interesting reasons why this is true and why God chose to take a rib in the first place.
On the sixth day of creation, God created the first man. It was a special work of creation: “The Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). The structure and design of the human body is amazing—not to mention the soul and the fact that humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
After creating Adam, God guided the man to the discovery that he was, in a sense, alone in the world; unlike the animals, the man had no counterpart, no equal companion: “For Adam no suitable helper was found” (Genesis 2:20). Once Adam was aware of his need, God took steps to remedy the problem. He created the woman.
How God created the woman is significant. In Genesis 2:21–22, after causing Adam to fall into a deep sleep, God took a rib out of the man and used it to form the woman. So Adam and Eve were of the same substance and were connected physically. All people are from Adam, including Eve. When God brought the woman to the man, Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man” (Genesis 2:23).
Learning of God’s removal of a rib from Adam, some people assume that men today have one fewer rib than women have. It’s a wrong assumption, of course. Ribs are easily counted, and men and women have the same number of them. God made a surgical change to Adam, not a genetic change. Performing surgery does not alter one’s genetic makeup. Every descendant of Adam has the DNA encoding that produces 12 pairs of ribs—24 ribs total in the rib cage. Adam’s sons all had the same number of ribs that Adam had originally; in the same way, the son of a kidney donor will have two kidneys, not just one, and the daughter of an amputee will not be born missing a limb.
The fact that God pulled a rib out of Adam and not some other piece of his body shows God’s wisdom, planning, and foresight. Ribs regrow. All bones in the human body are able to mend themselves, but rib bone is unique in that it can regenerate. When a surgeon performs a costectomy (the removal of part or all of a rib), he or she will be careful to leave the perichondrium (the membrane surrounding the rib). The rib taken can be used for bone grafts elsewhere in the body, and in the spot of the missing rib will grow a new rib—usually within one or two months. (See Moore, K., Dalley, A., and Agur, M., Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 7th ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2013, p. 83).
Given the rib’s ability to regenerate, we know that God did not permanently wound Adam when He took a rib from his side to make Eve. Adam did not live the rest of his life with a defect or a weak spot in his skeletal thorax. Because of God’s wonderful design, Adam lived out the rest of his days with the same number of ribs that he had been created with.
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in history, providing irrefutable evidence that Jesus is who He claimed to be – the Son of God. The resurrection was not only the supreme validation of His deity; it also validated the Scriptures, which foretold His coming and resurrection. Moreover, it authenticated Christ’s claims that He would be raised on the third day (John 2:19-21; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34). If Christ’s body was not resurrected, we have no hope that ours will be (1 Corinthians 15:13, 16). In fact, apart from Christ’s bodily resurrection, we have no Savior, no salvation, and no hope of eternal life. As the apostle Paul said, our faith would be “useless” and the life-giving power of the gospel would be altogether eliminated.
Because our eternal destinies ride on the truth of this historical event, the resurrection has been the target of Satan’s greatest attacks against the church. Accordingly, the historicity of Christ’s bodily resurrection has been examined and investigated from every angle and studied endlessly by countless scholars, theologians, professors, and others over the centuries. And even though a number of theories have been postulated that attempt to disprove this momentous event, no credible historical evidence exists which would validate anything other than His literal bodily resurrection. On the other hand, the clear and convincing evidence of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is overwhelming.
Nonetheless, from the Christians in ancient Corinth to many today, misunderstandings persist relative to certain aspects of our Savior’s resurrection. Why, some ask, is it important that Christ’s body was resurrected? Couldn’t His resurrection have just been spiritual? Why and how does the resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantee the bodily resurrection of believers? Will our resurrected bodies be the same as our earthly bodies? If not, what will they be like? The answers to these questions are found in the fifteenth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, a church that he established several years earlier during his second missionary journey.
In addition to growing factions in the young Corinthian church, there was rampant misunderstanding of some key Christian doctrines, including the resurrection. Although many of the Corinthians accepted that Christ has been resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:1, 11), they had difficulty believing others could or would be resurrected. The continuing influence of Gnostic philosophy, which held that everything spiritual was good whereas everything physical, such as our bodies, was intrinsically evil, was essentially responsible for their confusion regarding their own resurrection. The idea of a detestable corpse being eternally resurrected was, therefore, strongly opposed by some and certainly by the Greek philosophers of the day (Acts 17:32).
Yet, most of the Corinthians understood that Christ’s resurrection was bodily and not spiritual. After all, resurrection means “a rising from the dead”; something comes back to life. They understood that all souls were immortal and at death immediately went to be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Thus, a “spiritual” resurrection would make no sense, as the spirit doesn’t die and therefore cannot be resurrected. Additionally, they were aware that the Scriptures, as well as Christ Himself, stated that His body would rise again on the third day. Scripture also made it clear that Christ’s body would see no decay (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27), a charge that would make no sense if His body was not resurrected. Lastly, Christ emphatically told His disciples it was His body that was resurrected: “A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luke 24:39).
Again, however, the Corinthians’ concern was regarding their personal resurrection. Accordingly, Paul tried to convince the Corinthians that because Christ rose from the dead, they also would rise from the dead some day, and that the two resurrections – Christ’s and ours – must stand or fall together, for “if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised” (1 Corinthians 15:13).
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits 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” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).
When Jesus Christ was resurrected, He became the “first fruits” of all who would be raised (see also Colossians 1:18). The Israelites could not fully harvest their crops until they brought a representative sampling (first fruits) to the priests as an offering to the Lord (Leviticus 23:10). This is what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22; Christ’s own resurrection was the “first fruits” of the resurrection “harvest” of the believing dead. The “first fruits” language Paul uses indicates something to follow, and that something would be His followers – the rest of the “crop.” This is how Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours. Indeed, His resurrection requires our resurrection.
And to allay their concerns regarding connecting the spirit to what was deemed an undesirable body, Paul explained to them the nature of our resurrected bodies and how they would differ from our earthly bodies. Paul likened our deceased earthly bodies to a “seed,” and God would ultimately provide another body (1 Corinthians 15:37-38) that would be like Christ’s glorious resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:49; Philippians 3:21). Indeed, just as with our Lord, our bodies which are now perishable, dishonored, weak, and natural will one day be raised into bodies that are imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Our spiritual bodies will be perfectly equipped for heavenly, supernatural living.
Why was "baldhead" considered an insult in Elisha's time?Historical and Cultural Context
In the account recorded in 2 Kings 2:23-24, as Elisha was traveling to Bethel, a group of young males emerged and mocked him, saying:
“Go on up, you baldhead!”
The term “baldhead” (or “baldy” in some translations) in the ancient Near Eastern context carried insulting connotations that captured both disrespect and ridicule. Hair in that culture often symbolized vitality, honor, and God’s blessing. To be bald voluntarily (such as shaving one’s head) could sometimes be associated with mourning (cf. Isaiah 15:2). By contrast, natural baldness was sometimes unfairly unfair stigmatized.
The custom of mocking baldness specifically appears to have been a scornful way to impugn a man’s dignity or to suggest that he had been forsaken by God. In Elisha’s case, calling him “baldhead” was not merely teasing about appearance; it was deep-seated contempt toward him as a prophet and, by extension, contempt toward the God he served.
Biblical Context and Immediate Setting
The story occurs immediately after Elijah’s dramatic departure, when a chariot of fire took him to heaven (2 Kings 2:11). Elisha had just inherited Elijah’s mantle and prophetic office. The young men’s scornful cry “Go on up!” likely alluded to Elijah’s ascension. They were effectively urging Elisha to “disappear like Elijah” while taunting him about his perceived physical frailty or lack of Elijah’s glory.
Their jeers insulted God’s newly appointed prophet in a very public manner; disregarding God’s chosen messenger also equated to rejecting God Himself (cf. Luke 10:16). The mocking was so severe and spiritually dangerous that it triggered a curse by Elisha in the name of the LORD, followed by a swift judgment.
Significance of “Baldhead” in the Ancient Near East
1. Association with Shame
Baldness could be connected with leprosy or ceremonial uncleanness (Leviticus 13:40-44). A bald or diseased scalp might cause social ostracism. Even if Elisha was not literally bald, the children’s insult conveyed a deep charge of shame or uncleanness against him.
2. Loss of Honor
Hair was often seen as a symbol of manly dignity. The deliberate act of shaving the head sometimes expressed profound grief or repentance. Consequently, someone naturally bald might be mocked as spiritually or physically dishonored. However, in Elisha’s situation, the insult was aimed at him being “insignificant” or lesser than Elijah.
3. Excessive Disrespect Toward a Prophet
Elisha’s baldness-whether real or figurative-seems secondary to their arrogance and hatred of God’s appointed servant. By calling him “baldhead,” they were ultimately mocking his divine calling. This heightened the seriousness of the offense further than a simple insult about appearance.
Parallel Biblical and Cultural Insights
• Mockery of God’s Representative
Similar patterns of insult and condemnation appear throughout Scripture. For example, in 2 Chronicles 36:16, the people repeatedly mocked God’s messengers, leading to judgment. This pattern underscores how ridiculing a prophet was tantamount to ridiculing God’s message and authority.
• Baldness in Mourning
In passages such as Amos 8:10, God declares He will make people bald as a sign of lament. The cultural association of a shaved head with grief or a curse often led people to view baldness negatively.
• Broader Ancient Near Eastern References
In numerous archaeological texts, hair frequently represented vitality and status. Carvings and temple inscriptions depict kings and warriors with well-groomed hair or beards as marks of strength. Loss of hair-especially if involuntary-was perceived as weakness. Thus, calling Elisha “baldhead” amplified the perceived insults of weakness and divine disfavor.
Theological and Moral Dimensions
The severity of the youths’ punishment (as recorded in 2 Kings 2:24: “Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.”) underscores the importance of reverence for God’s appointed spokespeople. Their insult was a direct challenge against the authority of the prophet and thus an affront to the LORD.
From a theological perspective, their disrespect nullified the significance of God’s new messenger after Elijah’s ascension. In the face of open rebellion, God’s swift response reinforced Elisha’s legitimacy and the seriousness with which God defends His truth and His servants.
Practical Lessons and Reflections
1. Reverence for God’s Calling
The episode reminds readers that insults directed toward God’s ministers-or by extension, toward God’s message-have severe spiritual implications. Mocking the divine message, even in the form of name-calling, reveals a hardened heart.
2. Respect for the Person and Role
While modern cultures may not attach the same stigma to hair or baldness, the passage highlights a timeless lesson: showing contempt toward those serving in God’s name misrepresents our attitude toward our Creator.
3. Sobering Example of Judgment
This episode can be unsettling because it demonstrates God’s judgment for apparently “small” acts of mockery. However, its primary lesson is that no taunt against God’s truth is ever trivial. Scripture stresses that God will defend the honor of His word and His chosen servants.
Conclusion
“Baldhead” was considered an insult in Elisha’s time because of the cultural importance placed on hair as a sign of honor, vitality, and divine favor. Mocking a prophet’s physical appearance was more than mere teasing; it denoted profound disrespect toward God’s delegated authority. In the historical setting of ancient Israel, such a verbal assault served as a challenge to God Himself.
While our modern lens might see “baldhead” as a mild playground-type insult, within Scripture’s context, it represented the rejection of God’s message and messenger. The swift response in 2 Kings 2:23-25 highlights how seriously God defends the dignity of those who speak in His name. Indeed, what may have looked like a minor jibe was, to God, a grave offense against His righteous rule and sovereign truth.
Who has believed our message?“Who has believed our message?” (Isaiah 53:1) sounds like a sigh from the prophet’s heart. The good news of the Servant’s coming sacrifice is announced, yet it is met with widespread disbelief.
• Isaiah’s lament is prophetic. Centuries later John records, “Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him. … ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’” (John 12:37-38).
• Paul echoes the same concern when he writes, “Not all of them welcomed the good news, for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’” (Romans 10:16).
• Unbelief is never due to lack of evidence but to hardened hearts (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Miracles, prophecies, and resurrection power all stood before Israel, yet many turned away.
• Today the identical gospel goes out. Some respond with faith; others dismiss it as “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:18). The verse reminds us that saving faith is a gift to be received, not a conclusion forced by argument alone.
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?The “arm of the LORD” is Scripture’s picture of God’s mighty, saving power on full display.
• Isaiah has already declared, “The LORD has bared His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God” (Isaiah 52:10). That arm is personified in the Servant—Jesus—whose life, death, and resurrection unveil divine power in human flesh.
• Mary celebrates the same truth: “He has performed mighty deeds with His arm” (Luke 1:51).
• From the Exodus (“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm,” Exodus 6:6) to the empty tomb, God’s saving strength is undeniable—yet it must be “revealed.” Revelation implies God opening blind eyes. Paul testifies, “God… made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
• Therefore, the question is not whether the arm exists but whether it is seen. Those who believe the message perceive divine power; those who reject remain in the dark (Acts 13:41).
summaryIsaiah 53:1 pairs two inseparable ideas: faith in the message and revelation of God’s power. Many missed the Messiah because they would not believe, yet where faith is granted, the Lord’s mighty arm becomes unmistakable. The verse challenges us to receive the Servant’s report and celebrate the revealed power of God that brings salvation to all who trust in Him.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
LIII.(1) Who hath believed our report? . . .--The question has been variously interpreted as coming from the lips of the prophet or of Israel. The former view commends itself most, and the unusual plural is explained by his mentally associating with himself the other prophets, probably his own disciples, who were delivering the same message. The implied answer to the question may be either "None," or, "Not all." St. Paul (Romans 10:16) adopts the latter.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 1. - Who hath believed? Isaiah felt that he spoke, mainly, to unbelieving ears (see above, Isaiah 28:9-15; Isaiah 29:10-15; Isaiah 30:9-11; Isaiah 42:23, etc.). The unbelief was likely to be intensified when so marvellous a prophecy was delivered as that which he was now commissioned to put forth. Still, of course, there is rhetorical exaggeration in the question, which seems to imply that no one would believe. Our report; literally, that which has been heard by us. But the word is used technically for a prophetic revelation (see Isaiah 28:9, 19; Jeremiah 49:14). Here it would seem to refer especially to the Messianic prophecies delivered by Isaiah. To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? The "arm of the Lord," which has been "made bare in the eyes of all the nations" (Isaiah 52:10), yet requires the eye of faith to see it. Many Jews would not see the working of God's providence in the victories of Cyrus, or in the decision to which he came to restore the Jews to their own country. Unbelief can always assign the most plainly providential arrangements to happy accident.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Who
מִ֥י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix
has believed
הֶאֱמִ֖ין (he·’ĕ·mîn)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 539: To confirm, support
our message?
לִשְׁמֻעָתֵ֑נוּ (liš·mu·‘ā·ṯê·nū)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 8052: Something heard, an announcement
And to
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against
whom
מִ֥י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix
has the arm
וּזְר֥וֹעַ (ū·zə·rō·w·a‘)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2220: The arm, the foreleg, force
of the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel
been revealed?
נִגְלָֽתָה׃ (niḡ·lā·ṯāh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal
You need a haircut.
My husband is an Army veteran, and I dont get answers other than hes deaf and had crazy nightmares every few days. His mother was 16 when she has her first child and 22 when she had John, the 4th. He joined the army at age 17- we dont believe it debt. The Military paid for his education, hes brilliant and extremely diligent. I know all about sleeping in a ditch in continuous rain with Massive Iraqi camel spiders crawling on your face to wake you up.. (911) My mothers father survived pearl harbor, but his two brothers were pilots- shot down and POW. They mailed their uniforms to his mother. He resurrected across oceans 10 years later. No one could believe it. When my grandfather got news that his brothers plane was shot down, he was so upset that he left his shipj ust in time because it was bombed right after. divine intervention.
Johns dad did not survive Vietnam. That was ugly.
Johns dad did not survive Vietnam. That was ugly.
In James 1:14–17,
James is addressing where temptation and sin originate in us. By contrast, he reminds us that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). James explains that each one is tempted when he is carried away by his own lust—or intense desire (James 1:14). Often, lust is associated with sexual desire, but the Greek epithumia, which is translated “lust” in this passage, simply refers to an intense desire—it can be sexual, or it can be a strong want for anything. In other words, sexual lust is not the only kind of lust that is problematic. People are tempted when they allow their lust (intense desire) to carry them away—when they dwell, unchecked, on that desire. If a person allows that lust to direct his or her actions, then, as James puts it, that desire gives birth to sin, and sin brings about death (James 1:15).
The caution James offers is that we recognize that we don’t sin because of something external—we sin because we allow ourselves to be carried away by desires, and then we succumb to temptations. James warns his readers that they should not be deceived, because we are responsible for our own sin (James 1:16). Some people were considering that possibly God was responsible for tempting them to sin, but James corrects that idea resoundingly in James 1:13. He affirms there that no one should say that God has tempted him because God doesn’t tempt anyone to sin. Instead, we should recognize that sin comes from within ourselves. On the other hand, we should recognize that every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17).
James reminds his readers that every good and perfect gift is from above—specifically, coming from the Father, whom James refers to as “the Father of the lights” (James 1:17). Because He is the Father of lights—of all that is good—there is no shadow with Him. He does not waiver or vary from His goodness. So, we can count on Him to be good and to provide us with good. That which comes from Him to us is good. He doesn’t tempt us to do evil. Certainly, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted (Matthew 4:1), and Jesus told His disciples to pray that the Father would not lead them into temptation (Matthew 6:13), and, yes, God even allows temptation for believers (1 Corinthians 10:13)—but never does He Himself tempt anyone to sin or do evil. When He allows an occasion for testing by temptation, He has already provided the way of escape from that temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13–14)—the ability to flee from that temptation. This is another evidence that every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17).
Jesus is no stranger to temptation. In fact, Jesus Himself was tempted in all things—just as we are—yet He is without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17), and one of those good and perfect gifts is the gift of Jesus Christ—because of Him we can boldly draw near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and grace in times of need (Hebrews 4:16)—even in times of difficult temptation.
Jesus was in the area of Tyre and Sidon, a coastal region in extreme northwestern Galilee (Matthew 15:21) when a Canaanite woman came to Him with a request to heal her demon-possessed daughter. For a while, Jesus did not respond to the woman’s entreaties, and she followed Him and continued to beg for mercy. Finally, the disciples, feeling that the woman was a nuisance, asked Jesus to send her away. Then Jesus said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).
Several elements are required to sustain life. Among the top are food, water, air, and light. In Scripture, Jesus is the source of each of these. He is the “bread of life” (John 6:48), the supplier of “living water” (John 4:10), and the One who fills every creature with the “breath of life” (Genesis 2:7; John 3:8; 20:22). John’s Gospel says, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4, ESV).
Jesus Christ came into the world to bring life. He is equal to God the Father, who “has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son” (John 5:26, NLT). The Greek term translated as “life” in John 1:4 is zōē. It means “life source; the inherent capacity for producing (and maintaining) living beings.” This “zoe-life” is an overarching theme in John’s Gospel. As the Creator (John 1:3) and Sustainer of all life (John 5:21; 6:40, 57; 14:6), Jesus offers physical, spiritual, and eternal life to humanity. The life source that is in Him, John reveals, has become “the light of men” (John 1: 4, ESV), “the light of all mankind” (NIV), or “light to everyone” (NLT).
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men means that the life and light of salvation now extend beyond the chosen people of Israel to the whole world. John calls Jesus the “true light that gives light to everyone” (John 1:9), echoing Isaiah’s prophecy that the coming Messiah would “do more than restore the people of Israel” and become “a light to the Gentiles” and bring “salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6, NLT).
Jesus left no doubt regarding this aspect of His identity. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). While restoring sight to a blind man, Jesus stated, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). And again, Jesus emphasized that He had come to save the whole world: “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46).
In the Bible, darkness is often a symbol of sin and its effects (John 3:19–20; Matthew 6:23; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 4:18). Jesus is the light that pierces all the darkness of this world with the brilliance of His truth (John 1:5). In Him “there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Those who put their faith in Jesus Christ “believe in the light” and become “children of light” (John 12:35–36).
As the light of men, Jesus calls believers “out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9, NLT), just as Isaiah foretold: “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine” (Isaiah 9:2, NLT). Shortly after His blinding-light conversion experience, the apostle Paul testified that, according to the prophets, Israel’s Messiah would bring the message of salvation—“the message of light”—both to Jews and Gentiles (Acts 26:23; cf. Isaiah 42:6–7; 51:4; 53:11). Later Paul wrote, “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ’” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NLT).
The message of salvation is that Jesus Christ—the “one who is life itself”—is the source of eternal life for all people (1 John 1:2, NLT). Salvation and everlasting life are found only in Him (1 John 5:11). Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25).
As Christians, our life is Jesus (Colossians 3:4). Everything we need comes from Him, in whom “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). The life that is the light of men continues to shine in this dark world through believers who “live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8–14; see also 1 John 1:7; 2:8–10; 1 Thessalonians 5:5–6). Jesus taught His followers, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16).
We should understand Jesus’ words here not as an outright rejection of the Gentiles—moments later, He heals the woman’s daughter (Matthew 15:28)—but as a fulfillment of prophecy, a setting of priorities, and a test of the woman’s faith.
In Jeremiah 50:6, God calls Israel “His people” and “lost sheep.” The Messiah, spoken of throughout the Old Testament, was seen as the one who would gather these “lost sheep” (Ezekiel 34:23-24; Micah 5:4-5). When Jesus presented Himself as a shepherd to Israel, He was claiming to be the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy (Mark 6:34, 14:27; John 10:11-16; see also Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4; and Revelation 7:17).
Jesus’ words to the Canaanite woman also show an awareness of Israel’s place in God’s plan of salvation. God revealed through Moses that the children of Israel were “a holy people to the with Lord . . . chosen . . . a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6, NKJV). It was through the Jews that God issued His Law, preserved His Word, and sent His Son. This is why, elsewhere, Jesus tells a Samaritan that “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22). In Matthew 15, when the Jewish Messiah says that He was sent to “the house of Israel,” He is simply connecting His presence with God’s purpose in Old Testament history. Christ was “born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law” (Galatians 4:4-5, NKJV).
Every ministry must have priorities, and Christ’s ministry was no exception. When Jesus sent His disciples to preach the good news of the kingdom, He expressly told them, “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5-6, NKJV). Jesus did not forbid their preaching to all Gentiles; He did, however, narrow their focus to the areas which should be most receptive—those who knew the Law and were expecting the Messiah. Paul, in his missionary journeys, followed the same priority of preaching to the Jews first (Romans 1:16).
Finally, Jesus’ words to the Canaanite woman served as a test of her faith. She came to Jesus believing that He was the “Lord,” the “Son of David,” and the giver of mercy (Matthew 15:22). His delayed answer and seemingly exclusionary statement brought from her a further, passionate, public expression of her faith in His unlimited power (Matthew 15:27).
This act of compassion and healing of a Gentile is a beautiful picture of Christ’s ministry to the whole world—the Jewish Messiah is also the Savior of all who will believe (Matthew 28:19; John 10:16; Acts 10:34-36; Revelation 5:9).
In Revelation 6, the apostle John records the Lamb’s opening of a scroll and six of the seven seals. When the fourth seal is broken, John says, “I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him” (Revelation 6:8).
The scroll the Lamb opens is introduced in Revelation 5. Only the Lamb who was slain is worthy to open it (Revelation 5:1–5). As the Lamb opens the scroll, He breaks seven seals in succession. Each seal unleashes a new judgment on the earth. The first four judgments are known as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse:
• The first seal: a rider on white horse. The rider has a bow and a crown and goes out to conquer (Revelation 6:1–2).
• The second seal: a rider on a red horse bringing division and war (Revelation 6:3–4).
• The third seal: a rider on a black horse. The rider has scales for measuring, and he brings famine to the earth (Revelation 6:5–6).
• The fourth seal: a rider on a pale or ashen horse. The rider is named Death. Hades follows with Death. These two are given authority to kill a fourth of the earth with famine, pestilence, and wild animals (Revelation 6:8).
In the Bible, death (Greek, thanatos) refers to either the physical separation of the body from the spirit or the separation in relationship of the human being from God. In the scene that John records, he sees a horse rider who is called Death, perhaps because this rider is given authority to bring death to a fourth of the earth’s population. Hades (an English transliteration of the Greek word hades) refers to the grave, where people await resurrection for judgment (Revelation 20:13). The riders named Death and Hades are riding together to bring death and send people to the grave (Revelation 6:8). John does not say that Death and Hades were both riding on a pale or ashen horse, but rather that Death was riding on a pale horse and that Hades was following with him. John doesn’t describe what Hades rides, so it has been assumed by some that Hades was also riding a pale horse. Others see Death and Hades sharing the same pale horse. Either way, the fourth seal brings about the demise of many during the tribulation.
The pale horse that Death rides is of a sickly, corpse-like color. Some translations of Revelation 6:8 describe Death riding “an ashen (pale greenish gray) horse” (AMP) or “a pale green horse” (CSB). In this chilling scene, slaughter is personified as the earth experiences unparalleled, terrifying calamities. It is the Day of the Lord, and “who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?” (Malachi 3:2).
To the eternal praise of Jesus, believers will triumph even over the rider of the pale horse: “‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’” (1 Corinthians 15:54–55).
As Jesus hung on the cross, the Bible records that He spoke seven final statements. The third saying, recorded in John 19:26–27, expresses the Lord’s care and concern for His mother: “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” The unnamed disciple whom Jesus addressed was the apostle John himself.
Despite His excruciating physical agony, Jesus was concerned about the welfare of His mother and the pain she was experiencing. With His thoughts on Mary’s future security and protection, Jesus entrusted her into the care of John, His beloved disciple.
Most scholars believe Joseph, Mary’s husband, was already dead by this time. Traditionally, the oldest son in a Jewish family was duty-bound to provide for his mother’s care if she became a widow. By entrusting Mary to John’s care, Jesus was fulfilling His family responsibility as a devoted son.
Typically, a dying son would commit his mother into the care of another member of his immediate family. In the case of Jesus, that would have been James, Jude, or another male sibling. But Jesus knew that none of His half-brothers were disciples yet—they had not accepted Christ’s claims or committed to His mission. Thus, Jesus most likely chose John out of profound spiritual concern for His mother. Even in death, Christ was focused on spiritual matters.
With the words, “Woman, behold your son,” Jesus invited His mother to look to John, His much-loved disciple and friend, to be her son now. Jesus was departing from her, but John would take the Lord’s place in her life as much as was possible. John was the only apostle brave enough to take a stand with the women who had accompanied Jesus to the cross (Luke 23:49; Mark 15:40; John 19:25). The rest of Christ’s disciples had scattered, abandoning the Lord in fear (John 16:32).
There is no disrespect in the Lord’s use of the title woman instead of mother. He had addressed her as “Woman” before (John 2:4). The address may sound disrespectful in English, but not in Greek. Woman was, in fact, “a highly respectful and affectionate mode of address” (Marvin Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887, entry for Jn. 2:4). The Amplified Bible translates it as “[Dear] Woman.”
A symbolic meaning can be drawn from Jesus’s words “Woman, behold your son.” Establishing the family of God was at the heart of Christ’s mission and ministry. Through relationship with Jesus Christ, believers become members of a new family (John 1:12). As the Lord completed His earthly ministry, His words to Mary, “Woman, behold your son,” and to John, “Here is your mother,” were profoundly illustrative of God’s new family being born at the foot of the cross.
Revelation 7:4–8 lists 144,000 “sealed” or protected servants of God who will minister during the tribulation of the end times. The sealed comprise 12,000 individuals from each of the twelve tribes of Israel: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. For some reason, the tribe of Dan is not listed; in its place is Manasseh, which is one of the two tribes that came from Joseph.
The Bible does not tell us why the tribe of Dan is excluded from the list of the twelve tribes in Revelation 7. However, some background information about the twelve sons of Jacob and the twelve tribes of Israel might provide some clues. First, a brief history of the twelve tribes:
The twelve tribes of Israel came from the twelve sons of Israel--Israel being the name that God gave Jacob (Genesis 32:28). Jacob’s twelve sons were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin (Genesis 35:23–26; Exodus 1:1–4; 1 Chronicles 2:1–2). The progeny of those twelve sons comprised the twelve tribes of Israel.
In the time of Joshua, when Israel inherited the Promised Land, Levi’s descendants did not receive a territory for themselves (Joshua 13:14). Instead, they had priestly duties and took care of the tabernacle. The Levites were given several cities scattered throughout the land. To fill out the twelve allotments, Joseph’s tribe was divided in two—Jacob had adopted Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, essentially giving Joseph a double portion for his faithfulness in saving the family from famine (Genesis 47:11–12). In this arrangement, the tribes given territory in the Promised Land were Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. In some places in Scripture, the tribe of Ephraim is referred to as the tribe of Joseph (e.g., Numbers 1:32–33).
After King Solomon died, Israel split into two kingdoms. Judah, to the south, included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The other tribes combined to make the kingdom of Israel in the north. In the ensuing years, many Israelites in the north emigrated to Judah in the south to flee the apostasy in their homeland (see 2 Chronicles 11:16; 15:9). Eventually, the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians, and most of the Israelites were either killed or deported; it’s likely that many of the Israelites who remained migrated to the southern kingdom of Judah, as many of the faithful before them had.
Jesus was from Judah, Paul was from Benjamin, Anna was from Asher, and John the Baptist was a Levite, but, since the Diaspora in AD 70, identifying the tribe of any given Jew is more difficult. During the tribulation, when most of the world is following the Antichrist, 144,000 Jews will be sealed by God—12,000 from each tribe—for special service. God has kept track of the tribes, and He knows who is who. The tribes with sealed individuals are listed in Revelation 7:5–8, but it is not the same list as found in Joshua 13—22. The sealed tribes in the end times include Manasseh and Ephraim (under Joseph’s name). But Dan is not included. No explanation is given as to why.
There are some other details of the history of the tribe of Dan that might help explain why Dan is missing from the list of sealed tribes in Revelation. Judges 18:1–31 tells the story of the people of Dan falling into gross idolatry. Also, the Danites did not like the territory allotted to them near the Mediterranean Sea—the Amorites and Philistines gave them trouble—so they sent out spies to find a better area. In the north, the Danites learned of an area inhabited by a peaceful group of people, whom the Danites proceeded to wipe out; they then moved the entire tribe up to that region, just south of present-day Lebanon. There they established their main city and called it Dan.
Later, in the divided kingdom, the people of Dan were part of the northern kingdom of Israel. King Jeroboam I established two pagan worship centers, one in Bethel and one in Dan (1 Kings 12:25–33). Sadly, this man-made worship at Dan, centered on a golden calf, became one of Dan’s lasting legacies.
Skipping ahead to Revelation 7, all the tribes of Israel are mentioned in the end-times tribulation except for Dan. Commentators through the centuries have proposed the following reasons for why the tribe of Dan is not included in the list:
• Dan’s historical embrace of idolatry and immorality leads to a disqualification for service during the end times.
• The Antichrist will come from the tribe of Dan (based on certain readings of Genesis 49:17; Deuteronomy 33:22; and Jeremiah 8:16).
• By the time of Solomon, the tribe of Dan had assimilated with the neighboring Phoenicians (as 2 Chronicles 2:14 may hint at) and so lost their national identity.
• The tribe of Dan, once the second-most populous tribe, declined in numbers and influence until, by Ezra’s time, it had been totally wiped out. This would explain why Dan is not listed among the tribes in 1 Chronicles 4—7 or in Revelation 7.
Body image and health are huge topics of discussion in our culture, and it can be difficult to know how to care for our bodies without allowing them to become our idols. The most important thing to remember is that the body of a Christian is God’s temple; His Holy Spirit dwells within us. Paul writes, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Earlier, he wrote, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16–17).
Clearly, we are called to care for our physical bodies. We were physically created by God and called to honor Him physically. That being said, our hygiene is important to God. The Old Testament is filled with references to hand-washing and foot-washing, washing clothing, washing before eating, etc. Ritual washings were to remind the people that they were not to come into God’s presence without washing the dust and dirt of the world from their bodies. The tabernacle in the wilderness included a basin for the priests to wash themselves before serving the Lord (Exodus 30:18). Even Jesus washed the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, although this was more a comment on servanthood than on cleanliness.
Washing is used in the New Testament to signify a spiritual cleansing of sin available only through Christ. Ephesians 5:26 tells us that Christ cleansed the church—all those who believe in Him for salvation—by “washing with water through the word.” Here we see the picture of the internal spiritual cleansing the Word of God provides for us. The rebirth all Christians experience is pictured as a washing and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). So it’s clear that inward washing and cleansing are important themes in the Bible.
But what about washing and hygiene as a physical, rather than spiritual, act? There is a line between hygiene and vanity that can be easily blurred, especially in a culture so motivated by visual beauty. How do we steward our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit without becoming vain? The most important thing is to monitor the condition of the heart. If we see our value in terms of physical beauty, we are missing the point. Our value lies in what God has done for us, cleansing us inwardly from sin, not in how much we clean and wash our outer selves. Our hearts reflect the person we have become—new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). It’s important to remember that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Proverbs 31:30 says, “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” God is not condemning beauty or caring for the body but simply saying that the body (or worldly beauty) is not the most important thing. We are to care for our bodies to keep them in good shape so we can be of value to God and His people, and this certainly includes hygiene. But 1 Timothy 4:8 reminds us, “Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
As with many things in life, practicing hygiene while avoiding vanity is something that requires prayer and perhaps daily conscious effort. If our hearts are focused on God, we can’t go wrong. We should seek Him; trust Him for our needs; delight in the inward beauty He has given us; and steward our bodies as His servants, not as if they were our own. When we seek God first and abide in Him, we will learn to listen to Him and obey Him. In doing this, we will care for the bodies He has given us without allowing our bodies to rule over us.
In John 3 a Pharisee named Nicodemus approaches Jesus, seemingly to inquire about the kingdom of God. The passage ends with a discussion of the results of belief and disbelief in the gospel of Christ. John 3:18 clearly lays out the need to believe: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
To condemn, in this context, is to pass negative judgment on someone—to find him guilty of a wrongdoing. John 3:18 says that, without faith in Christ, everyone is found guilty. The guilt has already been decided—they are condemned already. The reason is that everyone is a sinner, and apart from the Savior, everyone will receive the penalty due for sin (see Romans 3:23; 6:23).
John 3:18 directly follows a wonderful declaration of the good news, the gospel of Christ: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:15–17).
The historical incident Jesus refers to in John 3:15 is found in Numbers 21. Israel was traveling from Egypt to Canaan. Along the way, they sinned against the Lord by grumbling and speaking against Him. God judged the people by sending poisonous snakes into their camps, resulting in the death of many Israelites. The Israelites asked Moses to intercede for them and deliver them from their condemnation. The Lord told Moses to lift up a pole with a bronze snake on it; anyone who looked upon it would be healed and delivered from God’s judgment. The Israelites were condemned for their sin, but God made a way of salvation.
Just as the Israelites were condemned in Numbers 21, the world is condemned already because of their sins. The snake has already bit. However, God has provided the way of salvation. Just as the snake was lifted up in Numbers 21, Jesus was raised up on the cross. Just as looking to the serpent in the wilderness delivered the Israelites from certain death, looking to Jesus in faith delivers all those who believe in Him (John 3:14–18).
Jesus didn’t come into the world to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17). There was no need to condemn the world, for everyone already stands condemned (John 3:18). But there was a need for a Savior. Jesus came to save. He provided the proper sacrifice for sin, and all those who believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ are relieved of their condemnation (Romans 8:1).
They are made His children
and
provided eternal life
(John 3:16).
https://www.youtube.com/live/VMegLBOEcb0?si=LXuZsRTa7kMY4fLr
https://catholicproductions.com/collections/dead-sea-scrolls?srsltid=AfmBOopWaAGnigrgdOgiRKxpvThVzrh7rpFQbIsCV_OHllM-lAxl_0_M
https://catholicproductions.com/products/the-dead-sea-scrolls-for-catholicssrsltid=AfmBOoquHZP41gVvhpdNFqotpMntcBXsyFluJTy7JVeKiExQpIIVOHO
Do the Dead Sea Scrolls contain lost books of the Bible?
Do they mention Jesus and the disciples? Do they really predict the end of the world within the next decade?
Outrageous claims circulate about the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Catholics would do
well
to learn something about them.
In this CD set, Dr. Bergsma explains the Dead Sea Scrolls for those who may have had
little or no previous exposure
to them, emphasizing the aspects of the Scrolls that are most relevant to Catholic Christians. Learn why, when properly understood, the Scrolls enrich Catholic faith and shed light on the Scriptures.
https://www.youtube.com/live/zH4B_UJTrck?si=lxzEQEME_D6Kk7lO
https://youtu.be/hyBoR1DlcI0?si=F6_Bc0dzhR0KUslw
https://youtu.be/l3DvATxkSRg?si=r-4a11eysVzHqwc5
https://catholicproductions.com/collections/dead-sea-scrolls?srsltid=AfmBOopWaAGnigrgdOgiRKxpvThVzrh7rpFQbIsCV_OHllM-lAxl_0_M
https://catholicproductions.com/products/the-dead-sea-scrolls-for-catholicssrsltid=AfmBOoquHZP41gVvhpdNFqotpMntcBXsyFluJTy7JVeKiExQpIIVOHO
Do the Dead Sea Scrolls contain lost books of the Bible?
Do they mention Jesus and the disciples? Do they really predict the end of the world within the next decade?
Outrageous claims circulate about the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Catholics would do
well
to learn something about them.
In this CD set, Dr. Bergsma explains the Dead Sea Scrolls for those who may have had
little or no previous exposure
to them, emphasizing the aspects of the Scrolls that are most relevant to Catholic Christians. Learn why, when properly understood, the Scrolls enrich Catholic faith and shed light on the Scriptures.
https://www.youtube.com/live/zH4B_UJTrck?si=lxzEQEME_D6Kk7lO
https://youtu.be/hyBoR1DlcI0?si=F6_Bc0dzhR0KUslw
https://youtu.be/l3DvATxkSRg?si=r-4a11eysVzHqwc5
|
Bishop Robert Barron tedoSsnrpo0affahg70hg22tah0511l80hfg5mf63a8t022ciul40f3u9h09 · While visiting the Lincoln Memorial, I thought about how the nation is stabilized by moral commitments rooted in the divine law. This is a challenge to the relativism of our time which insists that nothing is fixed and everything is subject to the whims of ideological illusions. Maranatha is an Aramaic word that means “the Lord is coming” or “come, O Lord.” The kingdom of God is referenced often in the gospels (e.g., Mark 1:15; 10:15; 15:43; Luke 17:20) a nd other places in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 28:31; Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 15:50). The kingdom of God is synonymous with the kingdom of heaven. The concept of the kingdom of God takes on various shades of meaning in different passages of Scripture. Broadly speaking, the kingdom of God is the rule of an eternal, sovereign God over all the universe. Several passages of Scripture show that God is the undeniable Monarch of all creation: “The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19). And, as King Nebuchadnezzar declared, “His kingdom is an eternal kingdom” (Daniel 4:3). Every authority that exists has been established by God (Romans 13:1). So, in one sense, the kingdom of God incorporates everything that is. More narrowly, the kingdom of God is a spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to God’s authority. Those who defy God’s authority and refuse to submit to Him are not part of the kingdom of God; in contrast, those who acknowledge the lordship of Christ and gladly surrender to God’s rule in their hearts are part of the kingdom of God. In this sense, the kingdom of God is spiritual—Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), and He preached that repentance is necessary to be a part of the kingdom of God (Matthew 4:17). That the kingdom of God can be equated with the sphere of salvation is evident in John 3:5–7, where Jesus says the kingdom of God must be entered into by being born again. See also 1 Corinthians 6:9. There is another sense in which the kingdom of God is used in Scripture: the literal rule of Christ on the earth during the millennium. Daniel said that “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44; cf. 7:13–14), and many of the other prophets predicted the same thing (e.g., Obadiah 1:21; Habakkuk 2:14; Micah 4:2; Zechariah 14:9). Some theologians refer to the future, open manifestation of the kingdom of God as the “kingdom of glory” and the present, hidden manifestation of the kingdom of God as the “kingdom of grace.” But both manifestations are connected; Christ has set up His spiritual reign in the church on earth, and He will one day set up His physical reign in Jerusalem. The kingdom of God has several aspects. The Lord is the Sovereign of the universe, and so in that sense His kingdom is universal (1 Timothy 6:15). At the same time, the kingdom of God involves repentance and the new birth, as God rules in the hearts of His children in this world in preparation for the next. The work begun on earth will find its consummation in heaven (see Philippians 1:6). 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. The early church faced much persecution, and life for a Christian under Roman rule was not easy. The Romans required everyone to declare that Caesar was god. The early Christians knew that there is only one God and one Lord—Jesus Christ—and in all good conscience they could not call Caesar “Lord,” so the Romans looked upon them as traitors, persecuted them, and put them to death. Living under those adverse conditions, the believers’ morale was lifted by the hope of the coming of the Lord. “Maranatha!” became the common greeting of the oppressed believers, replacing the Jewish greeting shalom (“peace”). The followers of Jesus knew there would be no peace because Jesus had told them so (Matthew 10:34; Luke 12:51). But they also knew the Lord would be returning to set up His kingdom, and from that truth they drew great comfort. They were constantly reminding and being reminded that the Lord is coming (Luke 21:28; Revelation 22:12). Jesus taught several parables on this same theme of watching and waiting and being prepared for His return (Matthew 25:1-13; Luke 12:35-40). First Corinthians 13 is one of the most famous passages in the New Testament. It is often referred to as the “Love Chapter” because it illustrates a biblical understanding of love. It’s in this chapter that Paul speaks of a time when “we shall see face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12). In 1 Corinthians 13:1–3, Paul argues that love surpasses all spiritual gifts. Even the greatest spiritual gift is worthless without love. In 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, Paul describes the characteristics of love. These characteristics emphasize the importance of putting the interests of others above our own (cf. John 15:13; Philippians 2:14). In 1 Corinthians 13:8–12, Paul speaks to the temporary nature of spiritual gifts and the hope that Christians have for a full, complete, and intimate knowledge of God in the future. This section reminds us that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues and prophesying are not eternal. Love, however, is eternal and will never fail (verse 8 and verse 13). Therefore, love is what truly matters. This section also speaks to the limitations of human understanding. Because of sin and human finitude, we can only know and prophesy in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). Currently, we cannot understand God’s ways (Romans 11:33), nor can we fathom the depths of His love (Ephesians 3:17–19). But when Christ returns, sin will disappear and we will finally see God face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). The expression face to face appears in 1 Corinthians 13:12. The full verse reads, “For now we see only a 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.” The event described in this verse is often referred to as the “Beatific Vision” (to see God as He is), promised to Christians when Christ returns: “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). In our present state, however, we only have an indirect and imperfect knowledge of God’s infinite wisdom, glory, and love. Thus, we cannot see God as He is. Paul compares our present knowledge of divine things to a dark reflection in a mirror. In New Testament times, a mirror was formed from polished metal, which could only reflect a dim and imperfect image. Yet Paul promises that God will exchange our dim images for a face-to-face encounter with Himself. On that glorious day, the light of God will shine upon us, and we will be free from all darkness. imperfection, and error. We will know Him fully, even as we are fully known by Him. This mutual recognition and understanding is the epitome of a deeply intimate relationship. The beatific vision has roots in the Old Testament (Genesis 32:20; Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10). In Exodus 33:18–23, Moses asks to see God’s glory, but God tells Moses that no one can see His glory and live. However, God allows Moses to see His back, but not Him in His entirety (that is, in His full glory). In Matthew 5:8, Jesus promises that the pure in heart will see God. Jesus can make this promise because He is the only one who has seen the Father (John 1:18), and whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father (John 14:9). Jesus is the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being” (Hebrews 1:3). And when He returns, we will behold the fullness of God’s glory. On that day, we will see God as He truly is. This hope for a face-to-face encounter with God gives Christians peace and comfort, even in difficult circumstances. When this life comes to an end, we will see and be seen by the One who loved us enough to die for us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). The phrase “heavenly places” or “heavenly realms” is used several times in the book of Ephesians (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). This phrase is translated from the Greek word epouranios, meaning “the sphere of spiritual activities.” “Heavenly realms” can refer to both angelic and demonic activity. Ephesians 1:20 says that God “raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.” But Ephesians 6:12 speaks of evil forces in the same realm: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against . . . the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” As flesh-and-blood humans, we have very little understanding of the spirit world. We cannot see, hear, or touch it. However, the Bible assumes it, and we can glean insight into a world we cannot see by studying what God tells us about it. First of all, God is spirit (John 4:24). He exists outside the bounds of time, space, and matter. His home is called heaven (Acts 7:55; Isaiah 63:15), but this is a distinct place, not to be confused with “the heavens,” referring to the atmosphere (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 148:4), or the “heavenly realms,” which encompass all spirit beings. In God’s heaven, He sits on a throne (Matthew 23:22; Hebrews 4:16), surrounded by adoring angels (Revelation 7:11; Psalm 99:1) who exist to serve God and minister to His saints (Hebrews 1:14; Matthew 4:11; Genesis 19:1). Angels also have the ability to appear as men when sent to deliver messages from God (Genesis 18:2, 16–17; 19:1–2; Daniel 10:5–6). However, the dark side of the heavenly realms belongs to Satan and his evil spirits. Satan is not the counterpart to God. God has no challenger. Satan is a created being who has only the power God allows him to have for only as long as God allows it (Isaiah 14:12; Luke 22:31; Revelation 12:12). Yet, for reasons known only to God, Satan and his minions are allowed to wreak havoc upon the earth and the servants of God—if unchecked by spiritual warfare and the holy angels. Daniel 10 gives us the best glimpse into what happens in this world we cannot see. An angel was dispatched by God to deliver a message to Daniel as he prayed, but the messenger was detained for three weeks by “the prince of Persia,” a demon (verse 13). The angel later told Daniel that he had to have help from Michael the archangel in order to prevail and continue on the assignment God had given him. This glimpse into the heavenly realms helps us understand a few things. First, we learn that there is fierce warfare taking place at all times. Satan and his demons are actively working to thwart the plans of God and destroy whatever they can (see John 10:10). If a mighty angel on a mission from God could be detained by demonic forces, then demons must have great power. Second, God does not leave His children defenseless against this evil army. Second Corinthians 10:4 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” Ephesians 6:11–17 tells us exactly what armor we need to stand firm against the temptations and schemes of the devil. In ourselves, we are no match for Satan’s devices. We need spiritual armor to fight spiritual battles. The third truth we can learn from the Daniel passage is that prayer gets God’s attention and that His answer is on the way. There are forces unknown to us that may interfere with God’s desire to aid us, and we must continue to persevere in prayer until the answer comes (see Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18). The heavenly realms are as real as the earthly realms. We will spend most of our lives living in the heavenly realms (2 Corinthians 5:1; 1 John 5:11). In contrast, our earthly existence is only a “vapor that appears for a little while and is gone” (James 4:14). Physical battles may seem intense, but the results are temporary. However, spiritual battles have eternal consequences. When we live our earthly lives in recognition of the unseen battles that rage all around us, we will be more careful about what we say and do (Ephesians 5:15–16; 2 Corinthians 2:11). We will be faithful to utilize our weapons of prayer and the armor of God, knowing that the real battles are fought and won in the heavenly realms. The closest thing Scripture says to there being different levels of heaven is found in 2 Corinthians 12:2, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.” Some interpret this as indicating that there are three different levels of heaven: a level for “super-committed Christians” or Christians who have obtained a high level of spirituality, a level for “ordinary” Christians, and a level for Christians who did not serve God faithfully. This view has no basis in Scripture. Paul is not saying that there are three heavens or even three levels of heaven. In many ancient cultures, people used the term heaven to describe three different “realms”—the sky, outer space, and then a spiritual heaven. Paul was saying that God took him to the “spiritual” heaven—the realm beyond the physical universe where God dwells. The concept of different levels of heaven may have come in part from Dante’s The Divine Comedy in which the poet describes both heaven and hell as having nine different levels. The Divine Comedy, however, is a fictional work. The idea of different levels of heaven is foreign to Scripture. Scripture does speak of different rewards in heaven. Jesus said regarding rewards, “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done” (Revelation 22:12). Since Jesus will be distributing rewards on the basis of what we have done, we can safely say that there will be a time of reward for believers and that the rewards will differ somewhat from person to person. Only those works that survive God’s refining fire have eternal value and will be worthy of reward. Those valuable works are referred to as “gold, silver, costly stones” (1 Corinthians 3:12) and are those things that are built upon the foundation of faith in Christ. Those works that will not be rewarded are called “wood, hay, or straw”; these are not evil deeds but shallow activities with no eternal value. Rewards will be distributed at the “judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10), a place where believers’ lives will be evaluated for the purpose of rewards. “Judgment” of believers never refers to punishment for sin. Jesus Christ was punished for our sin when He died on the cross, and God has said about us, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12). What a glorious thought! The Christian need never fear punishment but can look forward to crowns of reward that he can cast at the feet of the Savior. In conclusion, there are not different levels of heaven, but there are different levels of reward in heaven. Incarnation is a term used by theologians to indicate that Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh. This is similar to the hypostatic union. The difference is that the hypostatic union explains how Jesus’ two natures are joined, and the Incarnation more specifically affirms His humanity. The word incarnation means “the act of being made flesh.” It comes from the Latin version of John 1:14, which in English reads, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” Because of the near-exclusive use of the Latin Vulgate in the church through the Middle Ages, the Latin term became standard. Biblical support for Jesus’ humanity is extensive. The Gospels report Jesus’ human needs including sleep (Luke 8:23), food (Matthew 4:2; 21:18), and physical protection (Matthew 2:13-15; John 10:39). Other indications of His humanity are that He perspired (Luke 22:43-44) and bled (John 19:34). Jesus also expressed emotions including joy (John 15:11), sorrow (Matthew 26:37), and anger (Mark 3:5). During His life, Jesus referred to Himself as a man (John 8:40), and after His resurrection His humanity was still recognized (Acts 2:22). But the purpose of the Incarnation was not to taste food or to feel sorrow. The Son of God came in the flesh in order to be the Savior of mankind. First, it was necessary to be born “under the law” (Galatians 4:4). All of us have failed to fulfill God’s Law. Christ came in the flesh, under the Law, to fulfill the Law on our behalf (Matthew 5:17; Galatians 4:5). Second, it was necessary for the Savior to shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). A blood sacrifice, of course, requires a body of flesh and blood. And this was God’s plan for the Incarnation: “When Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering [under the Old Covenant] you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me’” (Hebrews 10:5). Without the Incarnation, Christ could not really die, and the cross is meaningless. God did an incredible work in sending His only begotten Son into the world and providing us with a salvation we do not deserve. Praise the Lord for that moment in which “the Word became flesh.” We are now redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19). Jesus was both human and divine. Please read about the divinity of Jesus here. Today, believers in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ live our lives in the light of the knowledge that He can come at any time. We are to be ready when the call comes. Every day we should expect Him to come, and every day we should long for Him to come. Maranatha reminds us to keep our eyes on the eternal things of the Spirit. To dwell on material things is to be in constant mental turmoil. Looking down, we see the earth; looking around, we see earthly things. But looking up, we see the hope of the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. To those who are discouraged today, Maranatha! To those who are worried today, Maranatha! To those who are filled with anxiety over the problems they are facing, Maranatha! Our Lord is coming! |
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.
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).
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.
On the last day of creation, God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Thus, He finished His work with a “personal touch.” God formed Adam from the dust and gave him life by sharing His own breath (Genesis 2:7). Accordingly, humanity is unique among all God’s creations, having both a material body and an immaterial soul/spirit.
Having the “image” or “likeness” of God means, in the simplest terms, that we were made to resemble God. Adam did not resemble God in the sense of God’s having flesh and blood. Scripture says that “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and therefore exists without a body. However, Adam’s body did mirror the life of God insofar as it was created in perfect health and was not subject to death.
The image of God (Latin, imago dei) refers to the immaterial part of humanity. It sets human beings apart from the animal world, fits them for the dominion God intended them to have over the earth (Genesis 1:28), and enables them to commune with their Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally, and socially.
Mentally, humanity was created as a rational, volitional agent. In other words, human beings can reason and choose. This is a reflection of God’s intellect and freedom. Anytime someone invents a machine, writes a book, paints a landscape, enjoys a symphony, calculates a sum, or names a pet, he or she is proclaiming the fact that we are made in God’s image.
Morally, humanity was created in righteousness and perfect innocence, a reflection of God’s holiness. God saw all He had made (humanity included) and called it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Our conscience or “moral compass” is a vestige of that original state. Whenever someone writes a law, recoils from evil, praises good behavior, or feels guilty, he or she is confirming the fact that we are made in God’s own image.
Socially, humanity was created for fellowship. This reflects God’s triune nature and His love. In Eden, humanity’s primary relationship was with God (Genesis 3:8 implies fellowship with God), and God made the first woman because “it is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Every time someone marries, makes a friend, hugs a child, or attends church, he or she is demonstrating the fact that we are made in the likeness of God.
Part of being made in God’s image is that Adam had the capacity to make free choices. Although they were given a righteous nature, Adam and Eve made an evil choice to rebel against their Creator. In so doing, they marred the image of God within themselves, and passed that damaged likeness on to all their descendants (Romans 5:12). Today, we still bear the image of God (James 3:9), but we also bear the scars of sin. Mentally, morally, socially, and physically, we show the effects of sin.
The good news is that when God redeems an individual, He begins to restore the original image of God, creating a “new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). That redemption is only available by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior from the sin that separates us from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Through Christ, we are made new creations in the likeness of God (2 Corinthians 5:17).
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.
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.
Quoting from the Septuagint, the apostle Paul referred to Isaiah’s prophecy in Romans 15:8–13. Paul specifically acknowledged Jesus Christ as the root of Jesse in whom the Gentiles put their hope: “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope’” (verse 12). And in the book of Revelation, Jesus states, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16).
Isaiah’s use of the phrase root of Jesse calls into focus the humanity of Jesus. The Messiah would possess human ancestry. It also underscores Christ’s humble origins. As a shepherd from Bethlehem, Jesse occupied a relatively humble station in life. King Saul often used the phrase the son of Jesse to refer to David in a derogatory manner (1 Samuel 20:27, 30–31; 22:7–8). The Jesse Tree is an Advent custom that originates from Isaiah’s prophecy of the root of Jesse. Instead of perishing, Jesse’s family grew into a branch that bore fruit in the form of Messiah: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). During Advent, some use a Jesse Tree to represent the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
The Scripture has several words translated "right" and the usage of the term, "right hand" ranges from a direction, to the opposite of wrong, what is just or what conforms to an established standard, and to a place of honor or authority. In the case of division or appointment in the Bible, the right hand or right side came first, as when Israel (Jacob) divided the blessings to Joseph’s sons before he died (Genesis 48:13-14).
In addition, a person of high rank who put someone on his right hand gave him equal honor with himself and recognized him as possessing equal dignity and authority. And this is what the Apostle Paul writes of Jesus Christ in Ephesians. "And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us, the ones believing according to the working of His mighty strength which He worked in Christ in raising Him from the dead, and He seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this world, but also in the coming age" (Ephesians 1:19-21). Here we see God exalting Jesus above all others by seating Him at the right hand of the Father.
The term "God’s right hand" in prophecy refers to the Messiah to whom is given the power and authority to subdue His enemies (Psalm 110:1; Psalm 118:16). We find a quote in Matthew 22:44 from Psalm 110:1, which is a Messianic Psalm. "The Son of David" is claimed by the LORD Jesus Christ as He is the "greater son of David" or the Messiah. In this passage of Matthew 22, Jesus questions the Pharisees about who they think the "Christ" or the Messiah is. "While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose son is He? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make Thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call Him Lord, how is He his son?" (Matthew 22:41-45, KJV). The position of the Messiah is at God’s right hand.
The fact that Jesus Christ is at the "right hand of God" was a sign to the disciples that Jesus had indeed gone to heaven. In John 16:7-15, Jesus told the disciples that He had to go away and He would send the Holy Spirit. So the coming of the Holy Spirit in the upper room on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13) was proof positive that Jesus was indeed in heaven seated at the right hand of God. This is confirmed in Romans 8:34 where the Apostle Paul writes that Christ is sitting at God’s right hand making intercession for us.
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus assures His audience on the mount that He had not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets; rather, He had come to fulfill them. Then, in verse 18, Jesus emphasizes the eternal nature of God’s Word: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (KJV). His statement naturally prompts the question of what’s a jot? And what’s a tittle?
Most of us are unfamiliar with jots and tittles because most of us do not read the Hebrew language. Jots and tittles have to do with letters and pen strokes in Hebrew writing.
A jot is the tenth letter in the Hebrew alphabet and the smallest. It was written above the line and looks to us rather like an apostrophe:
Jot is related to our modern English word iota, meaning “a very small amount.” The Hebrew spelling is yod or yodh. Many Bibles have a picture of a yod in Psalm 119. Check out the section title coming just before verse 73.
A tittle is even smaller than a jot. A tittle is a letter extension, a pen stroke that can differentiate one Hebrew letter from another. An example can be seen in the comparison between the Hebrew letters resh and daleth (or dalet):
The resh (on the left) is made with one smooth stroke. The daleth (on the right) is made with two strokes of the pen. The letters are very similar to each other, but the distinguishing mark of the daleth is the small extension of the roof of the letter:
That extension is a tittle. See Psalm 119:25 and 153 for pictures of the daleth and resh, respectively.
When Jesus said, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” in Matthew 5:18, He was stating emphatically that God’s Word is true and trustworthy. God has spoken, His words have been written down accurately, and what God has said will surely come to pass. Fulfillment is inevitable. Even the smallest letter of the Law will be fulfilled. Even the smallest pen stroke of the Prophets will be accomplished. The NLT translates the verse this way: “Until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.”
Doubters will doubt, and mockers will mock, but God’s Word will not change: “Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89). The gospel changes lives: “‘The word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:25). God is reliable, and so is His Word—every jot and tittle of it.
Therefore, what we can say is that "God’s right hand" refers to the Messiah, the LORD Jesus Christ, and He is of equal position, honor, power, and authority with God (John 1:1-5). The fact that Christ is "sitting" refers to the fact that His work of redemption is done and when the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in (Romans 11:25), Christ’s enemies will be made His footstool. When the end of the age comes, all prophecy will be completed, and time will be no more.
Second Peter 1:3–4 says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (ESV). The verse plainly says that believers are made “partakers of the divine nature” through God’s promises, but what does that mean, exactly? To what extent can we partake of God’s nature?
There are several notable points in 2 Peter 1:3–4. First, God’s power has granted us the “very great promises” concerning our salvation. Second, it is through those promises that we are made “partakers of the divine nature.” Third, being partakers of the divine nature involves escaping the world’s decay and rising above sinful desires. Simply put, when we are saved, we receive a new nature, by which we do not perish with the world.
Human “nature” in the Bible is what makes us “us.” A man’s nature is the sum total of qualities that make him who he is. It is a person’s inherent character and that which constitutes his or her individuality. According to the Bible, every human being is born with Adam’s nature, which is sinful; we have a natural bent toward pleasing self (Romans 5:12; 7:14). Our natural selves cannot please God (Romans 8:8). Our sin nature keeps us from fellowship with God, keeps us in bondage to sin, and leads eventually to spiritual death (Romans 6:16, 23; 7:14; 2 Peter 2:19). We cannot free ourselves from sin because we cannot change our natures, just as a tiger cannot change its stripes.
When we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are saved (Acts 16:31), and we undergo a radical spiritual transformation. This is what Peter means when he says we are made partakers of the divine nature. We are made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are born again (John 3:3). We died, and now our lives are “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). We are “in Christ” (Romans 8:1).
As partakers of the divine nature, believers do not have to follow the sin nature any more. At salvation, our old nature is defeated, and we receive a new, divine nature that desires the things of God (2 Corinthians 5:17). We love what He loves and hate what He hates (Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:4).
As partakers of the divine nature, believers are no longer enslaved to the passions and sins of the flesh (Romans 6:6, 14). We have power from on high to conquer every temptation that comes against us (1 Corinthians 10:13).
As partakers of the divine nature, believers are made part of the family of God (John 1:12), and this results in a changed life. First John 3:9 says, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” By giving us His nature, God makes us His sons and daughters and conforms us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 6:18).
As partakers of the divine nature, believers have the Holy Spirit indwelling them. God declares that we are “more than conquerors” because of the power of the Holy Spirit within our hearts (Romans 8:37). Our Comforter/Advocate/counselor is with us wherever we go (John 14:16). We will never be forsaken (Hebrews 13:5).
God is faithful to keep His “great and precious promises,” and we praise Him for our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ; for the gift of the Holy Spirit; and for the everlasting life we enjoy as partakers of His divine nature.
Messiah comes from the Hebrew word mashiach and means “anointed one” or “chosen one.” The Greek equivalent is the word Christos or, in English, Christ. The name “Jesus Christ” is the same as “Jesus the Messiah.” In biblical times, anointing someone with oil was a sign that God was consecrating or setting apart that person for a particular role. Thus, an “anointed one” was someone with a special, God-ordained purpose.
In Romans 10:4, the apostle Paul writes, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (ESV). 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 fulfilli
ng 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.
In the Old Testament, people were anointed for the positions of prophet, priest, and king. God told Elijah to anoint Elisha to succeed him as Israel’s prophet (1 Kings 19:16). Aaron was anointed as the first high priest of Israel (Leviticus 8:12). Samuel anointed both Saul and David as kings of Israel (1 Samuel 10:1; 16:13). All of these men held “anointed” positions. But the Old Testament predicted a coming Deliverer, chosen by God to redeem Israel (Isaiah 42:1; 61:1–3). This Deliverer the Jews called the Messiah.
Jesus of Nazareth was and is the prophesied Messiah (Luke 4:17–21; John 4:25–26). Throughout the New Testament, we see proof that Jesus is the Chosen One: “These [miracles] are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). We also hear testimonies that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The ultimate evidence that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah, the Anointed One, is His resurrection from the dead. Acts 10:39–43 is an eyewitness testimony to His resurrection and the fact that “he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.”
Jesus fulfills the role of Prophet, Priest, and King, which is further evidence to His being the Messiah. He is a prophet, because He embodied and preached the Word of God (see John 1:1–18; 14:24; and Luke 24:19); a priest, because His death atones for our sins and reconciles us to the Father (see Hebrews 2:17; 4:14); and a king, because after His resurrection God gave all authority to Him (see John 18:36; Ephesians 1:20–23; and Revelation 19:16).
The Jews of Jesus’ day expected the Messiah to redeem Israel by overthrowing the rule of the Romans and establishing an earthly kingdom (see Acts 1:6). It wasn’t until after Jesus’ resurrection that His disciples finally began to understand what the prophecies in the Old Testament really meant the Messiah would do (see Luke 24:25–27). The Messiah was “anointed” first to deliver His people spiritually; that is, to redeem them from sin (John 8:31–36). He accomplished this salvation through His death and resurrection (John 12:32; John 3:16). Later, Jesus the Messiah will deliver His people from their physical enemies, when He sets up His Kingdom on the earth (see Isaiah 9:1–7).
Revelation 12:10 calls Satan the “accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night.” The context of the verse describes a cosmic battle between a great red dragon (identified as Satan in Revelation 12:7) and the angelic hosts of heaven. The dragon is hurled to the earth (Revelation 12:9), the authority of the Messiah is locked in place (verse 10), and the believers are victorious:
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11, NKJV).
In Revelation 10:9, the apostle John asks an angel for the book the angel is holding, and the angel tells John to eat it. What is the little book that John eats (Revelation 10:9), and why is the book significant? The context helps answer those questions.
Revelation 5 presents a scene in heaven of the throne room of God; God has in His right hand a book with seven seals (Revelation 5:1). Jesus is the only one found worthy to open the book and its seals (Revelation 5:6), and when He opens each of the seven seals, there is a corresponding catastrophic judgment event on earth. When the seventh seal is opened, seven trumpets sound, each one beckoning a further judgment. After the sixth trumpet sounds, a strong angel appears, and the angel cried out like a lion’s roar and with thunder (Revelation 10:1–3). As John is about to write down what he heard, he is told not to write the words (Revelation 10:4). The angel then proclaims that there would be no further delay and that “the mystery of God is finished, as He had proclaimed to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7).
Then the voice from heaven prohibiting John from writing what he had heard tells John to “go, take the book which is in the hand of the angel” (Revelation 10:8). John heeds the voice and approaches the angel, requesting to take the book. The angel replies, saying that John should take it and eat it and that it would be sweet in his mouth but would make his stomach bitter (Revelation 10:9). John does eat the book, and it is as the angel said (Revelation 10:10).
This was not the first time a prophet was told to eat a scroll or book. In Ezekiel 2—3 God had a scroll—with words written on front and back just like the book in Revelation—and on this book were written “lamentations, mourning, and woe” (Ezekiel 2:10). God told Ezekiel to eat the scroll, and it was sweet in his mouth like honey (Ezekiel 3:3)—again, just like the book in Revelation. Ezekiel was literally tasting God’s judgment upon Israel and the nations, and John was doing something similar. For centuries up to that point, God had sent His prophets to warn the nations and especially Israel of coming judgments; in Revelation “the mystery of God is finished as He had proclaimed to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7). It appears that the little book that John eats is the book bearing the seals that only the Lamb was worthy to open (as He is the Judge), a book filled with the remaining judgments of God on the nations in fulfillment of the many prophecies He gave during the Old and New Testament eras. Once the final seal had been opened, the judgments in the book were initiated, and the mysteries of God were finished.
In Revelation chapter 12, John sees a vision of a woman "clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (Revelation 12:1). Note the similarity between this description and the description that Joseph gave of his father Jacob (Israel) and his mother and their children (Genesis 37:9-11). The twelve stars refer to the twelve tribes of Israel. So the woman in Revelation 12 is Israel.
Additional evidence for this interpretation is that Revelation 12:2-5 speaks of the woman being with child and giving birth. While it is true that Mary gave birth to Jesus, it is also true that Jesus, the son of David from the tribe of Judah, came from Israel. In a sense, Israel gave birth—or brought forth—Christ Jesus. Verse 5 says that the woman’s child was "a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne." Clearly, this is describing Jesus. Jesus ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9-11) and will one day establish His kingdom on earth (Revelation 20:4-6), and He will rule it with perfect judgment (the “rod of iron”; see Psalm 2:7-9).
The woman’s flight into the wilderness for 1,260 days refers to the future time called the Great Tribulation. Twelve hundred, sixty days is 42 months (of 30 days each), which is the same as 3 1/2 years. Halfway through the Tribulation period, the Beast (the Antichrist) will set an image of himself up in the temple that will be built in Jerusalem. This is the abomination that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14. When the Beast does this, he breaks the peace pact he had made with Israel, and the nation has to flee for safety—possibly to Petra (also see Matthew 24; Daniel 9:27). This escape of the Jews is pictured as the woman fleeing into the wilderness.
Revelation 12:12-17 speaks of how the devil will make war against Israel, trying to destroy her (Satan knows his time is short, relatively speaking—see Revelation 20:1-3, 10). It also reveals that God will protect Israel in the wilderness. Revelation 12:14 says Israel will be protected from the devil for "a time, times, and half a time” (“a time” = 1 year; “times” = 2 years; “half a time” = one-half year; in other words, 3 1/2 years).
In the book of Revelation, God provides a testimony—this one for the churches. The mysteries were now revealed and recorded in the book John wrote. While we aren’t told why the little book that John eats turned his stomach sour, perhaps it was because of what was coming after he ate the book—he had more prophesying to do (Revelation 10:11), and what followed was even worse than what came before. The final judgments in the great tribulation were even more severe. As John recorded the words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation, He records the words of Jesus, who warned that He was the rightful Judge and that He would come suddenly (Revelation 22:12–13). Jesus added that the one who heeds the words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation is blessed.
By reading John’s book we can know how the story will end. How will we prepare? Will we hear and disregard Jesus’ words, or will we heed them and come to Him to take the water of life that costs us nothing (Revelation 22:17)?
During the tribulation of the end times, Satan’s wrath against God’s’ people, especially Israel (the “woman” of Revelation 12) will intensify. But the believers are promised to overcome. Dr. Charles Ryrie comments on Revelation 12:11: “The believer’s defense against Satan is (1) to bank on the merits of the death of Christ, (2) to be active in witnessing, and (3) to be willing to make any sacrifice, including death” (The Ryrie Study Bible, Moody Press, 1978, p. 1,801).
Down through the centuries, the “great dragon” Satan has despised the mercy, love, grace, and forgiveness that God pours out on believers in Jesus Christ. With relentless, evil determination, the devil hounds us, fixated on destroying our walk with God and chasing us back into a spiritual prison. But, day by day, night by night, believers always overcome him “by the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11).
Satan’s tireless goal in the life of every Christian is to prevent, disrupt, and cut off his or her relationship with God. He “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). But the devil’s only real power over believers is to throw our sins and transgressions in our faces. He is the accuser. Thankfully, the sacrifice of Christ has effectively dealt with the problem. It is the blood of Jesus Christ—the blood of the Lamb—that redeems people, setting them free from slavery to sin and Satan’s control.
Scripture gives us vivid pictures of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross. Peter explains that “God paid a ransom” to save us from our old empty way of life. “And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:18–19, NLT). The tribulation saints will have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). When Jesus Christ died, His precious blood “purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). Jesus’ blood was poured out “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28), and it “purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Satan tries to condemn us, but we overcome by the blood of the Lamb. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2). Jesus freed us from the spiritual chains of sin (John 8:35–36; Romans 6:17–22).
The next time Satan tries to hurl past failures in your face, remember that “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned” (John 3:17–18).
All believers—past, present and future—overcome the accuser by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus Christ’s death is the definitive basis for our victory over the enemy of our souls. The apostle Paul asks, “Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (Romans 8:33–34, NLT). Despite everything in the devil’s arsenal that he can throw at us, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
Paul tells the Colossians, “For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. So don’t let anyone condemn you” (Colossians 2:12–16, NLT).
We must not allow the devil to deceive us with lies and accusations. Every charge he can bring against us is canceled, nailed to the cross, and overcome by the blood of the Lamb. It may seem strange that, in Revelation 12, a raging dragon is overcome by a slain lamb. Lambs are not usually seen as dragon-slayers. But such is the power and efficacy of the death of Christ. Because of Christ’s shed blood on the cross, sin has lost its grip on us. Whenever Satan accuses us, we can sing, “My chains are gone; I’ve been set free.”
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.
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).
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.
On the last day of creation, God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Thus, He finished His work with a “personal touch.” God formed Adam from the dust and gave him life by sharing His own breath (Genesis 2:7). Accordingly, humanity is unique among all God’s creations, having both a material body and an immaterial soul/spirit.
Having the “image” or “likeness” of God means, in the simplest terms, that we were made to resemble God. Adam did not resemble God in the sense of God’s having flesh and blood. Scripture says that “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and therefore exists without a body. However, Adam’s body did mirror the life of God insofar as it was created in perfect health and was not subject to death.
The image of God (Latin, imago dei) refers to the immaterial part of humanity. It sets human beings apart from the animal world, fits them for the dominion God intended them to have over the earth (Genesis 1:28), and enables them to commune with their Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally, and socially.
Mentally, humanity was created as a rational, volitional agent. In other words, human beings can reason and choose. This is a reflection of God’s intellect and freedom. Anytime someone invents a machine, writes a book, paints a landscape, enjoys a symphony, calculates a sum, or names a pet, he or she is proclaiming the fact that we are made in God’s image.
Morally, humanity was created in righteousness and perfect innocence, a reflection of God’s holiness. God saw all He had made (humanity included) and called it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Our conscience or “moral compass” is a vestige of that original state. Whenever someone writes a law, recoils from evil, praises good behavior, or feels guilty, he or she is confirming the fact that we are made in God’s own image.
Socially, humanity was created for fellowship. This reflects God’s triune nature and His love. In Eden, humanity’s primary relationship was with God (Genesis 3:8 implies fellowship with God), and God made the first woman because “it is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Every time someone marries, makes a friend, hugs a child, or attends church, he or she is demonstrating the fact that we are made in the likeness of God.
Part of being made in God’s image is that Adam had the capacity to make free choices. Although they were given a righteous nature, Adam and Eve made an evil choice to rebel against their Creator. In so doing, they marred the image of God within themselves, and passed that damaged likeness on to all their descendants (Romans 5:12). Today, we still bear the image of God (James 3:9), but we also bear the scars of sin. Mentally, morally, socially, and physically, we show the effects of sin.
The good news is that when God redeems an individual, He begins to restore the original image of God, creating a “new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). That redemption is only available by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior from the sin that separates us from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Through Christ, we are made new creations in the likeness of God (2 Corinthians 5:17).
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.
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.
Quoting from the Septuagint, the apostle Paul referred to Isaiah’s prophecy in Romans 15:8–13. Paul specifically acknowledged Jesus Christ as the root of Jesse in whom the Gentiles put their hope: “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope’” (verse 12). And in the book of Revelation, Jesus states, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16).
Isaiah’s use of the phrase root of Jesse calls into focus the humanity of Jesus. The Messiah would possess human ancestry. It also underscores Christ’s humble origins. As a shepherd from Bethlehem, Jesse occupied a relatively humble station in life. King Saul often used the phrase the son of Jesse to refer to David in a derogatory manner (1 Samuel 20:27, 30–31; 22:7–8). The Jesse Tree is an Advent custom that originates from Isaiah’s prophecy of the root of Jesse. Instead of perishing, Jesse’s family grew into a branch that bore fruit in the form of Messiah: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). During Advent, some use a Jesse Tree to represent the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
The Scripture has several words translated "right" and the usage of the term, "right hand" ranges from a direction, to the opposite of wrong, what is just or what conforms to an established standard, and to a place of honor or authority. In the case of division or appointment in the Bible, the right hand or right side came first, as when Israel (Jacob) divided the blessings to Joseph’s sons before he died (Genesis 48:13-14).
In addition, a person of high rank who put someone on his right hand gave him equal honor with himself and recognized him as possessing equal dignity and authority. And this is what the Apostle Paul writes of Jesus Christ in Ephesians. "And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us, the ones believing according to the working of His mighty strength which He worked in Christ in raising Him from the dead, and He seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this world, but also in the coming age" (Ephesians 1:19-21). Here we see God exalting Jesus above all others by seating Him at the right hand of the Father.
The term "God’s right hand" in prophecy refers to the Messiah to whom is given the power and authority to subdue His enemies (Psalm 110:1; Psalm 118:16). We find a quote in Matthew 22:44 from Psalm 110:1, which is a Messianic Psalm. "The Son of David" is claimed by the LORD Jesus Christ as He is the "greater son of David" or the Messiah. In this passage of Matthew 22, Jesus questions the Pharisees about who they think the "Christ" or the Messiah is. "While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose son is He? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make Thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call Him Lord, how is He his son?" (Matthew 22:41-45, KJV). The position of the Messiah is at God’s right hand.
The fact that Jesus Christ is at the "right hand of God" was a sign to the disciples that Jesus had indeed gone to heaven. In John 16:7-15, Jesus told the disciples that He had to go away and He would send the Holy Spirit. So the coming of the Holy Spirit in the upper room on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13) was proof positive that Jesus was indeed in heaven seated at the right hand of God. This is confirmed in Romans 8:34 where the Apostle Paul writes that Christ is sitting at God’s right hand making intercession for us.
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus assures His audience on the mount that He had not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets; rather, He had come to fulfill them. Then, in verse 18, Jesus emphasizes the eternal nature of God’s Word: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (KJV). His statement naturally prompts the question of what’s a jot? And what’s a tittle?
Most of us are unfamiliar with jots and tittles because most of us do not read the Hebrew language. Jots and tittles have to do with letters and pen strokes in Hebrew writing.
A jot is the tenth letter in the Hebrew alphabet and the smallest. It was written above the line and looks to us rather like an apostrophe:
Jot is related to our modern English word iota, meaning “a very small amount.” The Hebrew spelling is yod or yodh. Many Bibles have a picture of a yod in Psalm 119. Check out the section title coming just before verse 73.
A tittle is even smaller than a jot. A tittle is a letter extension, a pen stroke that can differentiate one Hebrew letter from another. An example can be seen in the comparison between the Hebrew letters resh and daleth (or dalet):
The resh (on the left) is made with one smooth stroke. The daleth (on the right) is made with two strokes of the pen. The letters are very similar to each other, but the distinguishing mark of the daleth is the small extension of the roof of the letter:
That extension is a tittle. See Psalm 119:25 and 153 for pictures of the daleth and resh, respectively.
When Jesus said, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” in Matthew 5:18, He was stating emphatically that God’s Word is true and trustworthy. God has spoken, His words have been written down accurately, and what God has said will surely come to pass. Fulfillment is inevitable. Even the smallest letter of the Law will be fulfilled. Even the smallest pen stroke of the Prophets will be accomplished. The NLT translates the verse this way: “Until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.”
Doubters will doubt, and mockers will mock, but God’s Word will not change: “Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89). The gospel changes lives: “‘The word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:25). God is reliable, and so is His Word—every jot and tittle of it.
Therefore, what we can say is that "God’s right hand" refers to the Messiah, the LORD Jesus Christ, and He is of equal position, honor, power, and authority with God (John 1:1-5). The fact that Christ is "sitting" refers to the fact that His work of redemption is done and when the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in (Romans 11:25), Christ’s enemies will be made His footstool. When the end of the age comes, all prophecy will be completed, and time will be no more.
Second Peter 1:3–4 says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (ESV). The verse plainly says that believers are made “partakers of the divine nature” through God’s promises, but what does that mean, exactly? To what extent can we partake of God’s nature?
There are several notable points in 2 Peter 1:3–4. First, God’s power has granted us the “very great promises” concerning our salvation. Second, it is through those promises that we are made “partakers of the divine nature.” Third, being partakers of the divine nature involves escaping the world’s decay and rising above sinful desires. Simply put, when we are saved, we receive a new nature, by which we do not perish with the world.
Human “nature” in the Bible is what makes us “us.” A man’s nature is the sum total of qualities that make him who he is. It is a person’s inherent character and that which constitutes his or her individuality. According to the Bible, every human being is born with Adam’s nature, which is sinful; we have a natural bent toward pleasing self (Romans 5:12; 7:14). Our natural selves cannot please God (Romans 8:8). Our sin nature keeps us from fellowship with God, keeps us in bondage to sin, and leads eventually to spiritual death (Romans 6:16, 23; 7:14; 2 Peter 2:19). We cannot free ourselves from sin because we cannot change our natures, just as a tiger cannot change its stripes.
When we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are saved (Acts 16:31), and we undergo a radical spiritual transformation. This is what Peter means when he says we are made partakers of the divine nature. We are made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are born again (John 3:3). We died, and now our lives are “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). We are “in Christ” (Romans 8:1).
As partakers of the divine nature, believers do not have to follow the sin nature any more. At salvation, our old nature is defeated, and we receive a new, divine nature that desires the things of God (2 Corinthians 5:17). We love what He loves and hate what He hates (Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:4).
As partakers of the divine nature, believers are no longer enslaved to the passions and sins of the flesh (Romans 6:6, 14). We have power from on high to conquer every temptation that comes against us (1 Corinthians 10:13).
As partakers of the divine nature, believers are made part of the family of God (John 1:12), and this results in a changed life. First John 3:9 says, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” By giving us His nature, God makes us His sons and daughters and conforms us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 6:18).
As partakers of the divine nature, believers have the Holy Spirit indwelling them. God declares that we are “more than conquerors” because of the power of the Holy Spirit within our hearts (Romans 8:37). Our Comforter/Advocate/counselor is with us wherever we go (John 14:16). We will never be forsaken (Hebrews 13:5).
God is faithful to keep His “great and precious promises,” and we praise Him for our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ; for the gift of the Holy Spirit; and for the everlasting life we enjoy as partakers of His divine nature.
Messiah comes from the Hebrew word mashiach and means “anointed one” or “chosen one.” The Greek equivalent is the word Christos or, in English, Christ. The name “Jesus Christ” is the same as “Jesus the Messiah.” In biblical times, anointing someone with oil was a sign that God was consecrating or setting apart that person for a particular role. Thus, an “anointed one” was someone with a special, God-ordained purpose.
In Romans 10:4, the apostle Paul writes, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (ESV). 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 fulfilli
ng 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.
In the Old Testament, people were anointed for the positions of prophet, priest, and king. God told Elijah to anoint Elisha to succeed him as Israel’s prophet (1 Kings 19:16). Aaron was anointed as the first high priest of Israel (Leviticus 8:12). Samuel anointed both Saul and David as kings of Israel (1 Samuel 10:1; 16:13). All of these men held “anointed” positions. But the Old Testament predicted a coming Deliverer, chosen by God to redeem Israel (Isaiah 42:1; 61:1–3). This Deliverer the Jews called the Messiah.
Jesus of Nazareth was and is the prophesied Messiah (Luke 4:17–21; John 4:25–26). Throughout the New Testament, we see proof that Jesus is the Chosen One: “These [miracles] are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). We also hear testimonies that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The ultimate evidence that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah, the Anointed One, is His resurrection from the dead. Acts 10:39–43 is an eyewitness testimony to His resurrection and the fact that “he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.”
Jesus fulfills the role of Prophet, Priest, and King, which is further evidence to His being the Messiah. He is a prophet, because He embodied and preached the Word of God (see John 1:1–18; 14:24; and Luke 24:19); a priest, because His death atones for our sins and reconciles us to the Father (see Hebrews 2:17; 4:14); and a king, because after His resurrection God gave all authority to Him (see John 18:36; Ephesians 1:20–23; and Revelation 19:16).
The Jews of Jesus’ day expected the Messiah to redeem Israel by overthrowing the rule of the Romans and establishing an earthly kingdom (see Acts 1:6). It wasn’t until after Jesus’ resurrection that His disciples finally began to understand what the prophecies in the Old Testament really meant the Messiah would do (see Luke 24:25–27). The Messiah was “anointed” first to deliver His people spiritually; that is, to redeem them from sin (John 8:31–36). He accomplished this salvation through His death and resurrection (John 12:32; John 3:16). Later, Jesus the Messiah will deliver His people from their physical enemies, when He sets up His Kingdom on the earth (see Isaiah 9:1–7).
Revelation 12:10 calls Satan the “accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night.” The context of the verse describes a cosmic battle between a great red dragon (identified as Satan in Revelation 12:7) and the angelic hosts of heaven. The dragon is hurled to the earth (Revelation 12:9), the authority of the Messiah is locked in place (verse 10), and the believers are victorious:
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11, NKJV).
In Revelation 10:9, the apostle John asks an angel for the book the angel is holding, and the angel tells John to eat it. What is the little book that John eats (Revelation 10:9), and why is the book significant? The context helps answer those questions.
Revelation 5 presents a scene in heaven of the throne room of God; God has in His right hand a book with seven seals (Revelation 5:1). Jesus is the only one found worthy to open the book and its seals (Revelation 5:6), and when He opens each of the seven seals, there is a corresponding catastrophic judgment event on earth. When the seventh seal is opened, seven trumpets sound, each one beckoning a further judgment. After the sixth trumpet sounds, a strong angel appears, and the angel cried out like a lion’s roar and with thunder (Revelation 10:1–3). As John is about to write down what he heard, he is told not to write the words (Revelation 10:4). The angel then proclaims that there would be no further delay and that “the mystery of God is finished, as He had proclaimed to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7).
Then the voice from heaven prohibiting John from writing what he had heard tells John to “go, take the book which is in the hand of the angel” (Revelation 10:8). John heeds the voice and approaches the angel, requesting to take the book. The angel replies, saying that John should take it and eat it and that it would be sweet in his mouth but would make his stomach bitter (Revelation 10:9). John does eat the book, and it is as the angel said (Revelation 10:10).
This was not the first time a prophet was told to eat a scroll or book. In Ezekiel 2—3 God had a scroll—with words written on front and back just like the book in Revelation—and on this book were written “lamentations, mourning, and woe” (Ezekiel 2:10). God told Ezekiel to eat the scroll, and it was sweet in his mouth like honey (Ezekiel 3:3)—again, just like the book in Revelation. Ezekiel was literally tasting God’s judgment upon Israel and the nations, and John was doing something similar. For centuries up to that point, God had sent His prophets to warn the nations and especially Israel of coming judgments; in Revelation “the mystery of God is finished as He had proclaimed to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7). It appears that the little book that John eats is the book bearing the seals that only the Lamb was worthy to open (as He is the Judge), a book filled with the remaining judgments of God on the nations in fulfillment of the many prophecies He gave during the Old and New Testament eras. Once the final seal had been opened, the judgments in the book were initiated, and the mysteries of God were finished.
In Revelation chapter 12, John sees a vision of a woman "clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (Revelation 12:1). Note the similarity between this description and the description that Joseph gave of his father Jacob (Israel) and his mother and their children (Genesis 37:9-11). The twelve stars refer to the twelve tribes of Israel. So the woman in Revelation 12 is Israel.
Additional evidence for this interpretation is that Revelation 12:2-5 speaks of the woman being with child and giving birth. While it is true that Mary gave birth to Jesus, it is also true that Jesus, the son of David from the tribe of Judah, came from Israel. In a sense, Israel gave birth—or brought forth—Christ Jesus. Verse 5 says that the woman’s child was "a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne." Clearly, this is describing Jesus. Jesus ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9-11) and will one day establish His kingdom on earth (Revelation 20:4-6), and He will rule it with perfect judgment (the “rod of iron”; see Psalm 2:7-9).
The woman’s flight into the wilderness for 1,260 days refers to the future time called the Great Tribulation. Twelve hundred, sixty days is 42 months (of 30 days each), which is the same as 3 1/2 years. Halfway through the Tribulation period, the Beast (the Antichrist) will set an image of himself up in the temple that will be built in Jerusalem. This is the abomination that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14. When the Beast does this, he breaks the peace pact he had made with Israel, and the nation has to flee for safety—possibly to Petra (also see Matthew 24; Daniel 9:27). This escape of the Jews is pictured as the woman fleeing into the wilderness.
Revelation 12:12-17 speaks of how the devil will make war against Israel, trying to destroy her (Satan knows his time is short, relatively speaking—see Revelation 20:1-3, 10). It also reveals that God will protect Israel in the wilderness. Revelation 12:14 says Israel will be protected from the devil for "a time, times, and half a time” (“a time” = 1 year; “times” = 2 years; “half a time” = one-half year; in other words, 3 1/2 years).
In the book of Revelation, God provides a testimony—this one for the churches. The mysteries were now revealed and recorded in the book John wrote. While we aren’t told why the little book that John eats turned his stomach sour, perhaps it was because of what was coming after he ate the book—he had more prophesying to do (Revelation 10:11), and what followed was even worse than what came before. The final judgments in the great tribulation were even more severe. As John recorded the words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation, He records the words of Jesus, who warned that He was the rightful Judge and that He would come suddenly (Revelation 22:12–13). Jesus added that the one who heeds the words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation is blessed.
By reading John’s book we can know how the story will end. How will we prepare? Will we hear and disregard Jesus’ words, or will we heed them and come to Him to take the water of life that costs us nothing (Revelation 22:17)?
During the tribulation of the end times, Satan’s wrath against God’s’ people, especially Israel (the “woman” of Revelation 12) will intensify. But the believers are promised to overcome. Dr. Charles Ryrie comments on Revelation 12:11: “The believer’s defense against Satan is (1) to bank on the merits of the death of Christ, (2) to be active in witnessing, and (3) to be willing to make any sacrifice, including death” (The Ryrie Study Bible, Moody Press, 1978, p. 1,801).
Down through the centuries, the “great dragon” Satan has despised the mercy, love, grace, and forgiveness that God pours out on believers in Jesus Christ. With relentless, evil determination, the devil hounds us, fixated on destroying our walk with God and chasing us back into a spiritual prison. But, day by day, night by night, believers always overcome him “by the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11).
Satan’s tireless goal in the life of every Christian is to prevent, disrupt, and cut off his or her relationship with God. He “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). But the devil’s only real power over believers is to throw our sins and transgressions in our faces. He is the accuser. Thankfully, the sacrifice of Christ has effectively dealt with the problem. It is the blood of Jesus Christ—the blood of the Lamb—that redeems people, setting them free from slavery to sin and Satan’s control.
Scripture gives us vivid pictures of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross. Peter explains that “God paid a ransom” to save us from our old empty way of life. “And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:18–19, NLT). The tribulation saints will have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). When Jesus Christ died, His precious blood “purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). Jesus’ blood was poured out “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28), and it “purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Satan tries to condemn us, but we overcome by the blood of the Lamb. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2). Jesus freed us from the spiritual chains of sin (John 8:35–36; Romans 6:17–22).
The next time Satan tries to hurl past failures in your face, remember that “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned” (John 3:17–18).
All believers—past, present and future—overcome the accuser by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus Christ’s death is the definitive basis for our victory over the enemy of our souls. The apostle Paul asks, “Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (Romans 8:33–34, NLT). Despite everything in the devil’s arsenal that he can throw at us, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
Paul tells the Colossians, “For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. So don’t let anyone condemn you” (Colossians 2:12–16, NLT).
We must not allow the devil to deceive us with lies and accusations. Every charge he can bring against us is canceled, nailed to the cross, and overcome by the blood of the Lamb. It may seem strange that, in Revelation 12, a raging dragon is overcome by a slain lamb. Lambs are not usually seen as dragon-slayers. But such is the power and efficacy of the death of Christ. Because of Christ’s shed blood on the cross, sin has lost its grip on us. Whenever Satan accuses us, we can sing, “My chains are gone; I’ve been set free.”
The prophet Ezekiel is shown healing trees with leaves for medicine (Ezekiel 47:12) as part of a series of visions that God gave him regarding the future of Israel (Ezekiel 40:2). In those visions (Ezekiel 40—48) God shows Ezekiel a future temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40—43), sets new rules for a coming prince and the future priests (Ezekiel 44—45), describes the sacrifices to take place during that time (Ezekiel 46), details the topography and boundaries of the restored land of Israel, and numbers the gates of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 47—48).
As God was showing Ezekiel the massive temple that will exist in the future, Ezekiel saw that there was water flowing from under the south side of the temple to the east side of the temple (Ezekiel 47:2). For roughly a thousand cubits to the east (1,700 feet) the water was ankle deep (Ezekiel 47:3). For another thousand it was knee deep, and at the third thousand the water was roughly waist deep (Ezekiel 47:4). Beyond that it was too deep to walk through (Ezekiel 47:5). The river flowed into the sea and made the seawater fresh and teeming with life (Ezekiel 47:8–10). As Ezekiel observed the banks of the river, he saw many trees on both sides (Ezekiel 47:6–7). These trees provided food, and their leaves never withered. “They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine” (Ezekiel 47:12, NKJV).
Ezekiel’s description of a river lined with healing trees matches some aspects of a vision in Revelation 22, where John is shown a similar scene. In the New Jerusalem, John sees the river of life, which comes from God’s throne and the Lamb’s throne (Revelation 22:1). On both sides of this river was the tree of life, which will bear fruit every month, and which had leaves “for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2).
In John 1:14, the apostle writes, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (ESV). Among the many wonderful truths expressed in this verse is that God Himself, in the Person of Jesus Christ, chose to dwell among us. “Jesus is not ashamed to call [us] brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11).
The prologue of John’s Gospel presents Jesus as the eternal, pre-existent Word of God made incarnate. The Word is the agent of creation (John 1:3; see also Colossians 1:16). He is the source of life and light (John 1:4–5). The Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us is the most incredible event in human history.
When John writes that the “Word became flesh,” he affirms the authentic humanity of Jesus. Jesus did not just seem or appear to be human, as the Gnostics taught, but He was truly, fully human. As the Apostles’ Creed declares, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.” In short, Jesus assumed human flesh and became human in every way, except that He was without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Not only did the Word add a human nature to His divine nature, but He “dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The Greek word translated as “dwelt” (eskēnōsen) comes from a verb that means “to dwell as in a tent.” The word could be literally translated as “tabernacled.” One commentary explains the significance of the word this way: “The term ‘dwelling’ is reminiscent of the Old Testament tabernacle, where God’s presence resided among the Israelites (Exodus 25:8–9). This suggests that Jesus is the new tabernacle, the place where God’s presence is fully realized. The Greek word used . . . implies pitching a tent, indicating a temporary but significant presence” (The Berean Study Bible, https://biblehub.com/john/1-14.htm, accessed 10/10/25). God has always sought a place to live with His people. The tabernacle of the Old Testament held God’s glory, and so did Jesus.
The glory of God in the incarnate Word was not perceived by everyone. John writes, “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (John 1:10–11, ESV). Every miracle that Jesus performed pointed to the fact that He is “the Holy One of God” (John 6:69), but only a relative few trusted in Him for eternal life.
The Word who became flesh and dwelt among us fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy of Immanuel: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Matthew relates the meaning of the name Immanuel: “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). The Son of God did not come to us as an angel or an intangible force or a magnificent abstraction; He came as one of us. He ate our food, walked our roads, shared our burdens, and was “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15, KJV). All so He could be our substitute on the cross, providing the perfect sacrifice for sin: “Now [God] has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1:22).
The Bible establishes that Jesus Christ is God: “For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body” (Colossians 2:9, NLT; see also Hebrews 1:3). Because Jesus is God, He is also Creator of the universe (Hebrews 1:2). Teaching on the preeminence or supremacy of Christ, the apostle Paul writes, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16, NKJV). Through His Son Jesus, God made everything we can see, plus all the things we can’t see.
All things “that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible” is Paul’s expressive way of saying Jesus made absolutely everything. There is nothing that Jesus did not create. The apostle John put it like this: “All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created” (John 1:3, CSB). God the Father is the architect of creation. He determined to bring all things into existence. But Jesus, His Son, is the agent who brought God’s plans into living, breathing reality. “Through his creative imagination and power, the created order exists” (Melick, R., Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Vol. 32, 1991, Broadman & Holman Pub., p. 217).
At the time of Paul’s writing, false teachers were inserting themselves into the church and subverting the truth about the nature of Christ as God. Their beliefs likely included the worship of angels and other unseen beings. In Colossians 1:16, Paul refers to these invisible entities as “thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.” The New Living Translation renders the invisible “things we can’t see” as “thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.”
A little later, Paul explains that Jesus Christ “disarmed the powers and authorities, [and] he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15). The apostle warns the Colossian Christians not to be persuaded by false teachers: “Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind” (Colossians 2:18). Paul questions why true believers would resort to worshiping angels and invisible powers when Jesus Christ, who created them, reigns supreme (see Hebrews 1:4). He continues, “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules?” (Colossians 2:20).
False teachers were trying to minimize the preeminence of Christ, lowering Him to the same level as invisible powers, angels, and rulers of the unseen world. Paul counters this ridiculous, spiritually immature notion with the facts about Jesus. As Creator of all things visible and invisible, Christ’s authority trumps every other earthy creature and spiritual being. Only He is worthy of our worship (1 Timothy 1:17; John 5:23; Revelation 5:12–13). Knowing who Christ is and maintaining that solid foundation is our very best defense against false teachers and their deviations from the truth.
There is nothing beyond the scope of Christ’s sovereignty. Jesus is preeminent in relation to the entire creation—both visible and invisible. The visible creation includes everything we can see with our eyes. Plants, animals, humankind, sea life, the sun, moon, stars, and planets, mountains, valleys, forests, rivers, lakes, oceans, and seas are all the handiwork of Jesus. The invisible creation includes all that is impossible to see with our eyes—everything that exists in the spiritual realm. Since all things—both visible and invisible, natural and supernatural—were created by and through Jesus Christ, they are all subject to His authority. He is Master and Commander over them all.
Jesus heals a lame man on the Sabbath in John 5, and that caused the Jewish leaders to persecute Jesus. “In his defense Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working’” (John 5:17). This statement raised the leaders’ anger to a fever pitch: “For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:18).
The identity of Jesus is critical to understanding the Christian faith, and it’s a topic that the Gospel of John sheds much light on. In fact, it’s the first topic John addresses in his book: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). John describes the Word (Jesus) as “with God”—distinct from God the Father in some way—yet, at the same time, Jesus is God. In addition, Jesus was “in the beginning,” pointing the reader back to Genesis 1:1. Jesus has always existed as one of the three Persons of the Trinity. Jesus’ words in John 5 making Himself equal with God were a simple reflection of reality.
In John 5:18 the Jewish religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus because He was claiming deity and equality with God. They were correct in this accusation (John 1:1–2; 5:17; 8:58). The Jews rightly understood that, when Jesus said, “My Father is always at his work . . . , and I too am working” (John 5:17), He made Himself equal to God. He spoke of Himself as if He were on the same level as God, and He professed a special relationship with God—He said, “My Father,” not “our Father.” The Jews considered Jesus to be guilty of blasphemy in three ways: 1) Jesus called God His “Father,” 2) He worked in tandem with God, and 3) He asserted the same authority to work on the Sabbath as God has. It is notable that Jesus did not correct them; He accepted the accusation that He had claimed deity for Himself.
That was not the only time Jesus laid claim to deity. In John 8:58 Jesus claims to have existed before Abraham. As Abraham lived roughly 2,000 years prior to Jesus making the claim, the only way Jesus’ claim could be true is if He is God. Not only that, but Jesus makes the claim by identifying as “I am.” This is the name of God spoken to Moses at the burning bush. It was the name Moses provided to the Hebrew people when asked who sent him to free them from Egypt (Exodus 3:14). In saying He was the I Am who existed before Abraham, Jesus was clearly making Himself God, and the unbelieving Jews responded accordingly—“They picked up stones to stone him” (John 8:59).
The Jewish leaders in John 5 started with the false premise that Jesus is not God in the flesh. They refused to entertain the thought, even after seeing the miracle He performed. So they were offended by His words and the fact that He had healed on the Sabbath. But Jesus simply presented Himself as He is. He is God. The Jews accused Jesus of making Himself equal with God as if He were a charlatan trying to boost Himself into that position. They missed the truth that Jesus, as the Son of God, has always been God.
There were other witnesses to the deity of Jesus. John the Baptist (John 5:33–35), Jesus’ own works (John 5:36), God the Father (John 5:37–38), and the Scriptures (John 5:39–47). Jesus’ deity is also attested in Hebrews 1:1–3; Colossians 1:15–17; Ephesians 1:3–14; and Philippians 2:1–11.
Jesus’ deity is a central aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus provides those who believe in Him with the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). He can do this because He is God and therefore has the righteousness of God to give. Jesus, God the Son, took on flesh and walked sinlessly among His creations, was wrongfully killed by them, and rose again so they may have the righteousness of God and eternal life. This is the good news of Jesus Christ.
For Further Study
John: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament by Edward
The apostle John records a select number of signs or miracles that help demonstrate who Jesus is and the importance of believing in Him for eternal life (John 20:30–31). These miracles showed Jesus’ authority—an authority that only the Creator could have. In recounting one of these remarkable miracles, John records that Jesus asks an infirm man at the Pool of Bethesda, “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6, NKJV).
On a Sabbath during a feast of the Jews (John 5:1, 9, 16), Jesus sought out a man who had been sick and unable to walk for thirty-eight years (John 5:5). This man was part of a multitude of those with severe ailments who would wait by the Pool of Bethesda in hopes of being healed (John 5:3–4). Jesus knew that this man had been there a long time in that condition, and He asked the man at the Pool of Bethesda, “Do you want to be made well?” Obviously, the man wanted to be made well physically. The man’s being at that location was an indicator of that desire. So, when Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to be made well?” He wasn’t asking the man simply about his physical well-being. Jesus also cared for the man’s spiritual well-being. Before resolving the spiritual or the physical problems the man was dealing with, Jesus had this man think about his need.
The sick man responds that he had no one to put him in the pool—thought to have healing powers—at the right time. In his mind, he had no means to resolve his problem. The man acknowledged that he needed help (John 5:7). After the man admitted his own inability, Jesus gives him an incredible direction: “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk” (John 5:8, NASB). Immediately—even before the man could obey the command—the man was healed. Immediately after that, the man did what Jesus had directed him to do: “He picked up his mat and walked” (John 5:9).
Those who saw the man carrying his bedding on the Sabbath argued that it was not lawful for him to do that (John 5:10). The man responded that he was carrying his mat at the instruction of the man who had healed him (John 5:11). In this, the man most likely recognized that, because Jesus had demonstrated power over nature, Jesus must also have authority over the Sabbath.
Later, Jesus found the man again and told him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you” (John 5:14). With these words, Jesus was continuing to teach this man that there is more to wellness than physical health. The man seemed to understand that Jesus’ question “Do you want to be made well?” was about more than physical wellness, because, when Jesus found the man again, the man was in the temple (John 5:14).
This miracle shows Jesus’ authority and identity. It illustrates that He is indeed the One in whom we believe for eternal life. It also can help remind us that true wellness is about much more than physical health. If Jesus were to ask us, “Do you want to be made well?” would we recognize, like the man at the Pool of Bethesda, that we can’t resolve our problems ourselves? Would we look to Him as this man did?
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.
Chaff is the loose, outer covering on wheat and other grains that must be separated in the threshing and winnowing process of harvesting grain. In Bible times, grain was threshed, or trampled, crushed, and beaten, on outdoor threshing floors to separate out the inedible parts of the grain, called chaff. The lightweight chaff would blow away on the wind or sometimes was burned as fuel. In the winnowing process, the grain was then tossed into the air, allowing the wind to further separate any remaining bits of the husk from the wheat. These bits, called chaff, would be carried away in fine particles like dust. In a few instances in Scripture, chaff also refers to dried grass or hay (Isaiah 5:24; 33:11).
Threshing and winnowing by hand were common in ancient times, allowing for vivid biblical imagery. Separating the worthless chaff from the valuable grain was a ready symbol for separating good from evil or showing the difference between God’s treatment of the godly versus the wicked. In Psalm 1:1–4, the people of God are blessed and firmly established, but “not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away” (verse 4).
In Isaiah 33, the righteous people of God survive judgment while the wicked nations are consumed. Speaking of the Assyrians, Isaiah says, “You conceive chaff, you give birth to straw; your breath is a fire that consumes you” (verse 11).
According to Hosea, God’s way of dealing with wickedness in Israel was to remove the idolaters like chaff swirling away on the wind: “Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears, like chaff swirling from a threshing floor, like smoke escaping through a window” (Hosea 13:3). The powerlessness of wicked people and nations against the judgment of God is compared to chaff floating on the wind: “Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale” (Isaiah 17:13; see also Zephaniah 2:2).
In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the ungodly nations of the world, represented as a statue constructed of various elements, disintegrate and disperse like chaff before the victorious kingdom of God: “Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth” (Daniel 2:35).
In the New Testament, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is portrayed by John the Baptist as the winnower or harvester of grain: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:11–12; see also Luke 3:17). Jesus came the first time to save, but the second time He will come to judge the world with righteousness. The chaff—the wicked, the ungodly, the faithless, the unbelieving, the unfruitful—He will separate from the godly and consign to a horrible fate. Therefore, “be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).
Purification, the act of ceremonial or spiritual cleansing, is an important biblical theme. In the Old Testament, God required purification rituals, such as washing with water, to make sinful people and defiled objects acceptable to Him. These rituals pointed to a more profound spiritual reality. The significance of purification is that it symbolized the holiness of God, the sinfulness of people, and the necessity of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for sin.
Purification rituals weren’t merely functional, like scrubbing dirt off one’s hands or cleaning food residue from a utensil. Its deeper meaning was relational, symbolizing God’s holiness and the need to remove the stain of sin. This is why God told His people, “Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong” (Isaiah 1:16). Washing with water symbolized the removal of evil from within a person.
In the Old Testament, under the Law of Moses, purification rituals consisted of acts of outward cleansing. These included a priest washing his body with water (Exodus 29:4), an “unclean” person offering an animal as a sacrifice (Leviticus 4:32–35), and the high priest sprinkling blood on the mercy seat in the tabernacle (Leviticus 16:14–15). These purification rituals and others pointed to the inward cleansing and spiritual renewal that God required of people.
Purification rituals in the Old Testament were meant to help illustrate our need for forgiveness from sin. Inner purity is required to enter God’s presence. “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god” (Psalm 24:3–4). This set of questions and answers shows that God cares about a person’s heart, not just the outward ritual of cleansing.
Also, purification rituals were meant to deepen people’s worship of God. As David writes in Psalm 51:7, “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” David understands that hyssop and water alone cannot restore him to good standing with God, because only God can cleanse him from spiritual impurity. Still, he uses imagery taken from legalistic rituals as a visible expression of inner renewal (cp. Leviticus 14:4 –7; Numbers 19:18 –19).
Further, purification rituals symbolized the way God prepares and empowers people to serve Him. One example is Isaiah’s call to ministry. As the prophet tells the story, “Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for’” (Isaiah 6:6–7). By purifying Isaiah’s lips, God equipped the prophet to speak for Him.
Purification rituals were required to allow an unclean person to rejoin the community after being excluded because of defilement, disease, or impurity. An example of a rule related to purity is Leviticus 14:8, which says, “The person to be cleansed [of a skin disease] must wash their clothes, shave off all their hair and bathe with water; then they will be ceremonially clean. After this they may come into the camp, but they must stay outside their tent for seven days.”
Ultimately, all the purification rituals in the law pointed to Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews explains: “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason, it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship” (Hebrews 10:1). God never intended the law, including the purification rituals it prescribed, to take away sin. Forgiveness comes only through Jesus. He is the reality behind the law’s shadows: “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).
Acts of purification were only a foreshadowing of what was to come. Only Jesus can cleanse a sinner’s heart, and He did so when He shed His blood on the cross for sin (cf. 1 John 1:9). Jesus’ death and resurrection “provided purification for sins,” and after that Jesus “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 1:3b). Jesus’ being seated signifies that the work of providing purification for people’s sin is complete. Symbolic rituals are no longer necessary.
In Matthew 5:45, as part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says this about God the Father: “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (ESV). As always, context is the key to understanding this passage. In the verses immediately prior to verse 45, Jesus notes a popular sentiment and then gives a countercultural command: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (verses 43–44). Then, in the first half of verse 45, Jesus gives the rationale behind the command: “That you may be children of your Father in heaven.”
We must not misunderstand Jesus’ statement to mean that one can become a child of God by loving his enemies. We do not earn a place in God’s family by doing this or any other kind of good work. To be a “child” of someone (literally, in the Greek, a “son”) did not necessarily mean that a person was literally a member of the family; rather, a “son” was someone who acted like another person or thing. For instance, James and John were called “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17) probably because of their potentially hot tempers; they had “thunderous personalities” or perhaps “thunderous tempers.” The Contemporary English Version brings out this meaning of Matthew 5:45: “Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven.” To the extent that a person exhibits a certain characteristic of God, to that extent he will be considered a child of God.
So, how does God love His enemies? There are a number of ways, but in Matthew 5:45 Jesus gives two practical examples. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” In that agrarian society, good weather was all-important. There are righteous farmers (who would be considered God’s friends) and unrighteous farmers (those who would be considered God’s enemies). Regardless of the farmer’s disposition toward God, God gives sunshine and rain to all the farmers in equal portion. When God gives good sunshine and good rain to an evil farmer, it’s an example of God loving His enemies. God makes no distinction between the evil and the righteous in this instance—He gives good gifts to both of them.
There will be a time of judgment in the future, but, until then, God graciously gives good things, even to those who hate Him. He gives the blessing of rain to the just and the unjust alike. Wicked people, people who mock Him and even deny His existence still get to enjoy good weather, good food, the love of family, and a great many other things. Since God is so generous with His enemies, then we should be as well.
The Latter Rain Movement is an influence within Pentecostalism which teaches that the Lord is pouring out His Spirit again, as He did at Pentecost, and using believers to prepare the world for His Second Coming. The Latter Rain Movement is anti-dispensational and amillennial, and many leaders of the movement embrace aberrant teachings.
The term “latter rain” was first used early in the history of Pentecostalism, when David Wesley Myland wrote a book called Latter Rain Songs in 1907. Three years later, Myland wrote The Latter Rain Covenant, a defense of Pentecostalism in general.
The name comes from Joel 2:23, “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.” Pentecostals interpreted the “rain” in this verse as an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The “latter rain” (the end-times outpouring) would be greater than the “former rain.”
In 1948, a “revival” broke out in Saskatchewan, Canada, and the teachings of the Latter Rain movement were clarified. Those involved in the revival were convinced that they were on the verge of a new era, one in which the Holy Spirit would demonstrate His power in a greater way than the world had ever seen. Not even the age of the apostles, they said, had witnessed such a movement of the Holy Spirit.
Latter Rain teaching is characterized by a highly typological hermeneutic. That is, the Bible is interpreted in a symbolic, extremely stylized manner. An emphasis is placed on extra-biblical revelation, such as personal prophecies, experiences, and directives straight from God. Latter Rain doctrine includes the following beliefs:
- the gifts of the Spirit, including tongues, are received through the laying on of hands
- Christians can be demonized and require deliverance
- God has restored all the offices of ministry to the Church, including apostle and prophet
- divine healing can be administered through the laying on of hands
- praise and worship will usher God into our presence
- women have a full and equal ministry role in the Church
- denominational lines will be destroyed, and the Church will unify in the last days
- the “latter rain” will bring God’s work to completion; the Church will be victorious over the world and usher in Christ’s kingdom
Many “apostles” in the Latter Rain Movement also teach the doctrine of “the manifest sons of God.” This is a heretical doctrine which says that the Church will give rise to a special group of “overcomers” who will receive spiritual bodies, becoming immortal.
It is important to note that the Assemblies of God deemed the Latter Rain Movement to contain heresy from the very beginning. On April 20, 1949, the Assemblies of God officially denounced Latter Rain teaching, nearly splitting the denomination in the process. Other established Pentecostal groups have passed similar resolutions.
Today, the term “latter rain” is rarely used, but the theology of Latter Rain continues to exert an influence. Most branches of the Charismatic Movement adhere to Latter Rain teaching. Modern movements such as the Brownsville/Pensacola Revival, the Toronto Blessing, and the “holy laughter” phenomenon are a direct result of Latter Rain theology
In Luke 10:18 Jesus says, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” The context of these words is the return of the seventy (or seventy-two, according to some manuscripts and consequently some translations, including the NIV) disciples that Jesus had sent out to evangelize and prepare His way to Jerusalem (see verse 1). When the disciples return and give their report, they are joyful and a little surprised that “even the demons submit to us in your name” (Luke 10:17). Jesus’ first words in reply are, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18).
In referencing Satan’s fall from heaven, Jesus most likely spoke of the same event as Isaiah 14:12, “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” The fall of Satan that Jesus saw happened after Lucifer’s sin, before Adam and Eve’s temptation in the Garden of Eden. In his pride, Lucifer had lifted himself up, but God cast him down, and he lost his original place in heaven (although he retains a limited access to heaven for now, according to Job 1:6). Jesus’ statement in Luke 10:18 speaks of Jesus’ pre-existence and the Lord’s victory over the power of Satan in a general sense.
When Jesus’ disciples came back to report their joy over their authority over demons, Jesus, in so many words, tells them they should not have been surprised. Satan is a fallen foe and has always been subject to the authority of the Son of God. Jesus had sent them out in His authority, which extends over the demonic realm. Satan’s fall “like lightning” indicates that his judgment in heaven was swift and obvious. Not only did Jesus give the disciples authority over devils, but He also enabled them “to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19).
As these disciples are celebrating that the demons were subject to them in Jesus’ name, Jesus redirects their excitement by pointing to an even bigger blessing: their salvation! Jesus says, “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Casting out demons has a temporal, limited benefit in this world, but having your name written in heaven is an eternal, unlimited blessing!
Revelation 12:9 refers to another time at which Satan is cast out of heaven: “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” We believe this happens during the future tribulation period when Satan is barred access to heaven once and for all.
At the end of the Great Tribulation, Jesus will return and overthrow the kingdom Satan was attempting to set up, and the devil will be bound for one thousand years (Revelation 20:1–3). At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be released for one final battle, but he is defeated again and thrown into the lake of fire for eternity (Revelation 20:7–10).
Jesus has power over Satan and power to save us. Still today, believers face a spiritual battle against forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). With God’s Spirit, we do not need to fear Satan or evil spirits; rather, we depend on the Lord’s strength for victory in our spiritual struggles and trust that God will preserve us for heaven’s inheritance. “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
Matthew 26:34, Luke 22:34, and John 13:38 all record Jesus telling Peter, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Mark words it differently, which has led to some confusion. Mark 14:30 says, “And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times’” (emphasis added). Then, when the first servant girl questioned Peter about his relationship to Jesus, “he denied it, saying, ‘I neither know nor understand what you mean.’ And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed” (Mark 14:68). Later, after Peter’s third denial, “immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept” (verse 72). Did the rooster crow once or twice, and what is the significance of that crowing?
Since we know that all Scripture is God-breathed and therefore accurate (2 Timothy 3:16), we can rest assured that there are always explanations for seeming inconsistencies. In biblical days, roosters were common within the towns and cities. The first crowing often occurred around midnight. The second crowing could be expected before daybreak. Jesus’ prediction about Peter’s denials meant that Peter would have opportunities all night long to repeat the validating claim he made when he told Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). However, despite three opportunities, the overconfident Peter denied His Lord every time. When daylight came, Jesus’ mock trial was over, and Peter lost his opportunities to defend Jesus as he had claimed he would do (Mark 14:29).
Jesus did not say that Peter would deny Him before any rooster’s crow. So the report of a first crowing does not negate the validity of Jesus’ words. In those days, when someone made the comment “before the rooster crows,” it would have been commonly understood to mean the crowing at daybreak. But morning was not the only time roosters crowed. As anyone who has lived on a farm can attest, roosters crow whenever they feel like it. A rooster can crow when he senses danger, when another rooster threatens his flock, or simply because he got his days and nights mixed up. So it is perfectly understandable that Jesus would have been precise in prophesying to Peter that a rooster would actually crow twice during the time Peter was denying Him.
The first crowing would not have been noticed by Peter at that moment, since people were used to hearing roosters at random times. It is similar to how people living near train tracks get used to hearing the noise of trains and stop noticing the sound. But when the morning rooster crowed, Peter was struck with the accuracy of Jesus’ words, and he went out and wept bitterly.
It is also noteworthy that Mark was a close associate of Peter’s (1 Peter 5:13) and would have obtained many details for his Gospel from Peter himself. After the fact, Peter would have considered the first crowing more significant than he did at the time. Jesus’ prophetic words must have played over and over in his head as he then recalled the first crowing and then the second. It seems likely that, in his retelling of that night to Mark, Peter would have made mention of both crowings. Mark does not in any way contradict the other accounts, which only mention the second crowing. The second crowing was the most important one, since it marked the end of Peter’s testing.
Because of the prominence of the story of Peter and the rooster, recorded in all four Gospels, the rooster, or cock, has at times been used as a Christian symbol. Some churches even place a rooster atop their steeples. Used as a symbol, the rooster represents the weakness of man and the grace of Christ in forgiving sinners. Peter three times denied his Lord and Savior, but he was forgiven, restored, and sent out to live for the glory of God (John 21:15–19). The rooster reminds us that Christ extends hope to sinners everywhere.
The rooster, used as a Christian symbol, can also represent watchfulness. Before His arrest, Jesus prayed in the garden and asked His disciples to do the same. But He found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, “Are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Mark 14:37–38). Later that night, Peter did indeed fall into temptation, and the rooster’s crow served as his spiritual wake-up call. The rooster can still be a reminder today that we must watch and pray and live as children of light: “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:5).
The rooster could also be seen as proclaiming the start of a new day. In Christ, all things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). A new day of forgiveness and grace has dawned, and believers, saved by grace, proclaim the good news to a world in need of light.
Jesus is never impressed with our fleshly bravado such as Peter expressed in Matthew 26:35. Jesus knows our hearts better than we do (Matthew 9:4; Luke 9:47). But, even though He knows the ways we will fail Him, our Lord does not stop loving us or using us to further His message. Those rooster crowings must have haunted Peter for many years and may have helped him stay humble, watchful, and committed to his calling. Our past failures can be battle scars in our lives as well, propelling us toward greater devotion and stricter loyalty to Jesus when we recall how much we have been forgiven (see Luke 7:47).
Those who hold to a midtribulation rapture teach that the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11:15 and the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16 are identical. Those who teach a pretribulation rapture identify them as separate events. What difference does it make, and how can we know the truth?
Why does it matter whether or not the trumpets are the same? God has given us His Word as the revelation of His plan of redemption, and that plan covers everything from creation to the new creation. Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” There are many things that God has chosen to reveal to us, and it is important for us to understand them so that we can obey Him. We don’t always understand why He does things, but we are called to trust Him for the parts we don’t understand and to study to understand the rest. As we look at the texts about these trumpets, it becomes clear that they are part of a chronology that God has given us of events in the last days. Whether or not we are still living when those events come to pass, they involve us, so we ought to know what God has revealed to us.
The book of Revelation has sometimes been viewed as a book of mystery, yet the title itself implies something brought out of hiding. More specifically, it is “the revelation of Jesus Christ . . . to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass” (Revelation 1:1). God wants us to know what is going to happen, so we can be prepared, and to help us in calling others to repentance. Beginning in chapter 6, we are given a chronological record of things that will happen in the last days. There is a series of seven seals, then a series of seven trumpets, then a series of seven bowls of wrath. We read in Revelation 11:15, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.’” In the context, this seems to come around the middle of the tribulation period.
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is writing to believers concerning the transition from this life to eternal life. Our mortal bodies will be transformed into immortal, incorruptible bodies, prepared for the eternal kingdom of God. Verse 52 says, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Paul addresses the same subject to the Thessalonians, and specifically connects it with the rapture of the church. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).
There is no question that God has revealed these things to us and that He intends for us to be encouraged and instructed by them. The question is whether these trumpets are the same. If they are the same, then the rapture of the church happens in the middle of the tribulation period, and saints need to be prepared to endure those trials. If they are not the same, then we need to know when the last trump will sound, so that we can be prepared for it. In order to find out whether they are the same, we can compare the events they are associated with.
Events
1 Corinthians 15
1 Thessalonians 4
Revelation 11
Trumpet sound
v. 52
v. 16
v. 15
Dead saints raised
v. 52
v. 16
Living saints changed
v. 52
v. 17
Death overcome by victory
v. 54
v. 14
Jesus descends from Heaven
v. 16
Not until Rev 19:11
Kingdoms of the world taken over by Christ
v. 15
Wrath of God on dead
v. 18
Rewards given to saints
v. 18
Intended result
v. 57-58 – thanks, victory, faithfulness until then
v. 18 – comfort now, presence with Christ then
v. 14,17 – woe on earth, thanks in Heaven
It is clear that the first two passages (Corinthians and Thessalonians) fit together, but the third doesn’t appear to have any correlation in either the events described or the intended results. The argument connecting them has to depend on the meaning of the word last in 1 Corinthians 15:52. The Greek word eschatos can mean either “last in point of time” or “last in point of sequence.” This trumpet sounds before the wrath of God descends, yet Revelation 6:17 speaks of the wrath of the Lamb as having come, and the seventh trumpet doesn’t sound until Revelation 11:15. The trumpet of 1 Thessalonians is given in a moment, whereas Revelation 10:7 indicates that the seventh trumpet will be sounded for a number of days. Even though the seventh trumpet is the last one described in Revelation, Matthew 24:31 indicates there is yet another trumpet which will sound “after the tribulation of those days,” when Christ returns to the earth, which parallels with Revelation 19.
If the “last trumpet” of 1 Corinthians 15 is not the same as the seventh trumpet, then what was Paul referring to? Both 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians were written long before John wrote Revelation, so Paul’s readers would have no knowledge of the seven trumpets of Revelation. Paul intended for them to understand what he was writing about, so we need to look elsewhere for clarification. Paul’s writing was distinctly in reference to the church and the closing of the church age at the rapture. Throughout Scripture, trumpets were used as signals to gather people, to set armies on the move, and as part of the worship of God. The trumpet that summons the church is called “the trump of God,” while those in Revelation are angelic trumpets. Since it is a summoning trumpet, we can look to the Old Testament for further understanding. Numbers 10 gives instruction to Israel about the use of trumpets to call an assembly of the people and to set them in motion. The first trumpet blast (v. 4) called the leaders together, while a continual blowing was an alarm for the people. A series of trumpet blasts was the signal for each group of tribes to begin their journey, and the last blast indicated the movement of the last group in the camp. Similarly, 1 Corinthians 15:23 speaks of different orders, or ranks, in the resurrection: “Every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.” Further, 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 divides Christ’s own into two groups—the dead in Christ and those who are alive and remain.
So, if the trumpet is the call for saints to assemble and journey to heaven, what does that mean for us? Jesus said that no one knows when the Day of the Lord will begin (Matthew 24:36), and 1 Thessalonians 5:2 describes it as coming as a thief in the night, without warning. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, we are told to be “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, we do not know when the trumpet will sound, so we are to be always ready. While we may not know the day or hour, we have been given enough information to know it can happen at any moment. We are to be ready, putting on the armor of God, because we have been appointed to receive salvation through Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:8–9).
The Bible describes God as “a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), so it is not surprising that fire often appears as a symbol of God’s presence. Examples include the burning bush (Exodus 3:2), the Shekinah glory (Exodus 14:19; Numbers 9:15-16), and Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 1:4). Fire has many times been an instrument of God’s judgment (Numbers 11:1, 3; 2 Kings 1:10, 12) and a sign of His power (Judges 13:20; 1 Kings 18:38).
For obvious reasons, fire was important for the Old Testament sacrifices. The fire on the altar of burnt offering was a divine gift, having been lit originally by God Himself (Leviticus 9:24). God charged the priests with keeping His fire lit (Leviticus 6:13) and made it clear that fire from any other source was unacceptable (Leviticus 10:1-2).
In the New Testament, the altar can serve as a picture of our commitment to the Lord. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called upon to offer our bodies as “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1), engulfed by the divine gift: the inextinguishable fire of the Holy Spirit. At the very beginning of the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is associated with fire. John the Baptist predicts that Jesus will be the One to “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). When the Holy Spirit began His ministry of indwelling the early church, He chose to appear as “tongues of fire” resting on each of the believers. At that moment, “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:3-4).
Fire is a wonderful picture of the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is like a fire in at least three ways: He brings God’s presence, God’s passion, and God’s purity. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God as He indwells the heart of the believer (Romans 8:9). In the Old Testament, God showed His presence to the Israelites by overspreading the tabernacle with fire (Numbers 9:14-15). This fiery presence provided light and guidance (Numbers 9:17-23). In the New Testament, God guides and comforts His children with the Holy Spirit dwelling in our bodies—the “tabernacle” and the “temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 5:1; 6:16).
The Holy Spirit creates the passion of God in our hearts. After the two traveling disciples talk with the resurrected Jesus, they describe their hearts as “burning within us” (Luke 24:32). After the apostles receive the Spirit at Pentecost, they have a passion that lasts a lifetime and impels them to speak the word of God boldly (Acts 4:31).
The Holy Spirit produces the purity of God in our lives. God’s purpose is to purify us (Titus 2:14), and the Spirit is the agent of our sanctification (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2). As the silversmith uses fire to purge the dross from the precious metal, so God uses the Spirit to remove our sin from us (Psalm 66:10; Proverbs 17:3). His fire cleanses and refines.
The Pool of Bethesda was “in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate” (John 5:2), which places it north of the temple, near Fort Antonia. John gives the additional detail that the pool was “surrounded by five covered colonnades.” During Jesus’ time, the Pool of Bethesda lay outside the city walls. It was at this pool that Jesus performed a miracle showing that He is greater than any human malady and that superstition and religious folklore are foolish and feeble substitutes for faith in God.
The Pool of Bethesda was used in ancient times to provide water for the temple. The mention of the “Upper Pool” in 2 Kings 18:17 may be a reference to the Pool of Bethesda. Sometime during the Hasmonean Period, an additional pool was added to the original one.
The name of the pool, “Bethesda,” is Aramaic. It means “House of Mercy.” John tells us that “a great number of disabled people used to lie [there]—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed” (John 5:3). The covered colonnades would have provided shade for the disabled who gathered there, but there was another reason for the popularity of the Pool of Bethesda. Legend had it that an angel would come down into the pool and “stir up the water.” The first person into the pool after the stirring of the water “was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted” (John 5:4, NAS). The Bible does not teach that this actually happened--John 5:4 is not included in most modern translations because it is unlikely to be original to the text—rather, the superstitious belief probably arose because of the pool’s association with the nearby temple.
On the day that Jesus visited the Pool of Bethesda, there was a man there who “had been an invalid for thirty-eight years” (John 5:5). Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed. The man replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me” (verse 7). Obviously, the man believed the urban legend about the stirring of the water. He blamed the fact that he was never healed on his tardiness in getting into the water.
Jesus swept aside all superstition and bypassed altogether the need for magic water with one command: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:8). The man was instantly cured, and “he picked up his mat and walked” (verse 9). The man did not need quicker reflexes or beneficent angels or enchanted water. The man needed Jesus.
Amazingly, not everyone was happy about the man’s miraculous healing. The day Jesus healed the man at the poolside happened to be a Sabbath. As the man left Bethesda, the Jewish leaders saw him carrying his mat, and they stopped him: “It is the Sabbath,” they said. “The law forbids you to carry your mat” (John 5:10). The man told them that he was simply obeying orders: “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’” (verse 11). The Jews inquired who would so brazenly promote Law-breaking, but “the man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd” (verse 13).
The reaction of the Jewish leaders shows that, no matter how much proof God provides, there will be some people who refuse to see the truth. Jesus was a bona fide Miracle Worker, but the religious leaders couldn’t see the miracle. All they could see was that someone had violated a rule. The issue was not the breaking of God’s command, for Jesus fulfilled the Law and was completely subject to it (Matthew 5:17). The only thing being broken was a pharisaical interpretation of one of God’s laws. So, a blessing meant to increase faith only increased the blindness of those who refused to acknowledge the blessing.
The postscript to the story reveals that the man who was physically healed still needed some spiritual healing. “Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, ‘See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you’” (John 5:14). Jesus’ words are a rebuke of an unnamed sin—the man was living contrary to God’s will somehow—and a warning of “something worse.” What could be worse than thirty-eight years of paralysis? How about an eternity in hell (see Mark 9:47)?
Now that the man knew who Jesus was, he returned to the Jewish leaders and told them “it was Jesus who had made him well” (John 5:15). It is likely that the man did this in praise of Jesus, to magnify the glory due His name, and also from a sense of obligation—he had been asked a question and felt he should respond with the answer, once he had it. Little did he anticipate the reaction the leaders would have: “So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him” (verse 16).
The Pool of Bethesda was the focus of a local legend about healing, but Jesus showed that faith in legends and superstition is misplaced. In contrast, faith in Jesus Christ—the One who can heal with a simple word, the Savior who can forgive any sin, the true Master of the “House of Mercy”—is never misplaced.
In Colossians 1:15–23, the apostle Paul refutes false teachings that were circulating about the nature and divinity of Jesus Christ. Editors label this notable section of Scripture as “Preeminence of Christ” (NKJV) or “The Supremacy of the Son of God” (NIV). The false teachers of Paul’s day insisted that, while Jesus was prominent, He was not the supreme, highest-ranking being in all creation. In other words, they claimed He was not God. Presenting his case, Paul states, “For by [Jesus Christ] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16–17, NKJV).
This passage emphasizes Christ’s divinity, superiority, and sustaining power over all creation. With the words “in Him all things consist” (NKJV), or “in him all things hold together” (NIV, ESV), Paul declares that Christ is not only the Creator of the universe but also the Sustainer of everything in creation. In the original language, the term translated as “consist” or “hold together” (synestēken in Greek) means “to place together, cohere, or to be or become composed of many parts into a cohesive and enduring whole.” In essence, Jesus Christ is the glue that holds us and everything in the world together. If it weren’t for Him, all things would fall apart. He ensures life’s order and coherence. Christ is infinitely authoritative because He is God.
The writer of Hebrews affirms the divinity and supremacy of God’s Son: “God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command” (Hebrews 1:2–3, NLT). Jesus is the Sustainer of the universe. He upholds every element, fiber, force, and law of nature. Without His continual care and providence, the cosmos would cease to exist.
Paul had been made aware that the church in Colossae was in trouble. The faith of the believers there was shaken by heretical teachings (see Colossians 2:4, 8). They were being sold a pack of lies about Jesus, primarily that He wasn’t enough for salvation. Therefore, it was critical for Paul to make them understand the truth about Jesus—that He is God and that through Christ’s “divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3, NLT). He is sufficiently able to save and sustain His church.
Paul writes, “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority” (Colossians 2:8–10, NLT). As Christians, we must understand who Christ is—the Creator and Sustainer of the universe—and that, because He holds all things together, we are safe, secure, and complete in our salvation through our union with Him (Romans 5:9–10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 2:13; Ephesians 1:5–10; 1 Peter 3:18).
Grasping the profound truth that “in Him, all things consist” brings to light the omnipotent nature of Christ. It underscores His divine authority and the dependence of all creation on Him. Everyone and everything owes its existence to Christ. He is sovereign and integrally responsible for the origin and maintenance of all things. His power, His Word, and His presence guarantee that the universe does not spin into chaos but remains under His control. What’s more, as followers of Christ, Jesus is in control of our lives and our ultimate destiny. He is our all-sufficient Savior (Hebrews 5:9; 7:25; 9:26–28; Philippians 3:21).
The concept of ultimate reconciliation—the idea that God will ultimately reconcile every soul at some point so that they willingly spend eternity with Him—once again caused quite a stir in the theological world with the March 2010 release of Emergent Church leader Rob Bell’s book Love Wins. Decrying the historical theological position of a literal and eternal hell, Bell writes, “A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better. It’s been clearly communicated to many that this belief is a central truth of the Christian faith and to reject it is, in essence, to reject Jesus. This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus’ message of love, peace, forgiveness, and joy that our world desperately needs to hear.”
What biblical support does Bell offer for ultimate reconciliation? Bell cites Matthew’s statement of Elijah coming who “will restore all things” (Matthew 17:11), Peter’s sermon in Acts 3 that states there will be a “period of restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21), and Paul’s statement about the Father using Christ to “reconcile all things to Himself” (Colossians 1:20). Bell also argues that God, being omnipotent, should be able to get what He wants, and the Bible clearly says that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). Bell implies that God would not be loving and great if He was unable or unwilling to save everyone: “How great is God? Great enough to achieve what God sets out to do, or kind of great, great most of the time, but in this, the fate of billions of people, not totally great. Sort of great. A little great” (Love Wins, pp. 97–99).
Is God going to ultimately save everyone as Bell asserts? Does the Bible teach an ultimate reconciliation of all created beings at some point to the Creator? These questions can be answered by first examining the debate from a historical perspective, then understanding the concepts of mercy and justice in God, and finally making a tour through Scripture to see what the Bible has to say on the subject.
Ultimate Reconciliation – A Look Back at History
Although the doctrine of ultimate reconciliation has been championed by a variety of individuals down through history, there are two that stand out. The first is Origen of Alexandria (AD 185-254). The African theologian, who took an allegorical approach to Scripture and was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy, did not believe in the eternal suffering of sinners in hell. For Origen, all created beings, even demons and the devil, would eventually achieve salvation, no matter how long it took in the current life or in the life to come. He reasoned that, because God’s love is so powerful, it will eventually soften even the hardest heart. This thought is echoed by Bell who says, “No one can resist God’s pursuit forever because God’s love will eventually melt even the hardest hearts” (p. 108).
Origen saw the church as the great “school of souls” in which erring pupils are instructed and disciplined, but those who do not choose God in this life, would continue their “tutelage” in the next through an atoning and sanctifying process of purging fire. Origen believed that hell cannot be permanent for any soul because God could not abandon any creature. Since God respects human freedom, the process of winning over His created beings may take a long time in some cases, but God’s love, Origen believed, will ultimately triumph. Or as Rob Bell puts it, love wins.
Origen’s restoration of all beings is known as apokatastasis, the Greek word used in Acts 3:21 for “restoration,” and can be traced back to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who stated that “the beginning and end are common.” Origen’s belief in ultimate reconciliation was eventually refuted by Augustine and condemned in AD 543 in a council at Constantinople.
The second major personality in history contributing to the teaching of ultimate reconciliation was an Italian theologian named Laelius Socinus and his nephew Faustus, who lived in the 16th century. Together, they revived the fourth century heresy of Arianism—officially condemned at the council of Nicaea in AD 325—and taught that the Trinity was a false doctrine and that Christ was not God. In that sense, they were “Unitarian” in their teaching.
But Socinus went further and said that some of God’s attributes (e.g., His omniscience, immutability, etc.) were optional and not necessary, meaning He didn’t have to manifest them if He chose not to. Socinus claimed that God’s justice was optional, but His mercy is mandatory. In other words, God always had to be merciful, but He didn’t always have to be just toward offenses committed against Him. Therefore, the logic of Socinus progressed as follows: if God’s justice is optional, but His mercy is mandatory, and if God loves all the world and Christ died for everyone who would ever live, then all people will be saved by God. In this respect, Socinus and his nephew were Universalists.
Both Origen’s and Socinus’s teaching preceded Rob Bell by centuries, but the text contained in Love Wins echoes their conclusions perfectly. The question becomes, then, how can such a thing occur from a practical standpoint? How can all souls be reconciled to God? This is where Bell and his predecessors greatly err in their theology; they misunderstand and misconstrue the Scripture’s teachings on God’s mercy and His justice.
Ultimate Reconciliation – Understanding God’s Mercy and His Justice
It is important to understand that the concepts of mercy and justice are understood in a unique fashion in Christianity. In every other religion in the world that holds to the idea of a supreme deity, that deity’s mercy is always exercised at the expense of its justice. For example, in Islam, Allah may grant mercy to an individual, but it’s always done at the expense of his justice. In other words, the offender’s punishment that was properly due him/her is brushed aside so that mercy can be extended. Islam’s Allah, and every other deity in every other non-Christian religion of the world, lays aside the requirements of the moral law in order to be merciful. Most people would have a major complaint against any human judge who acted in such a fashion.
Christianity is different. In Christianity, God exercises His mercy through His justice. The Christian doctrine of penal substitution states that sin and injustice were punished at the cross of Christ, and only because the penalty of sin was satisfied through Christ’s sacrifice does God extend His mercy to undeserving sinners.
And while Christ did indeed die for sinners, He also died as a demonstration of God’s righteousness. The apostle Paul makes this clear when he says, “Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:24-26). In other words, Paul says that, although God didn’t immediately punish the sins of those who lived before Christ and extended mercy to them, He did not forget about justice. Instead, His righteousness (i.e., His justice) was demonstrated by Christ’s death on the cross. So God’s mercy was and is exercised through His justice.
While this teaching is beautiful and gives God glory, it can be misconstrued by some to mean that everyone will be saved through Christ’s death on the cross. In addition to the scriptures mentioned by Bell in his book, some Universalists point to verses such as: “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2), and: “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
The problem with thinking that everyone will be saved is that there is much biblical evidence that leads in the opposite direction. Instead of echoing Origen, Socinus, and Bell’s conclusion that everyone will eventually turn their heart toward God and be reconciled to Him, the Bible states conclusively that most will experience eternal separation from God and only few will be saved because not all will believe and embrace Christ as their Savior.
Ultimate Reconciliation – The Biblical Case for Hell
While some theologians may struggle to ascertain whether Jesus believed in a literal hell, a number of atheists experience no such difficulty. The skeptic Bertrand Russell wrote, “There is one very serious defect to my mind in Christ’s moral character, and it is that He believed in hell. I do not myself feel that any person who is really profoundly humane can believe in everlasting punishment. . . . One does find repeatedly a vindictive fury against those people who would not listen to His preaching. . . . I must say that I think all this doctrine, that hell-fire is a punishment for sin, is a doctrine of cruelty.”
A plain reading of the text shows that Russell is right in his conclusion that Christ believed in hell. Consider Jesus’ discourse found in Luke 16: “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us’” (Luke 16:19–26).
Bell believes that hell is a “period of pruning” and “an intense experience of correction” (pg. 91), and yet verse 26 of the passage above speaks of a chasm so great that none who are in hell may cross over. In other words, hell is permanent. Perhaps this is why Jesus spoke more about hell in the Gospel accounts than He did heaven.
Consider Jesus’ other statements about eternal punishment and how the unsaved will experience God’s wrath:
• “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13–14)
• “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” (Matthew 7:22–23)
• “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day” (Matthew 11:23)
• “So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness” (Matthew 13:40–41)
• “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:49–50)
• “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’" (Matthew 22:13)
• “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves" (Matthew 23:15)
• “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?" (Matthew 23:33)
• “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41)
• “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46)
• “If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire” (Mark 9:43)
• “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:5)
• “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36)
• “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28-29)
• “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death’" (Revelation 2:11)
Notice that Revelation 2:11 has Jesus speaking of a “second death,” which is important to remember. This term is used three other times in the book of Revelation to speak of the fate of those who are unbelievers:
• “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6)
• “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death” (Revelation 20:14)
• “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).
In Scripture, death denotes separation, oftentimes referring to the passage of life from a human body or the division of spiritual life from the soul of a person. In these verses, the author speaks to the fact that unbelievers are born once, but die twice; first they lose their physical life and then they lose their hope for eternal life with God.
There is no second chance, no matter how much Origen or Rob Bell wishes it were otherwise. The writer of Hebrews plainly states, “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
Reconciling God’s Mercy with the Biblical Case for Hell
In arguing for ultimate reconciliation, Rob Bell asserts that God would not be great, loving, or merciful if He assigned people to hell. But nowhere does God’s justice ever factor into Bell’s thinking. While God’s justice is portrayed and is present throughout the entire Old and New Testaments, what is absent in the Bible is Bell’s belief in a post-mortem evangelistic campaign that eventually reconciles to God those who die without Christ. This reversal of scriptural support proves to be Bell’s theological Achilles’ heel.
Those who teach ultimate reconciliation have difficulty reconciling God’s mercy and the reality of hell, and they evince a lack of understanding of God’s antecedent and consequent wills. God indeed antecedently desires all to be saved, but He consequently wills the sinner to experience His punishment. Or, as Thomas Aquinas explained it, “Hence it may be said of a just judge, that antecedently he wills all men to live; but consequently wills the murderer to be hanged. In the same way God antecedently wills all men to be saved, but consequently wills some to be damned, as His justice exacts.”
Redefining hell as Origen and Bell do (a place of temporary correction before entering eternal life with God) does every person who hears and accepts their teaching an incalculable injustice, and in a very real sense makes them irrelevant as theologians and teachers. On an American troop ship, the soldiers crowded around their chaplain asking, “Do you believe in hell?” “I do not,” replied the chaplain. “Well, then, will you please resign, for if there is no hell, we do not need you, and if there is a hell, we do not wish to be led astray.”
Unlike false shepherds like Rob Bell, the Bible-believing Christian heeds the command given to Ezekiel, which applies to us today: “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself” (Ezekiel 3:17-19).
Charles Spurgeon paraphrased Ezekiel’s words this way: “If sinners be dammed, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”
Ultimate Reconciliation – Conclusion
It is sobering to remember that the first doctrine to be denied in Scripture is judgment. The Bible records Satan saying to Eve, “You surely will not die!” (Genesis 3:4). Unfortunately, many Universalists feel the same way and deny that an eternal separation from God is a reality for anyone who refuses Christ as their Savior. But simply put, those who reject Jesus Christ in this life will have their request honored also in the next.
The doctrine of ultimate reconciliation or universalism may be appealing to human sensibilities, but it is simply wrong and unbiblical. Scripture teaches that beyond this life, there are no second chances. Instead, the Bible declares, “Today is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Love does indeed win for those who turn by faith to Christ in this life and embrace Him as Savior. Those who don’t and dismiss the concept of hell will find out eternity is an awfully long time to be wrong. As writer Os Guinness puts it, “For some, hell is simply a truth realized too late.”
There are three main “offices” spoken of in the Old Testament—prophet, priest, and king. Jesus fulfills all three of these roles.
Jesus as Prophet
Prophets were tasked with speaking God’s Word to people. In the Old Testament, this included both proclaiming God’s truth to others and revealing God’s plans for the future. Some of the prophets also performed miracles and healings.
The people of Jesus’ day referred to Him as a prophet many times, and He took the title upon Himself as well (Matthew 21:11; Luke 7:16; John 4:19; Mark 6:4). Both Peter and Stephen spoke of Jesus as being the ultimate fulfillment of Moses’ prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15—Jesus is the prophet like Moses who must be listened to (Acts 3:17–23; 7:37–38, 51–53).
Jesus taught the Word of God, often speaking in parables. “The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law” (Mark 1:22).
Much like the Old Testament prophets, Jesus also foretold the future. For example, He told His disciples of His pending death and resurrection (Matthew 17:22–23; 20:17–19), Judas’ betrayal (Matthew 26:20–25; John 13:18–30), and Peter’s denial (Matthew 26:31–35; Mark 14:27–30; Luke 22:61; John 13:31–38). He predicted the coming of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7–15; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4–5), the persecution of His followers (John 16:1–4, 33), and the destruction of the temple (Matthew 24:1–2). Perhaps most encouraging for believers today, Jesus prophesied of His coming return (Matthew 24:30–31; John 14:3).
Like many of the Old Testament prophets, Jesus performed multiple healings and miracles (Matthew 8:1–17; 9:18–33; Mark 1:32–34; 2:1–12; Luke 17:11–19; 18:35–43; John 2:1–11; 6:1–24). He even compared Himself to Elijah and Elisha (Luke 4:24–27). The people of Nazareth rejected Jesus, just as the people of Israel did not believe Elijah and Elisha.
Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1). He does not simply speak the Word of God as a mere human prophet, but is Himself the Word made flesh (John 1:14). He is the final word, the ultimate revelation of God: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:1–2).
Jesus as Priest
Old Testament priests served as mediators between humans and God. It was the priests who offered sacrifices on behalf of the people. Jesus is our Mediator and our High Priest: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
Hebrews 4–10 details how Jesus is our ultimate High Priest and how His priesthood is far superior to the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament. The writer of Hebrews also explains how the Old Testament system of priests served to foreshadow the ministry of Jesus. The Levitical priesthood of Aaron’s line was not intended to continue forever. Jesus’ priesthood is eternal.
Hebrews 4:14–16 says, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” With Jesus as our High Priest, we can go before God boldly, knowing that Jesus has true compassion on us and that, through Him, we will experience the grace and mercy of God (see also Hebrews 10:19–23).
Hebrews 7 shows how Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was both a priest and the “king of Salem” who blessed Abraham (Hebrews 7:2; Genesis 14:18). Likewise, Jesus is not just a “priest forever,” but also a king.
Jesus as King
The office of king in the Old Testament is illustrated well by David. God called David a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). He promised to David, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). This promise was fulfilled in the Messiah, who was also given the title “Son of David.” Jesus is this Son of David and the rightful King (Matthew 1:1; Revelation 22:16).
The angel Gabriel told Mary that Jesus “will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32–33).
The Son of David would be a ruler of God’s people, and also their deliverer. The Jews of Jesus’ time expected a political king (Matthew 21:1–11). Instead, Jesus conquered sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:54–57). He promised He will also return to the earth to rule as a king, first in the Millennial Kingdom and then forever (1 Corinthians 15:24–28).
Jesus has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). He has “the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9–11). Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), and one day He will be king in the earthly, political sense of the word, as the weight of governance is borne on His shoulders, He reigns on Mt. Zion, and the nations bring Him homage (Psalm 2:6; 48:1–2; Isaiah 9:6; 11:10). Even before then, He truly is the ultimate authority. Even though His enemies are not yet made His footstool (Psalm 110:1), Jesus should be reigning fully in our hearts.
Normally, the three offices of prophet, priest, and king were distinct from each other, with no overlap. That is, a king was not a priest or a prophet. A priest did not function as a prophet or a king. And a prophet simply did a prophet’s job without trying to be either a king or a priest. But Jesus Christ perfectly fills all three roles simultaneously: He is the Prophet, Priest, and King, to the great blessing of the world.
https://youtu.be/LIujMd8pD8g?si=QdNCXMUxCWGHW0TX
Subject Title:
Why so Much Brimstone?
I don't think homosexuality at its core is the subject.
(I'm not always right.
And Culture has definitely decided its POSITION on this.)
BUTT, There's pedophiles out here.
Regardless-
"My Body, My Choice"
This is a very Well thought out linguistic visualization!:) Well Done. My Heartfelt Sentiment Concurs. Human Dignity is Primary and I look at Sin through the lens of its negative impact. Minority that is off target shouldn't steer culture. Israel conformed to culture. We are accepting all humanity with Grace and equal sight unto God without modifying truth. I believe everyone deserves equal dignity and rights as long as they aren't harming (its not alwayts evident). I would never view anyone differently. Homosexuality is not offensive to me, I would never treat you differently, butt, we have an obligation to teach our children that homosexuaslity is not standard, and you don't need more reasons to be confused about your identity in Christ. Because every 6th grader and their cousin is confused as hell. My cousin was boy crazy until she moved to portland and transformed into Lesbian and teaches preschoolers that boys and girls are innately the same.
That's just not True..
The Spirit of God is a framework- so is not washing your hands before you eat, or eating ham, the same as assaulting and murdering innocent children? We weren't Religious. When the Religious Freedom ACT hit Indiana; I pioneered photographing gay weddings. The first same sex wedding I photographed I did a lot of extra research on posing. My dad said- -just treat it -no differently. Not my finest Art. I had to do some posing gymnastics. I have gay (can I say that?) family members, my favorite teacher was gay, and honestly- we should be focusing on pediphilia. HOWEVER; Serious Question-Why SO MUCH BRIMSTONE in Sodom? (why? unrelated) I agree sin is sin- but the magnitude of brimstone in Sodom is noteworthy and not culture friendly. Maybe there's an overarching principle with God's Design. Maybe God is saying, "weed is a gateway drug" Food for Thought:) Im free to ask questions, don't persecute me,
Please and thank you!;)
That's just not True..
The Spirit of God is a framework- so is not washing your hands before you eat, or eating ham, the same as assaulting and murdering innocent children? We weren't Religious. When the Religious Freedom ACT hit Indiana; I pioneered photographing gay weddings. The first same sex wedding I photographed I did a lot of extra research on posing. My dad said- -just treat it -no differently. Not my finest Art. I had to do some posing gymnastics. I have gay (can I say that?) family members, my favorite teacher was gay, and honestly- we should be focusing on pediphilia. HOWEVER; Serious Question-Why SO MUCH BRIMSTONE in Sodom? (why? unrelated) I agree sin is sin- but the magnitude of brimstone in Sodom is noteworthy and not culture friendly. Maybe there's an overarching principle with God's Design. Maybe God is saying, "weed is a gateway drug" Food for Thought:) Im free to ask questions, don't persecute me,
Please and thank you!;)
The National and Global Festivities for our Beloved Nations
250th are breathtaking.
We arent currently in the days whee the dual political system
was balanced.
Wherther or not we call it democrat, isnt the main focus,
the main focus is that Comunissim is very sneaky.
Yes, God is Greater, Yes, We fully trust jesus christ,
but we also live on this planet too.
Until we know more, we should expose the darkest realties. otherwise, people dont know,
and that isnt correct judgemnent.
I think Americans are too naive to understand the magnitude of malice dedicated to abolishing truth.
You have to straighten out the crooked. You cant negotioate with evil.
Truth is
All we Need is Truth.
Humanity will evolve from that source.
https://live.itownchurch.com/
I cant Upload all of his
Tracks,
but they are
FIRE...
Check it out!
TRUTH
MATTERS
Well Played
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/two-trespassers-climb-top-empire-state-building-rcna35258
July 1, 2026, 12:37 PM EDT / Updated July 1, 2026, 6:02 PM EDT
By Daniel ArkinTwo people were taken into police custody Wednesday afternoon after climbing to the top of New York City’s famed Empire State Building, where they unfurled a peace banner and appeared to start making out nearly 1,500 feet above the city.
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Get exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.
The pair, a man and a woman in dark outfits and masks, displayed a flag that read: “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.”
In one especially surreal moment, the man got down on one knee and appeared to propose. The two embraced and kissed as an NBC New York helicopter circled overhead.
The two made their way down to street level, where they were taken into custody by law enforcement, according to New York Police Department spokesperson Delaney Kempner.
Police identified the climbers as Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov.
Two people holding a black flag with white lettering on top of the Empire State Building in New York on Wednesday.NBC New York
One of the people appeared to propose marriage.NBC New YorkThey were both charged with felony burglary, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief, as well as misdemeanor charges of possession of burglar’s tools, criminal tampering, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct, according to an NYPD spokesperson.
It was not immediately clear how the pair ascended to the top of the building, one of the city’s marquee tourist attractions. The couple scaled a 200-foot spire atop the 1,250-foot skyscraper, the sixth-tallest building in the country.
Nikolau and Kuznetsov were not reported injured, according to police.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Empire State Building said that “the unauthorized incident at the building has been resolved with the constructive and helpful coordination of the NYPD.”
“There was at no time danger to tenants, visitors, and Empire State Building Observation Deck guests,” the spokesperson added. “It is to be emphasized that the Empire State Building Observation Deck, atop the ‘World’s Most Famous Building’ in the center of New York City, does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals.”
Cellphone videos recorded by onlookers captured the confusion at the scene as the pair stood near the building’s needle. In air traffic control audio reviewed by NBC News, an unidentified person can be heard asking: “What’s all the hoopla going on over there?”
“Geniuses climbed to the top of the Empire State Building, the top of the spire,” someone says.
Someone replies: “A little hot for that, isn’t it?”
The incident comes as New York City grapples with a heat wave and an influx of visitors for World Cup matches and the July Fourth holiday weekend.
The city is also readying for the possibility of pop star Taylor Swift and football player Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden.
US Border Patrol
·
Following
US Border Patrol · Original audio
Never a dull moment!
Agents in the Big Bend Sector encountered something you don’t see every shift: a zebra roaming the remote West Texas terrain. Agents worked alongside state ancal partners to safely return the zebra to its home.
In the U.S. Border Patrol, no two days look the sae—but the miss
https://youtu.be/v3B3etSuP_k?si=_j2oWH8Qh6Td2iQ
US Border Patrol
·
Following
Sound
doctrine is important
because our faith
is based
on a specific message.
The overall teaching of the church contains many elements, but the primary message is explicitly defined: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures [and] . . . he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). This is the unambiguous good news, and it is “of first importance.” Change that message, and the basis of faith shifts from Christ to something else. Our eternal destiny depends upon hearing “the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians 1:13; see also 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).
Sound doctrine is important because the gospel is a sacred trust, and we dare not tamper with God’s communication to the world. Our duty is to deliver the message, not to change it. Jude conveys an urgency in guarding the trust: “I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 1:3; see also Philippians 1:27). To “contend” carries the idea of strenuously fighting for something, to give it everything you’ve got. The Bible includes a warning neither to add to nor subtract from God’s Word (Revelation 22:18-19). Rather than alter the apostles’ doctrine, we receive what has been passed down to us and keep it “as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13).
Sound doctrine is important because what we believe affects what we do. Behavior is an extension of theology, and there is a direct correlation between what we think and how we act. For example, two people stand on top of a bridge; one believes he can fly, and the other believes he cannot fly. Their next actions will be quite dissimilar. In the same way, a man who believes that there is no such thing as right and wrong will naturally behave differently from a man who believes in well-defined moral standards. In one of the Bible’s lists of sins, things like rebellion, murder, lying, and slave trading are mentioned. The list concludes with “whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:9-10). In other words, true teaching promotes righteousness; sin flourishes where “the sound doctrine” is opposed.
Sound doctrine is important because we must ascertain truth in a world of falsehood. “Many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). There are tares among the wheat and wolves among the flock (Matthew 13:25; Acts 20:29). The best way to distinguish truth from falsehood is to know what the truth is.
Sound doctrine is important because the end of sound doctrine is life. “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). Conversely, the end of unsound doctrine is destruction. “Certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 1:4). Changing God’s message of grace is a “godless” thing to do, and the condemnation for such a deed is severe. Preaching another gospel (“which is really no gospel at all”) carries an anathema: “let him be eternally condemned!” (see Galatians 1:6-9).
Sound doctrine is important because it encourages believers. A love of God’s Word brings “great peace” (Psalm 119:165), and those “who proclaim peace . . . who proclaim salvation” are truly “beautiful” (Isaiah 52:7). A pastor “must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9).
The word of wisdom is
“Do not remove the ancient
landmark
which your fathers have set”
(Proverbs 22:28, NKJV).
If we can
apply this to sound doctrine,
the lesson is
that we must preserve it intact.
May we never stray from
“the simplicity that is in Christ”
(2 Corinthians 11:3).
US Border Patrol · Original audio
Never a dull moment!
Agents in the Big Bend Sector encountered something you don’t see every shift: a zebra roaming the remote West Texas terrain. Agents worked alongside state and local partners to safely return the zebra to its home.
In the U.S. Border Patrol, no two days look the same—but the mission never changes. See less
The White House
A historic town built for a historic Presidential library.…
The Parable of the
Wheat and the Weeds,
or Tares, is filled with
spiritual significance and
truth.
But, in spite of the clear explanation of the parable that Jesus gave (Matthew 13:36-43), this parable is very often misinterpreted. Many commentaries and sermons have attempted to use this story as an illustration of the condition of the church, noting that there are both true believers (the wheat) and false professors (the weeds) in both the church at large and individual local churches. While this may be true, Jesus distinctly explains that the field is not the church; it is the world (v. 38).
Even if He hadn’t specifically told us the world is the setting of the story, it would still be obvious. The landowner tells the servants not to pull up the weeds in the field, but to leave them until the end of the age. If the field were the church, this command would directly contradict Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18, which tells us how to deal with unrepentant sinners in the church: they are to be put out of the fellowship and treated as unbelievers. Jesus never instructed us to let impenitent sinners remain in our midst until the end of the age. So, Jesus is teaching here about “the kingdom of heaven” (v. 24) in the world.
In the agricultural society of Christ’s time, many farmers depended on the quality of their crops. An enemy sowing weeds would have sabotaged a business. The tares in the parable were likely darnel because that weed, until mature, appears as wheat. Without modern weed killers, what would a wise farmer do in such a dilemma? Instead of tearing out the wheat with the tares, the landowner in this parable wisely waited until the harvest. After harvesting the whole field, the tares could be separated and burned. The wheat would be saved in the barn.
In the explanation of the parable, Christ declares that He Himself is the sower. He spreads His redeemed seed, true believers, in the field of the world. Through His grace, these Christians bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24). Their presence on earth is the reason the “kingdom of heaven” is like the field of the world. When Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17), He meant the spiritual realm which exists on earth side by side with the realm of the evil one (1 John 5:19). When the kingdom of heaven comes to its fruition, heaven will be a reality and there will be no “weeds” among the “wheat.” But for now, both good and bad seeds mature in the world.
The enemy in the parable is Satan. The field is the world. The devil tries to destroy Christ’s work by placing wicked people and false believers in the world to work unrighteousness. But the church’s job is not to rid the world of sinners (except through conversion) any more than it is the wheat’s job to pluck up the tares. In the parable, Christ allows the tares to remain until His return. At that time, angels will separate the just from the unjust and the true from false believers. Judgment is coming; in the meantime, God takes steps to ensure that His children are not adversely affected by His judgment on the wicked. God does not want to “uproot the wheat,” no matter how many tares there are (Matthew 13:29).
Tares, especially in the early stages of growth, resemble wheat. Likewise, a false believer may resemble a true believer, at least superficially. In Matthew 7:22, Jesus warned that many profess faith but do not know Him. Thus, each person should examine his or her own relationship with Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5). The book of 1 John is an excellent test of salvation.
Jesus Christ will one day establish true righteousness. After He raptures the church out of this world, God will pour out His righteous wrath on the world. During that tribulation, He will draw others to saving faith in Jesus Christ. At the end of the tribulation, all unbelievers will be judged for their sin and unbelief; then they will be removed from God’s presence. True followers of Christ will reign with Him.
The “wheat” will be gathered into God's “barn” (Matthew 13:30).
What a glorious future for the “wheat”!
The holiness of God
is a critical
facet of His character.
God desires—even commands—that His people seek after His holiness (Leviticus 11:44). Emulating a lifestyle that reflects God’s holiness is so important that the writer of Hebrews urged Christians to “strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, ESV).
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). People who desire to live in close fellowship with the Lord and see Him face to face must turn away from self-seeking, unholy interests. They must “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). Believers are called to become like God in His holiness (Ephesians 1:4).
The apostle Peter instructed believers to “live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14–16, NLT). Without a lifelong endeavor toward personal holiness, no one will see the Lord.
God must discipline willfully disobedient children who live to please themselves. Throughout Scripture, God appeals to His people to work at cultivating holiness: “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1 Thessalonians 4:7–8).
The declaration without holiness no one will see the Lord reflects a sense of the author’s anticipation of seeing Christ at His return (see 1 John 3:2). This is the culminating point of the broader passage (Hebrews 12:22–29). If our ultimate goal is to be like Christ and see Him when He returns, our practical daily pursuit must be toward complete purity of thought and lifestyle.
We are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:14–18). In light of this revelation, the apostle Paul urged, “Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God” (2 Corinthians 7:1, NLT). Paul told Timothy, “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21, ESV).
We find a parallel idea to “without holiness no one will see the Lord” in these words from Paul: “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Ephesians 5:5). Of the future, glorious New Jerusalem, the apostle John said, “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).
It’s vital to understand that, as the Lord’s redeemed people, we are made holy through Christ’s finished work, the offering of His body on the cross (Hebrews 10:10, 14; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Corinthians 1:2). We are saved by Jesus “to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began” (2 Timothy 1:9, ESV). “He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5, NLT).
Sanctification is based on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the ongoing work of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Colossians 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; John 3:5–8; 1 Corinthians 6:11). Motivated by the knowledge that “without holiness no one will see the Lord,” we continue going all-out for Christ, striving to put on our “new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:24, NLT).
In the Bible, there are examples of both an acceptable and unacceptable kind of testing God. It’s acceptable to “test” God in regard to tithes and offerings, for example, but unacceptable when the test is rooted in doubt.
Malachi 3:10 says, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” This is the only situation given in the Bible in which God tells His people to “test” Him. Interestingly, the Hebrew word used for “test” in this verse is bachan, which means “to examine, scrutinize, or prove (as in gold, persons, or the heart).” Just as gold is “tested” with fire to prove its quality, God invites Israel to test Him in tithes and offerings and see that He proves His faithfulness in response.
There is another Hebrew word for “test” used elsewhere in the Bible. Nasah means “to put to the test, try, or tempt.” It is used in Deuteronomy 6:16, where God commands Israel to not test Him: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah.”
This second, unacceptable kind of testing is when doubt leads us to demand something of God to prove Himself to us. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 in the wilderness, in response to one of Satan’s temptations. “The devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”’” (Matthew 4:5–7). Essentially, the devil was telling Jesus to “prove” God’s Word was true by forcing God’s hand—if Jesus was in peril, God would have to save Him. Jesus refused to test God in such a way. We are to accept God’s Word by faith, without requiring a sign (see Luke 11:29). God’s promises are there for us when we need them; to manipulate situations in an attempt to coerce God into fulfilling His promises is evil.
The occasion where the Israelites tested God at Massah is found in Exodus 17. As God was leading Moses and His people toward the Promised Land, they camped at a place where there was no water. The Israelites’ immediate reaction was to grumble against God and quarrel with Moses (Exodus 17:1–3). Their lack of trust in God to take care of them is evident in their accusations toward Moses: “They said, ‘Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?’” (Exodus 17:3). The Israelites were obviously in a situation where they needed God to intervene. The point at which they tested God, though, is when doubt and fear overtook them and they came to the conclusion that God had abandoned them (see Exodus 17:7). They questioned God’s reliability because He was not meeting their expectations.
The difference between these two kinds of testing God is faith. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). The Israelites at Massah tested God because they lacked faith in Him. The Israelites in Malachi’s day were invited to test God because they had faith in Him.
Faith, by definition, takes risk. When true faith is present, obedience follows. It is that faith-inspired action of obedience that God loves. As seen in the example of Israel’s tithes and offerings, when we give out of our faith in who God is, He proves Himself to be faithful. By contrast, when we view God through our doubt and demand something of Him as a way of determining whether or not He can be trusted, we’re in danger of testing God (see Mark 8:11–12).
On the CROSS,
JESUS
took the punishment
we
deserved for our sin.
He did not deserve to die, but He willingly took our place and experienced death for us. Jesus’ death was a substitution, “the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Peter 3:18), the innocent for the guilty, the perfect for the corrupt.
The doctrine of the substitutionary atonement teaches that Christ suffered vicariously, being substituted for the sinner, and that His sufferings were expiatory (that is, His sufferings made amends). On the cross, Jesus took our place in several ways:
Jesus took our place in that He was made sin for us. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB). As Jesus was hanging on the cross, suspended between earth and heaven, the sins of the world were placed on Him (1 Peter 2:24). The perfect Son of Man carried our guilt.
Jesus took our place in that He experienced physical death—not just any death, but the death of a lawbreaker. Everyone dies, but there is a difference between dying a “natural” death and being executed for one’s crimes. Sin is the violation of God’s law (1 John 3:4), and “the soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4, ESV). Since we have all sinned, we all deserve death (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Jesus releases us from that penalty. Although He had committed no crime (see Luke 23:15), Jesus was executed as a criminal; in fact, it is because He was sinless that His death avails to us. He had no personal sin to pay for, so His death pays for ours. Our legal debt has been paid in full--tetelestai (John 19:30). As the old gospel song says, “He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay.”
So, Jesus took our place judicially, bearing the penalty of sin and dying in our place. “When you were dead in your sins . . . , 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” (Colossians 2:13–14). In other words, God nailed all the accusations against us to the cross. God will never see believers in Christ as deserving the death penalty because our crimes have already been punished in the physical body of Jesus (see Romans 8:1).
God’s Law says, “You are guilty of sin against a holy God. Justice demands your life.” Jesus answers, “Take My life instead.” The fact that Jesus took our place shows God’s great love: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).
But the penalty for sin extends beyond physical death to include a spiritual separation from God. Again, in this matter, Jesus took our place. Part of Christ’s agony on the cross was a feeling of separation from the Father. After three hours of supernatural darkness in the land, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, we need never experience that sense of abandonment (Hebrews 13:5). We can never fathom, at least in this life, how much God the Son suffered in taking our place.
We know Jesus’ suffering was intense. In the days leading up to the crucifixion, Jesus expressed distress about what was coming (John 12:27). But those who tried to dissuade Him from going to the cross were sharply rebuked—the offer to avoid the ordeal was a temptation from Satan himself (Matthew 16:21–23), and Jesus had not come to take the easy way out. On the night of His arrest, Jesus was “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). Even with having an angel to strengthen Him, Jesus actually sweated blood (Luke 22:43–44).
In order for us to be saved, Jesus had to take our place and die for sin. He had to lay down His life as a sacrifice, because “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). His sacrifice was perfect in holiness, in worth, and in power to save. After His resurrection, Jesus showed His scars to the apostles (John 20:26–27). As long as our salvation lasts (forever), the marks of our Savior’s suffering will be visible (Revelation 5:6)—an eternal reminder that He took our place.
“Surely he took up our pain
and
bore our suffering. . . .
He was pierced
for
our transgressions,
he was
crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment
that
brought us peace was on him,
and by
his wounds we are
healed. . . .
The Lord has laid
on him
the iniquity of us all”
(Isaiah 53:4–6).
The White House
HELLO, NORTH DAKOTA
President Trump is greeted
by an
electric crowd as he steps
off the
@Freedom250 train
ahead of
the remarks at the
Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library
https://app.pureflix.com/freedom250?f
Museum of the Bible
ondotsrSep88a48ciaf1ii7961ul800132i1l5309huhf4t2080m2l817ufc ·
Join us on July 1
at the
National Mall
for
Faith,
Values & Inspiration night:
Matthew West, Maverick City,
Jordan Feliz,
Blanca, Ryan Ellis + a
Grammy
Award-winning special guest at sunset.
Inspiring words from
Dr. Alveda King,
Pastor Ben Stuart, and Reverend Samuel Rodriguez.
Plus, the
Grand Illumination
of the
Washington Monument
at 9:00 pm.
Presented by Museum of the Bible,
this will be an
evening full of worship and wonder
you won’t want to miss.
Can't make it to DC?
The entire night will be livestreamed starting at 4:00 pm
EST https://bit.ly/4f8stAu.
Gather your family and friends and don't miss a moment.
Free in person. Free to stream.
Once-in-a-generation
The White House
tSorodesnpt7i838g2ff0f7633a2c4hcuac7164h9g5i01uc6m9c8720f5cg ·
THE COUNTDOWN IS ON.
3 DAYS. ONE NATION. ONE MASSIVE CELEBRATION.
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Billy Graham
Sondsoreptam6tm645ta4ug79i25ul1u1tc2u27h09mmlm4m907t57flum3c ·
"It is small wonder ... the Bible has always been the world's best-seller! No other book can touch its profound wisdom, its poetic beauty, or the accuracy of its history and prophecy." —Billy Graham
CBN News
Sondsoreptam6tm645ta4ug79i25ul1u1tc2u17h09mmlm4m907t57fluh2c ·
The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld state laws banning transgender athletes from competing on girls' and women's school sports teams, ruling that the restrictions are constitutional and do not violate Title IX. The decision, which stems from cases in Idaho and West Virginia, is expected to bolster similar laws in more than 25 states.
Billy Hallowell and Tré Goins-Phillips break down the story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyar6XkhZQQ
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Museum of the Bible
and Great American Pure Flix
·
Follow
eponordSst M93h:uh4ht 02604amm8i00eu193aan15 2042cJP5it0 t7h ·
One unforgettable evening in DC is only 2 days away. Plus, it’s free to attend.
On July 1, Museum of the Bible is bringing Matthew West, Maverick City, Jordan Feliz, Blanca + a Grammy Award-winning special guest to the Great American State Fair for Faith, Values & Inspiration night. Add inspiring words from Dr. Alveda King, Pastor Ben Stuart, and Reverend Samuel Rodriguez — then the Grand Illumination of the Washington Monument at 9:00 p.m. — and you've got a night you'll be talking about for years.
Here's what you need to know before you go:
Great American State Fair Main Stage — Washington Monument, facing the Capitol
Livestream starts at 4PM EST: https://bit.ly/4f8stAu
Tag a friend you want to bring along!
For security protocol and entrance details, visit: https://bit.ly/3SouWhj
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Today is Jonathan’s birthday. We send our gratitude and love.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
CBN News
dsSronotep301405lmfl3m45i96h8hmc427l53lm0a961h2f0i61ilt16m5u ·
The military conflict between the U.S. and Iran may have slowed, but the diplomatic battle is intensifying. Iran's Chief Negotiator said, "A decision was made for Iran, the United States, and Lebanon to establish a joint committee to oversee implementation of the end of the war and the restoration of national sovereignty."
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu visited soldiers in southern Lebanon with a strong message for Hezbollah and Iran.
FULL STORY: https://cbn.com/.../diplomatic-volley-intensifies-between...
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The Kids Guide
oordtepsSnc4M1nt2tui04gte1mlac4lt60Jh4720:1 59 1 A1l u31g02f ·
Surprise your kids with the ultimate party favor for America's big day! Get The Kids Guide to America's 250th Birthday for *FREE*, plus bonus gifts!
This keepsake gift is jam-packed with:
• Fun facts about America
• Gorgeous photography & illustrations
• American History that comes alive!
You just pay s&p with this special intro offer to The Kids Guide. Check out our website for full details of this exciting *FREE* offer.
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|
Feed posts Ethereal Earth eptrSoondsm6m7136t4ghhl884mf560458cg7h93glg3ac2i116t20872atf · Happy Strawberry Moon |
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center ·
Follow
netdpsrooS353gtl4t203c8641171uga7956f5cf44h88t78c1h6h8tgmch6 ·
It's a double feature!
We’re kicking off summer skywatching season by observing Meteor Watch Day and International Asteroid Day, both today, June 30. Learn how NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration watches the skies for our celestial visitors and how you can watch with us on our latest #WatchTheSkies blog: https://go.nasa.gov/4v6PFDZ
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David J Harris Jr. ·
Follow
pnesootSrdu0609ha3hh23a621u409f3la0uhl405gati30ma76fc43g0780 ·
I don’t care who gets upset by this: President Trump, thank you for something bigger than politics.
Thank you for waking up every day at 80 years old and carrying pressure most people could never handle.
Thank you for the missed meals, lost family time, sleepless nights, constant travel, nonstop attacks, and the weight of leading a nation that always demands more.
Thank you for standing back up every single time people tried to tear you down. Thank you for enduring criticism, lies, betrayal, and pressure that would have destroyed most people.
Thank you for giving up comfort, privacy, peace, and the life you already had to sit in one of the toughest positions in the world and fight for this country.
You didn’t need to do any of this. You already had the wealth, success, properties, lifestyle, and freedom.
You could have walked away. Instead, you chose sacrifice. You chose responsibility. You chose America.
Thank you for everything you carried that many people never truly saw. Thank you for continuing to put this country before yourself.
We see you. We appreciate you. And we thank you.
God bless you. God protect you. And may God continue giving you the strength to carry what most people never could.
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The Chosen
rSdoptsneo671a0lf36l37uati31u89i3ha66f27l1hg1652569lh118ta50 ·
A glimpse of the first few weeks on set for Season 7.
Young America's Foundation
Sponsored · Paid for by YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION INC
·
We’re making history this year with the biggest National Conservative Student Conference EVER. And what better place to kick this off than George Washington’s Mount Vernon, with a Freedom at 250 Rally featuring Ben Shapiro? YAF and the Daily Wire are teaming up for an event that will define the future of our movement. If you want meet the biggest voices of Conservatism in one of the most historic places in America, register today ->
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Josh From England
is with Life of Matt and
2 others
. ·
Follow
Based in the United Kingdom
·tSnodporesg7a56lmcgt527gi69l7tmft99322iaf0t9419271gflah9l03h ·
America, surprise!!! The boys are coming back!!!
We’re off to see England at the World Cup and then celebrate the 250th year anniversary when you beat us red coats…
This is an in the moment thing and we have no clue what could unfold but we are going for it!!
America, we will see you soon. We’re just about to take off…
I can already hear the freedom ringing…
See less
Young Washington Movie
eprntodosS4i4t55f43i1t45c9h1a6i6d4a5t3a20Ac32a1i316fgu0764c3 ·
This 4th of July, students get 2 FREE tickets to see Young Washington in theaters. Celebrate America's 250th in style courtesy of iCivics Education and Angel!
Limit 2 free tickets per order, only valid for showtimes on the 4th of July after 4PM PST. Use code ICIVICS250
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Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
tSnodporesg 16t:cgtY27ai yt7tmar993M2eds0t941e271gflaP3l04h ·
This Independence Day, Franklin Graham will be a part of the Salute to America celebration on the National Mall, where he’ll reflect on our nation’s Biblical roots and lead a call to prayer.
“I’m looking forward to reminding people that we never would have made it from 1776 to 2026 without God’s help. He is the One who has sustained us through every hardship and trial,” said Graham. “We may not make it even another 25 years unless we continue to call on His Name.”
As we celebrate 250 years of America, find more information about how to watch this special event:
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DailyWire+
eprntodosSoi4t5Se4on1t45c9h1a6i6d4a5t3a20pc32asi316fgu07r4c3 ·
Somewhere right now a legacy media outlet is working on it's "America is actually bad" piece. You won't get that over here. In fact, we're celebrating 250 years of the greatest country in the world.
Right now, pay just $17.76 for three months of DailyWire+. Come celebrate with us.
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Christianrealfacts
dpStoseron6h6atcg1hf906h9h54940900u5652142lmi398cihm6g171gi6 ·
Cornfield Chase · Hans Zimmer ·
Austin Appelbee, a teenager in Western Australia, survived a terrifying four-hour swim after he and his family were swept out to sea near Quindalup.
With no way to return to shore, his mother made the painful decision to send Austin to find help as darkness approached.
Austin swam about four kilometers through strong waves, abandoning a damaged kayak and even removing his life jacket when it slowed him down.
He later told the BBC that prayer, Christian songs, and thoughts of his family kept him going.
“I don’t think it was me who did it — it was God the whole time,” he said. “I kept praying and praying, and I said to God, ‘I’ll get baptized, I’ll get baptized.’”
After collapsing on shore and calling for help, Austin learned hours later that his mother and siblings were rescued alive after drifting nearly 14 kilometers offshore.
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Nancy Hanlon
ndotseSrop5u26P 0gelrditsycY 26aM911i1999 5u2uta3e4t9tg:l1at ·
Last week we were flying home from Jon’s in Seattle at the same time my sister was flying to Jon’s from South Bend. I jokingly told my sister that I would wave
Jon posted this the next day, our flights passed each other about 1,000 feet vertically apart. We really could have waved to each other.
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center ·
Follow
ndotseSrop5u26340gul9mih87ch4f6a79a1i1f9995u2ucf3u4t9tgal17t ·
In celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has unveiled four cosmic images rendered in red, white, and blue that represent the wonders of the universe.
The image set features Cassiopeia A, the nebula NGC 3603, the galaxy NGC 4736/Messier 94, and a distant galaxy cluster known as ZwCl 0024+1652.
Read more about them here: https://go.nasa.gov/3SsIPeB
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The Kids Guide
Snsrptdoeod68im3731hu0761933Am5f781f43922miillil2u25h4c3l6l1 ·
There's never been a better time to inspire Patriotism in your kids! Get your family's *FREE* copy of The Kids Guide to America's 250th Birthday!
This limited-edition guide is jam-packed with:
• Fun facts about America
• Gorgeous photography & illustrations
• American History that comes alive
Pay just s&p and get bonus gifts today with this special intro offer to The Kids Guide! Go to our website now for full details of this exciting *FREE* offer!
See less
The Temple Institute
trnSedpsoom757um08hi11fhc4ag413l8189u23t8ut7tff3ih8u3hc0u39m ·
TEMPLE OFFICE FOR SUPERVISING THE LOCKING OF THE GATES
Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Klei HaMikdash, 7:3:
"The one [appointed] to supervise the locking [at sunset, and opening at dawn] of the gates: At his command, the gates would be locked and opened. Those who sound [the trumpets] every day for the opening of the gates sound them only by his instruction. Every day, [the trumpets] were sounded three times at the opening of the gates [in the following manner]: a tekiah [long blast], a teruah [short staccato blasts], and a tekiah."
As seen here, four kohanim were sent to open the main gate (left) of the Sanctuary at dawn. First, a kohen would open the side door (center), in two stages: He would first open the small window at the bottom of the door using one key, and then, holding the second key, he would insert his entire arm through the window and unlock the door via a bolt on the floor. Once this door was opened, the kohanim would walk through it and unlock the main gate.
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Old Barn Photography ·
Joshua Buckmaster ·trnSedpsoom757um08hi11fhc4ag413l8189u53t8ut7tff3ih8u3hc0u39m ·
Full Strawberry Moon, Red Round Barn and Lightning Bugs
The trifecta of a Hoosier summer nite!
Littleton/Kingen Round Barn
McCordsville, Indiana
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I Am With You Always - David Delfeld
trnSedpsoom757um08hi11fhc4ag413l8189u03t8ut7tff3ih8u3hc0u39m ·
Following Jesus means anchoring your soul to a reality that refuses to drift with culture, emotion, or public opinion. It means letting His voice - not your volatile feelings - to define what's true, good, and worth dying for.
While the world tells you to look inward to "find yourself," and to make “your truth” the ultimate compass, Jesus says, "Deny yourself." One path places you on a fragile, self-made throne. The other recognizes Christ as the undisputed Lord of the universe worthy of following.
The Gospel isn't a museum exhibit meant for casual admiration, but a declaration that demands total allegiance. His boundaries aren't a prison, but a fortress, designed to protect and guide you into the abundant life you were created for.
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Conservative Lookout ·
Follow
dpStoseron6h6atcg1hf916h9h54940900u5652142lmi398cihm6g171gi6 ·
President Donald Trump said Monday that his approval ratings have reached their highest level yet, arguing that Americans are backing his administration because of its efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. In a Truth Social post, Trump declared that his poll numbers were even higher than on Election Day, although he did not identify which specific survey he was referencing.
Several polls released in recent days have shown varying results. A Daily Mail and J.L. Partners survey reported Trump's approval rating rising to 47%, its highest reading of the year, while a McLaughlin & Associates poll found his approval at 50% among likely midterm voters. At the same time, other national surveys, including Reuters/Ipsos polling, have reported considerably lower approval ratings, illustrating how results can differ depending on methodology and the voters surveyed.
Trump has consistently argued that preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon remains a central goal of his foreign policy, and he linked that message to what he described as growing public support for his administration. As the 2026 midterm elections approach, polling is expected to remain closely watched by both parties. Which polls do you believe provide the clearest picture of public opinion, and why?
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To text Jesse
Watters (host of Jesse Watters Primetime),
you can send your messages to (929) 286-7479.
Your text might be read on-air during his
"Text Jesse" segments. [1, 2]
For a look at the Text Jesse segment
on Fox News
and how the show interacts with viewer messages:
0:56
Jesse is answering your texts! Text him at 929-286-7479 and ...
Jesse Watters
Facebook · Jan 26, 2022
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.
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.
Quoting from the Septuagint, the apostle Paul referred to Isaiah’s prophecy in Romans 15:8–13. Paul specifically acknowledged Jesus Christ as the root of Jesse in whom the Gentiles put their hope: “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope’” (verse 12). And in the book of Revelation, Jesus states, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16).
Isaiah’s use of the phrase root of Jesse calls into focus the humanity of Jesus. The Messiah would possess human ancestry. It also underscores Christ’s humble origins. As a shepherd from Bethlehem, Jesse occupied a relatively humble station in life. King Saul often used the phrase the son of Jesse to refer to David in a derogatory manner (1 Samuel 20:27, 30–31; 22:7–8). The Jesse Tree is an Advent custom that originates from Isaiah’s prophecy of the root of Jesse. Instead of perishing, Jesse’s family grew into a branch that bore fruit in the form of Messiah: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). During Advent, some use a Jesse Tree to represent the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
The Jesse Tree tradition dates back to the Middle Ages. Tapestries and stained-glass windows depicting a tree with Jesse at the roots and Jesus at the top branch were prevalent in the earliest displays. As pictorial representations, they allowed unschooled people to learn the stories in Scripture from the time of creation until the birth of Jesus Christ.
Today, families often use a Jesse Tree in place of an Advent calendar to teach their children about the Bible and the story of salvation at Christmastime. Each day of Advent, symbolic ornaments are placed on the tree, an act followed by a short devotional to explore and reinforce the biblical significance of each ornament. Several variations of Jesse Tree themes exist, including messianic prophecies, ancestors in the bloodline of Jesus, the promises of God, and important Bible stories.
While little is known from Scripture about the man Jesse, throughout the Old and New Testaments, he is associated with the Messiah and mentioned as an ancestor of Jesus Christ. In the book of Acts, Paul makes it clear once again that the “root of Jesse,” God’s promise to David, is indeed the Messiah and Savior, Jesus Christ: “After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised” (Acts 13:22–23).
CBS News
sSpneordot3ah1g36c7ghh6i0t26if617m81h6utch40la4208cm620uluhf ·
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
will be celebrating
their nuptials
this
holiday weekend
in New York City
after
days of speculation
about the
most anticipated celebrity
wedding of the year.
CBS News
sdeoSpontrfuhlaim3il4t1cl1mi20ic6l0h879hci431t9i3i3h3c1155ha ·
Interns sprinted
from the Supreme Court
to deliver
printed opinions to the media
after
the
justices handed down
a
series of major rulings
Tuesday,
including cases involving
birthright citizenship,
transgender athletes
and
campaign spending limits.
CBS News
sSpneordot3ah1g36c7ghh6i0t26if617m81h6utch40la4208cm620uluhf ·
For a second time, the House on Tuesday voted against limiting President Trump's authority to engage the U.S. military in warfare in Lebanon without congressional authorization
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1c1JE1RCcd/
The Five | Fox News Nation ·
Kenny Caron ·etdnrpsooSg1l5hf5a71mg40taif3ll6h1c07h504l84a95m326t1222hl73 ·
The fall of the Dumocratic Party!
Jesse Watters
etdnrpsooSa1ydPf5a71m:80tats3el62e9t7ar04l8 a9Ym 26t 222hM73 ·
COMMUNISTS JUST INSURRECTED A JOE BIDEN FUNDRAISER... AND IT GOT UGLY
SPARTACUS is getting GRILLED for taking JEWISH DONOR MONEY
NOT EVEN PRIDE PARADES ARE SAFE... LIBERALS are getting HECKLED OUT
This is a REVOLUTION and MAMDANI is being asked to RUN FOR PRESIDENT
Tunnel to Towers Foundation
Born from the tragedy of 9/11, Tunnel to Towers carries out its mission to “do good,” by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially-adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Children of the Foundation’s home recipients are offered full scholarships for undergraduate degrees and accredited trade school programs, helping secure their futures. The Foundation is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America to Never Forget September 11, 2001. Donate $11 a month, and amplify your impact with a car or land donation.
If you experience technical difficulties processing your donation, please call (718) 987-1931.
CBS News
nSoterdspoh331107g5hmh33cg9gu3tu0hmm62861a19uta0ahf147562h11 ·
In response to the Supreme Court's decision to strike down President Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, the president urged Congress to take action to restrict birthright citizenship.
"The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship, which is too bad for our Country, but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President, that has now been determined during this process," he wrote on Truth Social.
In a separate Truth Social post, Trump wrote, "I would like to congratulate President Xi, and the Great Country of China, on their massive Birthright Citizenship WIN!"
CBS News
nSoterdspoh331107g5hmh33cg9gu3tu0hmm62861a19uta0ahf147572h11 ·
The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down President Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. In a divided decision, the Supreme Court split 6-3 in finding that Mr. Trump's policy is unlawful.
Five of the justices — Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson — agreed that Mr. Trump's executive order violates the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote separately to say he believes the order violates federal law. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissented.
CBS News
ntSoprodseuuhg6914h7hmglmcht5l74ci40a1m47gaa4g069ccgg21tl190 ·
The impending wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce has already generated more than $4.5 million in wagers, according to Kalshi.
CBS MorningsTaylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding rumors fuel millions in bets on prediction marketsBy
Jo Ling KentJune 30, 2026 / 12:56 PM EDT / CBS News
Add CBS News on GoogleThe wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce could be just days away, and even though there's no official confirmation of it happening, people are still betting millions on it.
Prediction markets, which are often used to bet on sports and politics, are now seeing an influx of action from Swifties. More than $2 million has been bet just on where the couple will tie the knot.
"Prediction markets are filling this void in our society of turning every single thing into a gambling contract," said Jonathan Cohen, the gambling policy lead at the American Institute for Boys and Men. "When celebrities get married, people want to gamble on celebrities getting married."
According to Kalshi, New York leads the way for the couple's wedding location.
Last week, CBS News confirmed with New York City Hall that an application was filed for an event in or around Madison Square Garden on July 3.
On Monday, several trucks were spotted with equipment labeled "Garden Party" being loaded into MSG – sparking more speculation that Swift and Kelce may be hosting some type of celebration there.
Kalshi says the superstar wedding has already generated more than $4.5 million in wagers.
As of early Tuesday morning, Kelce's brother, Jason Kelce, is the top pick for groomsman at 94%, according to Kalshi. Other picks include Swift's brother, Austin Swift, and Kelce's teammate, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. As for bridesmaids, Swift's childhood best friend, Abigail Anderson Berard, holds the lead at 85%.
This year alone, Kalshi has already seen $600 million in trading on entertainment markets, which is double the amount from 2025.
The company has also seen the number of female traders double in the past year.
"You sort of need to, like, have the exit velocity to break out of this sort of male space and maybe, just maybe, a Taylor Swift wedding, an event so clearly sort of in the female fan wheelhouse, could be the way to do that," Cohen said.
CBS News
psodtSerno9t959a440uhm13f737g446f9tfc5gf7gg3028llht79665471f ·
The Supreme Court issued several major rulings Tuesday, weighing in on birthright citizenship, transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports and on campaign spending limits. Here’s how each justice voted in the key cases.
The high court struck down President Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, reaffirming the more than 100-year-old understanding that nearly all of those born in the United States are citizens. In a divided decision in the case Trump v. Barbara, the Supreme Court split 6-3 in finding that Trump's policy is unlawful.
In two of the most closely watched cases of its term, the Supreme Court upheld laws from West Virginia and Idaho that restrict transgender athletes' participation in school sports.
In the case National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, the high court divided 6-3 along ideological lines in finding that the caps on what are called coordinated party expenditures violate the First Amendment. See less
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Video shot by Ranucci, who has been under police protection since 2021 because of his hard-hitting investigations, showed the mangled remains of the cars and the gate.
CBS News
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Morocco's players dropped to their knees in prayer after stunning the Netherlands in a dramatic FIFA World Cup penalty shootout. The win sends Morocco into the Round of 16 while eliminating the Dutch from the tournament.
CBS News
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CBS News
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CBS News
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“I’m just grateful that, today, biological reality and common sense prevailed.” See less
CBS News
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Former Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and current NAACP general counsel Kristen Clarke says the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling is an "unequivocal rejection of President Trump's effort to rewrite the Constitution."
"Had the court come out any other way, it would have caused tremendous chaos across our country," Clarke says, arguing "this is the court showing respect for the text of the Constitution, for precedent, and for what has been the law of the land for well over 100 years.
CBS News
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The case was prompted by a whistleblower complaint in Southern California, one of the sources added.
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CBS News
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CBS News
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CBS News
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The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will consider whether the Second Amendment guarantees the right to have AR-15-style rifles.
In a brief order, the high court agreed to take up a pair of cases challenging local and state laws outlawing AR-15s and similar semi-automatic rifles. One involves an ordinance in Cook County, Illinois, and the other centers on Connecticut's law.
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CBS News
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The Supreme Court ruled last week that the Trump administration can strip the temporary immigration status of hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian people in the U.S. Temporary Protected Status or "TPS" is typically granted to immigrants fleeing war, natural disaster or other extraordinary conditions in their home country.
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CBS News
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CBS News
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CBS News
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The Aspen Acres Fire burning in southern Colorado has destroyed 55 homes in Custer County and more than 100 structures in Pueblo County, authorities said.
The wildfire has grown to 28,314 acres as of Tuesday afternoon and is 0% contained so far, although Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero said in a news conference that crews are working hard to slow the fire down and try to protect homes.
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CBS News
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President Trump has announced that Republicans will hold their first-ever national convention in Dallas ahead of the midterm elections. It's an unusual event aimed at boosting turnout in races that will decide whether the party maintains control of Congress. See less
CBS News
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BREAKING: A new financial disclosure shows President Trump made over $1 billion on cryptocurrency ventures in 2025.
CBS News
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The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down federal limits on the amount of money a political committee can spend in coordination with federal candidates, further unwinding restrictions on the flow of money into congressional campaigns.
In the case National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, the court divided 6-3 along ideological lines in finding that the caps on what are called coordinated party expenditures violate the First Amendment.
CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe breaks down what it means for the upcoming midterm elections.
CBS News
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CBS News
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The Department of Justice and more than a dozen states have reached a proposed settlement with three of the country's leading egg producers to resolve claims that the companies colluded to manipulate egg prices
CBS News
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A Venezuelan mother who lost her home in last week's devastating twin earthquakes says she's "living a nightmare" as she shelters in a displacement camp with her children. Noelia Hernandez told CBS News' Camilo Montoya-Galvez she lost everything and is desperate to leave the camp, where families are sleeping in tents, as they wait for permanent shelter. Authorities say more than 1,900 people have been killed, though experts fear the true death toll is significantly higher, with thousands still missing.
CBS News
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U.S. Treasury announced a series of sanctions and a new bank alert targeting the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Mexico's most powerful criminal enterprise.
CBN News
dSoesptroncc51ha5i47l12tftg150mmmlf8a674aiu501lmfhlt1i5lh0m1 ·
This ruling could protect girls nationwide!
FULL STORY: https://cbn.com/.../high-court-issues-major-ruling... See l·
This ruling could protect girls nationwide!
FULL STORY: https://cbn.com/.../high-court-issues-major-ruling... See less
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CBS News
rnSoepodts3038h075g471fu7m2lii70ta10img8a8affll0ha778i5hi31a ·
California congressional candidate and state Sen. Scott Wiener was forced to leave a pro-trans rights march on Friday after being followed and berated by protesters over his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Wiener, who is Jewish, told CBS News he feels that the protesters were "lying about my record on Gaza," and said he believes Israel's military actions have amounted to genocide.
CBS News' Jared Ochacher has more on the incident. See less
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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are holding a rehearsal dinner and wedding celebration at Madison Square Garden this week, two law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS News. Here’s what we know about the #wedding. #tswift #taylorswift #msg #swiftie
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CBS News
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The Supreme Court issued the final rulings of its 2025-2026 term on Tuesday, capping a consequential series of decisions that addressed some of President Trump's signature policies.
CBS News
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In Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Colorado's 1st Congressional District, Ashik Siddique, co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America, says the organization is looking to build on recent victories in New York City and Philadelphia, arguing voters are "fed up" with Democratic Party leadership. See less
CBS News
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“It was a great day for Idaho,” says Republican Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador after the Supreme Court ruled to uphold the state’s ban on transgender athletes competing on girls' and women's sports teams.
“I’m just grateful that, today, biological reality and common sense prevailed.” See less
CBS News
esorodptnS8616h91i8i71g9702ual0m63155mu9m45tg9aull61iug8i99i ·
Former Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and current NAACP general counsel Kristen Clarke says the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling is an "unequivocal rejection of President Trump's effort to rewrite the Constitution."
"Had the court come out any other way, it would have caused tremendous chaos across our country," Clarke says, arguing "this is the court showing respect for the text of the Constitution, for precedent, and for what has been the law of the land for well over 100 years.
CBS News
esorodptnS8616h91i8i71g9702ual0m63155mu9m45tg9aull61iug8i99i ·
The Justice Department has launched an investigation into Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona for possible campaign finance violations, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The case was prompted by a whistleblower complaint in Southern California, one of the sources added.
The investigation focuses on Gallego's usage of campaign funds since 2019 for family trips, according to a source familiar with the probe. Federal Election Commission records show that Gallego has billed his campaign accounts for trips to Puerto Rico, Nantucket, Miami and other places. See less
CBS News
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Republican hardliners continue to hold up most legislation on the House floor as they dig in on their demands for the Senate to pass President Trump's voting regulations bill, the SAVE America Act. See less
CBS News
Srptdoneso4lf7h201ca910c456t26tf35iallc9ic2m09154t0c3fci48g9 ·
A bomb exploded outside a luxury apartment building in Monaco, injuring a Ukrainian businessman, his wife and teenage child. Authorities are searching for the suspected attacker who they say fled on foot into France. CBS News' Chris Livesay has more on the investigation
CBS News
pdetSnosortt60i7mt5g05660ifl0hl15ica7i6ig74h5047i9gh2hh401ll ·
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will consider whether the Second Amendment guarantees the right to have AR-15-style rifles.
In a brief order, the high court agreed to take up a pair of cases challenging local and state laws outlawing AR-15s and similar semi-automatic rifles. One involves an ordinance in Cook County, Illinois, and the other centers on Connecticut's law.
The justices will hear arguments in the cases in its next term, which begins in October.
CBS News
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The Supreme Court ruled last week that the Trump administration can strip the temporary immigration status of hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian people in the U.S. Temporary Protected Status or "TPS" is typically granted to immigrants fleeing war, natural disaster or other extraordinary conditions in their home country.
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CBS News
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See less
CBS News
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CBS News
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CBS News
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CBS News
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The Aspen Acres Fire burning in southern Colorado has destroyed 55 homes in Custer County and more than 100 structures in Pueblo County, authorities said.
The wildfire has grown to 28,314 acres as of Tuesday afternoon and is 0% contained so far, although Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero said in a news conference that crews are working hard to slow the fire down and try to protect homes.
See less
CBS News
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CBS News
nrseSodpotf9th097ga4ia082a5llguhal11u94360c1g4cc16luc4f1168a ·
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CBS News
Sosrptnoedug194iu2u60h67f51mu0hal1a5if13ll2ii7tl0t9i5iuu03mu ·
The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down federal limits on the amount of money a political committee can spend in coordination with federal candidates, further unwinding restrictions on the flow of money into congressional campaigns.
In the case National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, the court divided 6-3 along ideological lines in finding that the caps on what are called coordinated party expenditures violate the First Amendment.
CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe breaks down what it means for the upcoming midterm elections.
CBS News
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CBS News
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CBS News
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CBN News
dSoesptroncc51ha5i47l12tftg150mmmlf8a674aiu501lmfhlt1i5lh0m1 ·
This ruling could protect girls nationwide!
FULL STORY: https://cbn.com/.../high-court-issues-major-ruling... See l·
This ruling could protect girls nationwide!
FULL STORY: https://cbn.com/.../high-court-issues-major-ruling... See less
CBS News
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Fox News
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The ruling marks a major victory for the "Save Women's Sports" movement and reignites the national debate over sex-based protections in athletics. See less
The Declaration was just the beginning.
As the nation marks 250 years of American history, the National Constitution Center invites people of all ages to explore the ideas that launched our nation and the stories that continue to shape it today. With resources for families, educators, and curious learners, discover that bring America's founding principles and history to life—because our story continues, and each generation helps shape what comes next.
https://constitutioncenter.org/america-at-250?utm_source=met&utm_medium=paid&utm_content=civtk&utm_campaign=osc&utm_id=120246101689050585&utm_term=120246101689080585&fbclid=IwY2xjawSxQp5leHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQBqzNbhBylyXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7sTAJ-RVcT7L-HNGrEHSXd_-BVcfCBQHUfXz4CVdFwR_1pRVH53yUopaXbpw_aem_SXIi6BjeWGj1REwe-9CtTg&campaign_id=120246101689050585&ad_id=120246101689060585
https://www.pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth/?utm_source=metarhr&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=acf-26-uplevel&utm_id=120251499240060655&utm_content=120251499240310655&utm_term=120251499240360655&fbclid=IwY2xjawSxQxFleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQBqzgaB5owL3NydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6ava1qRytH4Rn3xM8otKGEL1OYx59H_EgsqEUxjHuWtImeQYWv_c4-3qfXDQ_aem_TAiNY4iKDIGr5WxQoLhgIA
https://www.youtube.com/@ITOWNChurch/feature
Zach Hinojos
dseotrnoSp4gmf29uh381mm17uml051lf3tct124gfaum4h45ht2il1279t0 ·
Archaeologists have uncovered a 3,400-year-old inscription that some researchers believe could represent the earliest evidence connected to Israel’s forty-year wilderness journey.
The Egyptian inscription reportedly refers to a group described as the “Nomads of Yahweh,” providing another example of how archaeological discoveries can intersect with biblical history.
See less
Hailey Buzbee's Army Official Group
Tish Hartman ·rnoteSopsd61himatclmgc49852gl7m403i0tl52g7fchuiactaghli72m39 ·
A Beautiful soul, gone far to soon
#HaileysAct
#HaileysLaw
#PinkAlert
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In the biblical context, the term "laughingstock" refers to a person or group that becomes an object of ridicule, scorn, or derision. This concept is prevalent throughout the Scriptures, often highlighting the suffering and humiliation experienced by individuals or nations due to their actions, circumstances, or divine judgment.
Old Testament References
The notion of becoming a laughingstock is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, particularly in the poetic and prophetic books. Job, a righteous man who endured immense suffering, laments his condition by stating, "He has made me a byword among the people, a man in whose face they spit" (Job 17:6). Here, Job expresses his anguish at becoming a subject of mockery and disdain among his peers.
Similarly, the prophet Jeremiah, known for his messages of impending judgment, also experienced ridicule. He confesses, "I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me" (Jeremiah 20:7). Jeremiah's faithfulness to God's message led to personal suffering and public scorn, illustrating the cost of prophetic ministry.
The Psalms also reflect the theme of derision. In Psalm 44:13-14, the psalmist laments, "You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples" . This passage underscores the collective experience of Israel as they face humiliation and mockery from surrounding nations, often as a consequence of their disobedience to God.
New Testament Context
While the specific term "laughingstock" is not directly used in the New Testament, the concept is evident in the experiences of Jesus Christ and His followers. Jesus Himself was mocked and scorned during His trial and crucifixion. The Gospel of Matthew records, "They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. And they twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, and put a staff in His right hand. Then they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!'" (Matthew 27:28-29). This mockery was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and a demonstration of the world's rejection of the Messiah.
The early Christians also faced ridicule and persecution for their faith. The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, acknowledges the perception of the Gospel as foolishness to those who do not believe: "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). Despite being viewed as foolish or contemptible, the early church embraced their identity in Christ, understanding that their temporary suffering would lead to eternal glory.
Theological Implications
The theme of becoming a laughingstock in the Bible often serves as a reminder of the consequences of sin and disobedience, as well as the cost of faithfulness to God. It highlights the tension between the world's values and God's truth, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in their faith despite ridicule or persecution. The experiences of biblical figures who became objects of scorn ultimately point to the redemptive work of Christ, who endured the ultimate mockery and shame on the cross for the salvation of humanity.
SubtopicsLaughingstock
Related TermsLaughing-stock (3 Occurrences)
Laughing (38 Occurrences)
Laughter (14 Occurrences)
Scorn (65 Occurrences)
Laughs (9 Occurrences)
Innocent (97 Occurrences)
Overpowered (12 Occurrences)
Jest (1 Occurrence)
Gazing-stock (2 Occurrences)
Gazingstock (2 Occurrences)
Ridiculed (12 Occurrences)
Ridicule (14 Occurrences)
Derision (24 Occurrences)
Mocks (11 Occurrences)
Mocker (11 Occurrences)
Mocking (25 Occurrences)
Mock (43 Occurrences)
Song (207 Occurrences)
Prevailed (46 Occurrences)
Persuaded (40 Occurrences)
Prevail (50 Occurrences)
Stronger (59 Occurrences)
https://www.youtube.com/live/Uk_7-W3AyOw?si=WtgZEaOEx10kXV0ghttps://www.youtube.com/live/Uk_7-W3AyOw?si=u7ur5BIJxKiSRAi
In Christian theology and spiritual warfare, the belief that demons are terrified of the Virgin Mary is widely held. Prominent exorcists, such as the late Father Gabriele Amorth, have documented cases where demons confessed they are more humiliated and tormented by being defeated by a human creature—Mary—than by God Himself. [1, 2]
This deep-rooted fear stems from several key theological principles:
- Perfect Humility: Mary’s complete submission and humility stand in stark contrast to the pride of Satan, which caused his fall. Demons, being full of pride, cannot endure her humility. [1, 2, 3, 4]
- Immaculate Purity: As a sinless human, Mary represents the exact opposite of the corruption and evil demons embody. Her purity exposes and repels demonic filth. [1, 2]
- The Mother of Christ: Because Mary brought the Savior into the world and stood at the foot of the Cross, her intercession is viewed by the faithful as a powerful weapon against demonic deception and despair. [1, 2]
In spiritual traditions, the Holy Rosary is often described as an extremely powerful tool against spiritual evils. Saints and exorcists, including St. Louis de Montfort, have written extensively on Mary's crucial role in protecting souls and actively resisting spiritual darkness. [1, 2]
𝙒𝙃𝙔 𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝘿𝙀𝙈𝙊𝙉𝙎 𝘼𝙁𝙍𝘼𝙄𝘿 𝙊𝙁 𝙈𝘼𝙍𝙔?
Who would never call for the intercession the Blessed Mother anyway?—the demons! Exactly, the Demons hate the Blessed Mother's name! Why is that? Let's talk about that as Halloween is now just around the corner.
Did you know that not all acccording to popes and exorcists, the devil fears the Blessed Mother. One of the surest ways of combatting the devil is by developing a close relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary. The devil hates her and runs away from those who are close to her.
According to Italian exorcist Fr. Sante Babolin, “while I was insistently invoking the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the devil answered me: ‘I can’t stand That One (Mary) any more and neither can I stand you any more.'”
Furthermore, he discovered that “‘the strongest reactions’ of the devil during the exorcism occur ‘when references are made to her apparitions.'” Therefore, Babolin frequently invokes the Virgin Mary under her titles of “Lourdes, Fatima or Guadalupe.”
Famed exorcist Fr. Gabriele Amorth confirmed this reality in his dialogues with the devil, where the devil said to him, “I am more afraid when you say the Madonna’s name, because I am more humiliated by being beaten by a simple creature, than by Him.”
Pope Francis related similar words in a homily at St. Mary Major, “Where the Madonna is at home the devil does not enter; where there is the Mother, disturbance does not prevail, fear does not win.”
Why is the devil so afraid of the Virgin Mary, a simple girl from Nazareth?
During the Rite of Exorcism the priest will pray, “The glorious Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, commands you; she who by her humility and from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception crushed your proud head.”
This prayer is referring to a prophecy foretold in the book of Genesis, where God said to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15). The verse can also be translated as “she will strike your head,” and has traditionally been applied to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Her humility was so radical that it crushes the “proud head” of Satan and is the surest defense against him and his attacks. As the devil told Fr. Amorth, “She makes me angry because she is the humblest of all creatures, and because I am the proudest; because she is the purest of all creatures, and I am not; because, of all creatures, she is the most obedient to God, and I am a rebel!”
Thus, if someone wants to defeat the work of evil in their own lives and the world, one of the strongest responses is to fly to the Virgin Mary. St. Padre Pio agreed with this when he said, “Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.”
#HugotSeminarista
#HugotSeminaristaHugotPost
#TheDevilHatesMary
Source:
(1) This is why the devil hates the Virgin Mary—Aleteia (Retrieved on September 07, 2021);
(2) Why is Mary depicted standing on a snake?—Aleteia (Retrieved on September 7, 2021);
(3) Pinterest
#HugotSeminarista
#HugotSeminaristaInfograph
#DemonsAreAfraidOfMary
The global climate crisis in June 2026 has been marked by record-shattering heatwaves across Europe and the Northern Hemisphere, accelerating global temperature rise, and fierce international debates over climate financing. Scientists note the world is fully inside the crisis rather than on the edge of it. [1, 2, 3]
Record-Breaking Heat and Extreme Weather
Global Policy and Finance
Future Projections and Vulnerability
Record-Breaking Heat and Extreme Weather
- Europe's Severe Heat Dome: A suffocating heatwave gripped Western Europe, producing record-breaking June daytime temperatures and unusually warm nights. A provisional UK high of 37.7°C was recorded in Lingwood, Norfolk, and France experienced record-breaking highs. [1, 2]
- Impossible without Climate Change: An analysis by the World Weather Attribution network concluded that human-driven fossil fuel emissions made this specific heatwave "virtually impossible" just a few decades ago. High humidity levels meant almost half of Europe's largest cities endured severe heat stress. [1, 2, 3]
- U.S. Outlook: The U.S. entered "Danger Season" with above-average temperatures forecast across the country, highlighting extreme heat as the nation's deadliest weather hazard. [1]
Global Policy and Finance
- World Bank Controversies: The World Bank's Board of Directors dropped its goal of having 45% of its investments dedicated to climate mitigation and adaptation. Driven heavily by demands from the U.S. administration, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, the decision was met with resistance from a bloc of nearly 100 developing nations. [1]
- UN Call to Action: During London Climate Action Week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stark warning against irreversible damage and appealed for more ambitious global action. He also called on AI firms to be transparent about the massive carbon and water footprints of their data centers. [1]
Future Projections and Vulnerability
- Hottest Year Trajectory: Scientists are tracking the trajectory of global temperatures. Leading researchers, including NASA's James Hansen, have indicated that 2026 is firmly o
- n track to potentially become the hottest year on record. [1, 2, 3]
- Risk to Children: The UN Children's Fund released the Children's Climate Risk Report 2026, projecting that nearly all children worldwide are now exposed to at least one major climate hazard, such as extreme heat, drought, or riverine floods. [1]
PrayersToJesusChrist
Top contributor
·nSsrtpooedt2m24h8g4u53f656tgg411mhtfl3m9ft49cfma17gcff21a0f6
·Why the Holy Rosary
is the
Best Way to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The rich tradition of the Rosary began centuries ago in the quiet stone monasteries of medieval Europe. Monks devoted their days to chanting the 150 Psalms of the Bible. The lay faithful deeply desired to share in this rhythmic prayer but often lacked the ability to read the Latin texts. To welcome them into this continuous stream of devotion the Church developed the Psalter of the Laity. Believers began praying 150 angelic salutations which naturally blossomed into the beautiful meditative beads we recognize today.
Fast forward to seventeenth-century France where a humble Visitation nun named Margaret Mary Alacoque received extraordinary heavenly messages. Between 1673 and 1675 the Lord revealed His Most Sacred Heart to her. She witnessed a divine Heart completely consumed by a radiant and glowing love for all of humanity. Pope Pius IX recognized the immense spiritual beauty of these revelations and formally extended the Feast of the Sacred Heart to the universal Church in 1856.
The intersection of these two historical devotions reveals a profound spiritual truth. The Rosary is fundamentally a beautifully Christocentric prayer. Pope John Paul II brilliantly articulated this in his 2002 apostolic letter by explaining that praying the beads means contemplating the face of Christ through the loving eyes of His Mother. Mary stood closer to the Savior than any other human being. She gently kept all His magnificent earthly moments and pondered them quietly in her own immaculate soul.
When the faithful pray the Rosary they journey alongside the Holy Family. The mysteries guide believers through joyful beginnings and spectacular public miracles. Even when traversing the deepest trials of the Savior believers witness the absolute pinnacle of divine charity and ultimate devotion. The sequence then blossoms into glorious triumphs and heavenly crownings. Each softly whispered prayer acts as a gentle footstep drawing the human spirit closer to the glowing furnace of charity beating within the Most Sacred Heart.
The historical victory of the Rosary at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 proved its immense power to shape the course of world events. Yet its greatest victory remains deeply personal and interior. The Rosary serves as a golden bridge connecting ancient monastic chanting with the radiant visions of Paray-le-Monial. By continuously echoing the joyous angelic greeting from the Gospel the faithful find the absolute gentlest and most beautiful pathway directly into the boundless love of the Savior.
We know
that the
events surrounding
the
end times,
as described
in the
Bible, will include
a
powerful deception
(Matthew 24:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:11).
Recently,
interest has been
rising
in the theory
that this deception will
include
alien beings
supposedly from
another planet.
Although the Bible
gives us no word about
whether or
not aliens exist—there is
no inclusion of them in the
creation
account in Genesis, and no mention
of them
elsewhere—the Bible does tell us
about visitors from
another world—the spiritual world
About The Book
A timely, Bible-based investigation that reveals what’s really behind UFOs
and alien encounters—and why the truth matters more now than ever.
UFOs and GOD by Derrick Warfel
is a gripping, eye-opening exploration of one of the most urgent spiritual questions of our time: What is really behind the global explosion of UFO sightings and encounters?
Militaries, congresses, and whistleblowers say the UFOs are real. Cable shows push a narrative that they are our extraterrestrial “space brothers” here to help us. But, is their motive far more sinister?
Drawing from documented cases, credible testimonies, science, and Scripture, Warfel—a Princeton graduate, a Dallas Seminary theologian, and an award-winning filmmaker— makes a carefully reasoned case that these are not extraterrestrials, but fallen supernatural powers the Bible warns us about in Ephesian 6:12.
Conversational, accessible, and grounded in biblical truth, UFOs and God, a companion to the documentary of the same name, equips readers to be prepared for this coming deception to the church.
In UFOs and GOD, you will learn:
· That there are too many documented cases to ignore; you must have answers.
· What false narratives modern media are telling us about UFOs.
· How Scripture explains this as part of a supernatural war from eternity past.
· Why these modern UFO narratives merely mirror past spiritual counterfeits.
· How to be successful in daily spiritual and supernatural warfare.
· How Christians can protect themselves, and their families, from these threats.
· How the UFOs may play a key part in end-times battles.
UFOs and GOD
offers clarity in an increasingly confused world—and reminds believers that Truth is not “out there.” It has already been revealed.
Derrick Warfel
Derrick Warfel
was born
and raised in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania,
in the heart of the PA Bible Belt. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Princeton University, a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and an MFA in Cinema from the University of Southern California. After eight years on staff with CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ), Derrick spent the next four decades in the film industry, creating and teaching media from a biblical Christian worldview.
An award-winning writer, director, and producer, he has completed more than eight feature films and numerous short films. In recent years, Derrick became increasingly concerned by the growing normalization of UFO narratives in popular media—particularly the claim that alleged extraterrestrial messages are guiding humanity toward a new stage of evolution.
UFOs and God and its companion feature documentary are his response—a biblical, clear-sighted examination designed to equip the church to recognize and resist the spiritual dangers embedded in these messages.
Learn more at
www.WinterStarProductions.com
UFOs and GOD: Revealing Deception and Truth Behind the Supernatural, Invisible War
by Derrick Warfel (Author) Format: Hardcover
See all formats and editions
Savings Pre-order Price Guarantee. Terms
A timely,
Bible-based
investigation that
reveals
what’s really behind UFOs
and
alien encounters—and
why the truth
matters
more now than ever.
UFOs and GOD by Derrick Warfel is a gripping, eye-opening exploration of one of the most urgent spiritual questions of our time: What is really behind the global explosion of UFO sightings and encounters?
Militaries, congresses, and whistleblowers say the UFOs are real. Cable shows push a narrative that they are our extraterrestrial “space brothers” here to help us. But, is their motive far more sinister?
Drawing from documented cases, credible testimonies, science, and Scripture, Warfel—a Princeton graduate, a Dallas Seminary theologian, and an award-winning filmmaker— makes a carefully reasoned case that these are not extraterrestrials, butfallen supernatural powers the Bible warns us about in Ephesian 6:12.
Conversational, accessible, and grounded in biblical truth, UFOs and God, a companion to the documentary of the same name, equips readers to be prepared for this coming deception to the church.
In UFOs and GOD, you will learn:
· That there are too many documented cases to ignore; you must have answers.
· What false narratives modern media are telling us about UFOs.
· How Scripture explains this as part of a supernatural war from eternity past.
· Why these modern UFO narratives merely mirror past spiritual counterfeits.
· How to be successful in daily spiritual and supernatural warfare.
· How Christians can protect themselves, and their families, from these threats.
· How the UFOs may play a key part in end-times battles.
UFOs and GOD offers clarity in an increasingly confused world—and reminds believers that Truth is not “out there.” It has already been revealed.
A timely, Bible-based investigation that reveals what’s really behind UFOs
and alien encounters—and why the truth matters more now than ever.
UFOs and GOD by Derrick Warfel
is a gripping, eye-opening exploration of one of the most urgent spiritual questions of our time: What is really behind the global explosion of UFO sightings and encounters?
Militaries, congresses, and whistleblowers say the UFOs are real. Cable shows push a narrative that they are our extraterrestrial “space brothers” here to help us. But, is their motive far more sinister?
Drawing from documented cases, credible testimonies, science, and Scripture, Warfel—a Princeton graduate, a Dallas Seminary theologian, and an award-winning filmmaker— makes a carefully reasoned case that these are not extraterrestrials, but fallen supernatural powers the Bible warns us about in Ephesian 6:12.
Conversational, accessible, and grounded in biblical truth, UFOs and God, a companion to the documentary of the same name, equips readers to be prepared for this coming deception to the church.
In UFOs and GOD, you will learn:
· That there are too many documented cases to ignore; you must have answers.
· What false narratives modern media are telling us about UFOs.
· How Scripture explains this as part of a supernatural war from eternity past.
· Why these modern UFO narratives merely mirror past spiritual counterfeits.
· How to be successful in daily spiritual and supernatural warfare.
· How Christians can protect themselves, and their families, from these threats.
· How the UFOs may play a key part in end-times battles.
UFOs and GOD
offers clarity in an increasingly confused world—and reminds believers that Truth is not “out there.” It has already been revealed.
Derrick Warfel
Derrick Warfel
was born
and raised in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania,
in the heart of the PA Bible Belt. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Princeton University, a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and an MFA in Cinema from the University of Southern California. After eight years on staff with CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ), Derrick spent the next four decades in the film industry, creating and teaching media from a biblical Christian worldview.
An award-winning writer, director, and producer, he has completed more than eight feature films and numerous short films. In recent years, Derrick became increasingly concerned by the growing normalization of UFO narratives in popular media—particularly the claim that alleged extraterrestrial messages are guiding humanity toward a new stage of evolution.
UFOs and God and its companion feature documentary are his response—a biblical, clear-sighted examination designed to equip the church to recognize and resist the spiritual dangers embedded in these messages.
Learn more at
www.WinterStarProductions.com
UFOs and GOD: Revealing Deception and Truth Behind the Supernatural, Invisible War
by Derrick Warfel (Author) Format: Hardcover
See all formats and editions
Savings Pre-order Price Guarantee. Terms
A timely,
Bible-based
investigation that
reveals
what’s really behind UFOs
and
alien encounters—and
why the truth
matters
more now than ever.
UFOs and GOD by Derrick Warfel is a gripping, eye-opening exploration of one of the most urgent spiritual questions of our time: What is really behind the global explosion of UFO sightings and encounters?
Militaries, congresses, and whistleblowers say the UFOs are real. Cable shows push a narrative that they are our extraterrestrial “space brothers” here to help us. But, is their motive far more sinister?
Drawing from documented cases, credible testimonies, science, and Scripture, Warfel—a Princeton graduate, a Dallas Seminary theologian, and an award-winning filmmaker— makes a carefully reasoned case that these are not extraterrestrials, butfallen supernatural powers the Bible warns us about in Ephesian 6:12.
Conversational, accessible, and grounded in biblical truth, UFOs and God, a companion to the documentary of the same name, equips readers to be prepared for this coming deception to the church.
In UFOs and GOD, you will learn:
· That there are too many documented cases to ignore; you must have answers.
· What false narratives modern media are telling us about UFOs.
· How Scripture explains this as part of a supernatural war from eternity past.
· Why these modern UFO narratives merely mirror past spiritual counterfeits.
· How to be successful in daily spiritual and supernatural warfare.
· How Christians can protect themselves, and their families, from these threats.
· How the UFOs may play a key part in end-times battles.
UFOs and GOD offers clarity in an increasingly confused world—and reminds believers that Truth is not “out there.” It has already been revealed.
AyE uniVERSE's Post
AyE uniVERSE
nSdsetroopt8guc9gauti0 0hM1tP03a 02n40i0g59eh:iJ 79 7ac11cag ·
The Strawberry Moon of 2026 is coming!
On June 29, 2026, the Full Moon will reach its peak at 23:57 UTC, lighting up the night sky with a truly unique appearance.
Because it occurs just after the June solstice, this Full Moon will ride unusually low across the sky for observers in the Northern Hemisphere, creating stunning moonrise and moonset views. Meanwhile, those in the Southern Hemisphere will see it climb much higher than usual.
Despite its sweet name, the Strawberry Moon isn't actually pink. The name comes from Native American traditions marking the strawberry harvest season.
Look up on June 29 and witness one of the year's most beautiful lunar spectacles!
Will you be watching the Strawberry Moon?
#StrawberryMoon #FullMoon #Moon #Astronomy #Space #NightSky #Skywatching #AyEUniverse
Franklin Graham
I’m so thankful that the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of protecting women and girls in sports. This historic ruling permits states to protect fairness, opportunity, and safety for female athletes. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote, “A man does not have a legal right to compete against women just because he believes that he is a woman.” Also, a big thank you to the courageous young women who took a stand when coaches, administrators, and many others remained silent. See less
"This is a monumental victory for every female athlete who has ever competed, or dreamed of competing, on a fair and safe playing field. Today's Supreme Court decision affirms what common sense and the law have long made clear: states have the right to designate sports teams based on biological sex, not gender identity. Without that delineation, Title IX is turned on its head and decades of hard-fought progress to advance female athletes is erased," McCuskey said.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/supreme-court-makes-ruling-trans-athletes-womens-sports?fbclid=IwY2xjawSxE7tleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFka2NvRlJwcld3OE9VVWl4c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHo16nWkAGxWslfb8g1Z-KzhaH6ZBXjNBGj9nqsWpFtmqX7ZV7nJglXDmlaJF_aem_Og1vZmz1qpbsaB2axmApEA
UFO of GOD: The Extraordinary True Story of Chris Bledsoe
by Chris Bledsoe (Author), John B. Alexander (Introduction), Jim Semivan (Foreword) Format: Paperback
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (4,686)
See all formats and editions
Available in Spanish "OVNI de DIOS" and Italian "UFO di DIO"
Are the biblical stories of luminous orbs and angels described in the Old Testament being witnessed today? Are UFOs messengers from God? There is a consciousness connection taking place and it's now being played out in skies around the world.
The case began 18 years ago and the government was the only one that listened. Why is that? “The Invisible College took notice…and so should you.” --Jim Semivan, CIA
“The most interesting autobiography I’ve ever read. It’s an absolute page turner.” --T.H.
“The content is gripping and beautifully written. An instant classic.” --Laurie Rosenfield
THIS TRUTH
is
MADE CLEAR
in
Mark 12:28-31:
And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Commanded to LoveScripture gives us many more than ten commandments. Is one more essential than the others? Jesus answered this question for a scribe – a scholar of Old Testament law. The man had asked Jesus which of God’s commandments is most important. Which commandment is central to everything else? Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to “love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” This is of fundamental importance. This is what we were made for. This is your highest calling! And the second is like it: “love your neighbor as yourself.”
But we have not given this commandment the importance that Jesus tells us it deserves. It has been that way since the beginning, when God created the first lovers and placed them in the Garden of Eden, to walk with Him. So what went wrong?
Listen to this answer from Michael Reeves:
It was not that Adam and Eve stopped loving. They were created as lovers in the image of God, and they could not undo that. Instead, their love turned. When the apostle Paul writes of sinners, he describes them as “lovers of themselves, lovers of money… lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:2-4). Lovers we remain, but twisted, our love misdirected and perverted. Created to love God, we turn to love ourselves and anything but God.
Hiding from LoveThe heart of what the Bible calls “sin” is a misdirected love, a disorder in the affections—loving the wrong things. That’s the fundamental human problem. That’s why our first instincts are not to seek God but to hide from Him. When Adam loved God, he walked with Him in the garden. But when Adam’s love turned, he hid from God. When Jesus came into the world and called the first disciples, He unveiled His glory by giving them a miraculous catch of fish. When Simon Peter saw this, he perceived something of the glory of God. He fell down at Jesus’ knees and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.” Peter was saying, “I don’t belong here with you! You had better find someone else who is more holy than I am. I’m not the kind of person you are looking for” (Luke 5:8).
Here was Peter, like Adam, hiding from God. Isn’t that the saddest and most tragic waste of all, for a human being to be running away from love? To be hiding from the God who loves?
Found by LoveThough Peter was hiding, Christ did not let Peter go. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. Peter brought the boat to land, and then he left everything and followed Jesus.
Years later this same man, Peter, described why Jesus Christ came into the world: “Christ… suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus came so that He might bring us out of hiding and back into relationship with Him. Peter was saying, “He went to that cross so that people like us who love the wrong things and feel that we don’t belong anywhere near God should be brought back to him.”
This kind of love was what Jesus had in mind when He went to the cross. On the night he was betrayed, he prayed to the Father “that the love with which you have loved me may be in them” (John 17:26). This is an amazing prayer! That the love with which the Father has loved the Son – the love that has always flowed in the heart of God – should be in us!
The great purpose for which Jesus suffered was to bring us into His own enjoyment of the Father’s love. His purpose was that we should enter into the shared delight of the Father and the Son, and be caught up in the circle of their love. That is surely why, at the end of the Bible, we find the marriage supper of the Lamb—the shared joy of the Father, and of his Son, and of His bride. The great storyline of the greatest story ever told is the story of love.
The Bible features several famous love stories, ranging from passionate, earthly romances to profound tales of loyalty and spiritual devotion. Whether you're looking for historical romance or deep allegorical meaning, the scriptures offer multiple lenses on love.
1. Song of Solomon (Passionate Romance)
Often celebrated as the most poetic and sensual love story in the Bible, this book is a collection of love songs that capture the intense desire, beauty, and emotional connection between two lovers. It highlights marriage as a joyful, passionate, and deeply intimate partnership.
Where to read: The Book of Song of Songs (also known as Song of Solomon).
2. Ruth and Boaz (Loyalty and Redemption)
One of the most heartwarming historical narratives, this story is about fierce loyalty. After losing her husband, Ruth chose to stay with her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi, instead of returning to her own people. While gleaning in the fields to survive, Ruth meets Boaz. He acts as her "kinsman-redeemer," eventually marrying her in a beautiful story of character, provision, and rescue.
Where to read: The Book of Ruth.
3. Jacob and Rachel (Unrelenting Devotion)
Jacob was willing to work unpaid for seven years just to earn Rachel's hand in marriage. Though he was tricked into marrying her older sister, Leah, first, Jacob's love for Rachel was so profound that he agreed to work an additional seven years for her. The story is a famous testament to endurance and deep affection.
Where to read: Genesis 29.
4. Hosea and Gomer (Unconditional Grace)
Considered one of the most poignant love stories, the prophet Hosea was instructed by God to marry Gomer, a woman who proved to be unfaithful. Whenever she left, Hosea pursued her and bought her back. This dramatic, real-life romance serves as a living metaphor for God’s unconditional, forgiving love for humanity despite human unfaithfulness.
Where to read: The Book of Hosea.
5. The Ultimate Divine Romance
Beyond literal relationships, many theologians and readers view the entire Bible as one cohesive, divine love story. It begins with the marriage of Adam and Eve in Genesis and concludes with the symbolic wedding of Christ (the Bridegroom) and the Church (the Bride) in Revelation. The overarching narrative is the relentless pursuit of humanity by a loving Creator.
The White House
noSsepdtorm6hltah012c539hm01u0973f62ih0tcl10a7347gh00gl80a0t ·
"BIG WIN: The United States Supreme Court just RULED AGAINST MEN PLAYING IN WOMEN’S SPORTS. Wow! That takes that ridiculous situation off the table!!!" - President DONALD J. TRUMP
Lions are legendary for their strength, beauty, and fearlessness. The lion has been called the king of the beasts and the king of the jungle, and, in the Bible, Jesus is called the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5). The lion symbolism expands our understanding of baby Jesus in the manger (Luke 2:7) and the suffering Savior on the cross (Isaiah 53:7), revealing Jesus as the conquering King of kings, a roaring lion taking vengeance on His enemies (Revelation 19:16).
Lions are mentioned in several contexts throughout Scripture, sometimes positively to describe God (Hosea 11:10) and sometimes negatively as symbolic of evil and destruction (Proverbs 28:15). Peter compares Satan to a “roaring lion” and warns us to beware of the enemy’s schemes that will destroy us (1 Peter 5:8). A lion’s roar can be heard up to five miles away and is intended to terrify all who hear it. Lions roar to establish their territory and to communicate their power. But a roar can do nothing. It is threatening but powerless unless we give in to fear and allow the lion to overtake us. Our enemy, Satan, roars his threats, doubts, and accusations in an effort to terrify us into giving up so he can defeat us (Ephesians 6:11–16). But even the threat of a roaring lion cannot overcome those who stand firm in the armor of the Lord (Romans 8:37).
Probably the most familiar mention of lions in the Bible is found in the story of the prophet Daniel. This godly man was thrown into a lions’ den for refusing to obey the Persian king’s ban on prayer (Daniel 6:16). A lions’ den was sure destruction for anyone tossed inside. Yet God showed His authority over even the most powerful of beasts by shutting the lions’ mouths. Daniel, rather than come to a gruesome demise, emerged from the den unharmed (Daniel 6:21–22).
Lions are featured in the description of the cherubim surrounding God’s throne. Ezekiel 10:14 says, “Each of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.” Some assert that the presence of a lion’s face may symbolize the boldness and strength of God’s character. Other scholars suggest the lion’s face represents God’s rule over the wild beasts.
Isaiah 11 describes the coming era when Jesus reigns on earth. Peace and harmony will dominate even the animal kingdom. Verse 6 paints a picture of this time: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.” The image of lions lying peacefully beside baby calves describes a world restored to its original state. Isaiah 65:25 continues this idea: “The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but the food of the serpent will be dust” (cf. Genesis 1:30). Ultimate peace has been established when carnivores no longer kill to eat, and, in the millennial kingdom, the king of the beasts is tamed.
The Bible uses hundreds of metaphors and images to describe the indescribable God Almighty. Animals and other forms of nature can help us understand specific aspects of God’s character. Jesus is called the Lamb of God (John 1:36) to illustrate His gentleness and willingness to be the sacrifice for our sins. But He is also called the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5) to display His absolute authority and power over all creation. A lion may be king of the jungle, but the Lion of Judah is the King of kings.
The Hill
poostrednS6i2a9fuflihg169t98a6l3fm0a9titg5h1f03742ui03ihgg47 ·
The White House reportedly gave a no-bid contract worth up to $500 million for the construction of the East Wing ballroom. https://thehill.com/.../5947494-white-house-no-bid-contract/
https://www.beaconjournal.com/videos/entertainment/dining/2025/08/06/handels-ice-cream-taste-test-knot-your-average-dough/85530585007/
Isaiah recorded many prophecies of judgment on the nation of Israel, the various nations who oppressed her, and the people who had pursued wickedness instead of righteousness. But in Isaiah 51 Isaiah records an encouraging prophecy that the redeemed of the Lord would return:
“So the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness;
Sorrow and sighing shall flee away”
(Isaiah 51:11, NKJV).
Isaiah first reminds those who were pursuing righteousness to remember their roots. They had come from Abraham and Sarah, whom God had chosen even when they had nothing to merit that choosing (Isaiah 51:1–2). The nation of Israel had been born from humble beginnings, but they were born by God’s choosing, and He would comfort His people. (Isaiah 51:3).
Even in a time when the righteous were being exiled in Babylon along with the unrighteous, Isaiah offers hope that one day the redeemed of the Lord would return. One day God would judge the nations with justice (Isaiah 51:4–5). When that global judgment takes place, God’s salvation and righteousness will be evident (Isaiah 51:6). Because of this, those who were righteous did not need to fear persecution (Isaiah 51:7). God would be their deliverance. He would judge the wicked, and His salvation and righteousness would be lasting (Isaiah 51:8). The arm of the Lord would be active again, and the people would be delivered (Isaiah 51:9–10). Then the redeemed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shoutings back to Zion, or Jerusalem. They would know everlasting joy, and their sorrow would be no more (Isaiah 51:11).
Isaiah’s time could have been quite discouraging for those who were seeking to follow God. An exile was coming for the nation in accordance with what God had promised, even though there were some righteous people in the nation. The godly had to endure the same national judgment as those who had rejected God. God offers encouragement: one day the national judgment would end, and unrighteous individuals would be judged on an individual basis. The redeemed of the Lord would return to Zion (Jerusalem) and be glad and joyful.
In a similar way, those who have believed in Jesus today still have to deal with the consequences of living in a fallen world. Death and heartache surround us because of the fall (see Genesis 3:17–19). All creation groans, awaiting its ultimate redemption by Christ (Romans 8:22). And we eagerly wait with perseverance for the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:25). We have the hope of God’s promised deliverance and look forward to the time when He fulfills that promise.
God has also made promises of redemption to Israel. One day the nation will receive her Messiah and will be restored just as God has promised. He will judge righteously, and those of Israel who have been redeemed shall return to Zion. It is in Jerusalem that God will keep His promises to the nation of Israel literally and assuredly, and the prophecy of Isaiah 51 will be fulfilled completely.
Even though the Jewish people were going through great difficulty in times of exile, they could look forward with certainty and anticipation of how God would deliver them. In a similar way, we endure difficulties in this life, knowing that one day God will complete the work He began in us, and the redemption of our bodies will come (Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:25).
ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry
"So Saul said to his servants, 'Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me.' Then one of the young men said, 'Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him.' So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, 'Send me your son David who is with the flock'" (1 Sam 16:17-19).
While the parallels between David and Joseph continue to pile up in 1 Samuel 16, there is also an unanticipated twist in the plot (as we shall soon see). By describing David as a skillful musician who can alleviate Saul's tormented soul, the author portrays David as a Spirit-filled prophet since music and prophecy are closely associated in the Hebrew Bible (1 Sam 10:5; 16:13; 2 Sam 23:2). But as a Spirit-filled wise man (in Hebrew, "navon"), David is portrayed as a second Joseph (compare 1 Sam 16:18 and Gen 41:33; 1 Sam 16:13 with Gen 41:38). Like Joseph, David is a "handsome man" (compare 1 Sam 16:18 with Gen 39:6), and like Joseph, "the LORD is with" David (compare 1 Sam 16:18 with Gen 39:2, 21).
Now, for the twist in the plot: since Saul is the king who chooses Joseph-like David to serve in his court, Saul is portrayed as a new Pharaoh who is enslaving the people of Israel. The parallelism between Saul and Pharaoh highlights the tragic consequences of Saul's decision not to obey the Lord in 1 Samuel 15. From being the LORD's anointed, Saul is now portrayed as public enemy number one.
What can we learn from Saul's fall from grace? God has given us the freedom to choose our actions. But we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions. Even though we may try to minimize or justify a sinful decision, just like Saul, we will eventually have to face the music (this pun is intended). May God give us the prophetic foresight to weigh the outcome of all our choices carefully, be they good or bad, because God's gift of salvation does not make us immune to the consequences of our options! See less
In Matthew 3, John the Baptist begins preparing the way for the Messiah’s coming. He focuses first on the Jewish people, calling them to repent of their sins and rededicate their hearts to God through the outward demonstration of water baptism. John aims his stern message of judgment squarely at Israel’s religious leaders (the Pharisees and Sadducees), who had traded personal dedication for empty ritualism: “You brood of vipers! . . . Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:7–10, ESV).
John confronts the hypocrisy of Israel’s spiritual leaders, who thought they were automatically saved from God’s wrath merely by inheriting a religious pedigree. John tells them that being Abraham’s descendants was not enough. Their hearts must be transformed and turned away from sin to receive spiritual life in the Messiah’s kingdom. True repentance involves a changed mind that produces a lifestyle of changed actions. These actions are the fruits of repentance. Repentance is not merely being sorry but being sorry enough to stop sinning and dedicate one’s whole life to God.
Using the imagery of fruit trees, John the Baptist regards the religious leaders as devoid of good fruit. A fruit tree’s appropriate “action” is to bear good fruit. Because their hearts and minds were unchanged, these hypocritical leaders could not bear the fruit of righteousness and repentance. They could not prove the genuineness of their faith with righteous actions and good deeds. Instead, their faith was dead (see James 2:14–26). They preached one thing but lived another.
Jesus would later declare a similar judgment on false prophets and teachers. He said both genuine and hypocritical followers can be identified “by their fruit, that is, by how they act” (Matthew 7:16, NLT). “So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:17–20, ESV).
Both John and Jesus compared religious hypocrites to dead trees. Therefore, the ax of God’s judgment was “poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 3:10, NLT). There is no hope for a tree that does not bear good fruit. John’s warning to the Pharisees and Sadducees was severe. Their eternal destinies were at stake. Because of their spiritual insincerity, they were in danger of being cut down and thrown into the fire. If they did not repent, God’s fiery judgment would come for them. Jesus would expound on that judgment later (see Matthew 23:31–38; Matthew 24:1—25:46).
“Every tree” means there are no exceptions. Every sinner, from the most powerful leader to the lowest slave, must repent. If he does not bear fruit, he will be “cut down” and destroyed by fire. John’s message is clear: those who reject God’s call to repentance will face judgment and eternal punishment.
John continued his warning, saying that Messiah is “ready to separate the chaff [hypocrites] from the wheat [true believers] with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire” (Matthew 3:12, NLT). Again, Jesus issued a similar warning later in Matthew 13:30, 37–43.
People of every era should carefully consider John’s warning that every tree that does not bear fruit is cut down. We cannot rest on our family credentials or religious heritage. Attending church or even holding a leadership position does not ensure our salvation. We can confess our sins and claim to be born again, but it means nothing unless a changed way of life accompanies our repentance.
Our salvation is secure when we abide in Jesus, who said, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit. . . . Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. . . . For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. . . . When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples” (John 15:1–8, NLT).
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OMEGA
ALEPH TAV
EXACTLY.
My computer is too Slow.
In Gen 5:2, we saw the transition and evolution of the word ‘adam’ as a name. In the diagram to the left, we see that the word adam is created from 3 Hebrew letters; aleph (A) – dalet (D) – closed mem (M).
Gen 2:5b …for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. —there was not a ‘human being’ to till the ground.
CASE IN POINT…To begin, let us not neglect Genesis 2:5b. Not only is there no man, but there is not a man to till the ground. The word ’till’, is the Hebrew word avad (5647). Traditionally, (in English) this word is translated in multiple ways; labour, to serve, to work. Beyond that surface level of understanding we have the meanings; to obey, perform acts of worship, worship, serve with levitical service, etc.
Now head over to Genesis 2:15…and GOD took the man and put the him in the garden to dress it and to keep it. (KJV). “To dress It”, is avad (5647), and “to keep it” is, shamar (8104).
Notice, the same word (avad) is being used in both places. in Genesis 2:5 we translate avad as to till/cultivate. In Genesis 2:15, we translate it as, “dress”, but which does it mean?
“avad” has nothing to do with working or farming the land. Really, there is nothing to farm, is there? The soil is not fighting against man, yet. There are no thorns and thistles, yet. Everything is well prepared for adam and eve in the Garden. In so many uses of the word avad, we find the application of service/work. The questions we have not been asking are, “Is this strictly limited to physical work/labour? Or, can this apply at times to spiritual labour/work/service to God in prayer and sacrifice?
When GOD first creates the world and takes Adam, the human being and puts him in the garden, it is for the purpose of worship, service to GOD. –NOT physical labor. Adam does not have to work at anything else. He does not have to build any bridges. There’s no need to fight the lions and tigers and bears. Death does not exist in the world, yet. There is nothing to repair, fix, or mend. Adam and eve’s only duty is to study, learn, worship, praise, protect the anointing (shamar), and walk with GOD.
They, Adam and Eve, do not need to prepare a home, they already have one. It’s gahn edahn, the first Temple/House of GOD.
Could it be possible, that GOD is speaking about much more than how we traditionally translate the word? Could this mean something much more than mere physical labor?
In Genesis 2:15, we find the words avad and shamar… based on this analysis, that would translate to; worship (avad) and to guard/protect the anointing (shamar). Avodah (from the root ward, avad) in Hebrew is service to GOD in prayer and worship.
Which is more likely, that GOD placed Adam in the garden for the purpose of praise and worship, to guard and protect the anointing on the earth realm, or to farm the land? In addition, why would the Garden of Eden, need to be plowed, tilled or cultivated? WE turn scripture into a fairy tale whenever we minimize or lower the level of the meaning of His Word. For all intents and purposes, we as Christians cause the world to attribute a fairy tale, bible story-mindset to the things of GOD, when we treat them that way. I want my students to take responsibility for that and fix it.
Since the dawn of mankind, GOD has requested only relationship, not farming. Farming has much respect, by all means. However, our primary aspirations in the Word should be to cultivate a relationship with GOD. Instead, we (most of the body of Christ) put people in bondage by condemning them for working on the sabbath. This is problematic. Especially if we are not even speaking of the right kind of work.
Let me just upset the WHOLE applecart!The work we should be engaged in – 6 days a week- is service to GOD, devotion of the heart. Avodah and shamar. On the 7th day we are to rest. Rest from all the work that we have done. Now, I ask you, if we have not been engaged in avodah and shamar, what is there to rest from? The labor of your hands? We did not engage in avodah. We do not even understand shamar, i.e., how to protect the anointing. So, what are we resting from? Secular activities? YES! We are resting from secular activities.
The objective of resting on the 7th day, is to rest in GOD. Mentally, some of us might understand that. However, rest should be in virtue of the service to the LORD. So, what if shabbat is about trusting GOD with everything, all your labor (service of the heart) from the previous six days? If that is the case, then GOD is not commanding you to hold the 7th day separate as a commandment to intimidate, scare, cause guilt, or whatever else we might think. GOD is commanding you to separate the day, as a sign that you trust Him with the outcome of all that service of the heart. Just rest in Him. Could GOD be saying, I will take it from here? because you trust in me?
SIDEBAR—-Could GOD be commanding you to do something in order to bless you? I’m curious. Do parents enforce rules in order to protect and bless their children? Do they have to understand the rule in order to be obedient and receive the blessing? Could I be actually blessing my child with rules they might not like, definitely not want, but that help to preserve their life? Do I have some children that obey because you gave them the instruction and others that refuse instruction and therefore need a commandment? As a parent do you make it a commandment, because they just happen to have the type of nature to oppose their own selves?
Do we forbid our kids from running into the street because we are unreasonable and controlling? Or might that particular commandment be a blessing to them?
To Dress it and to Keep It…What misleads us is our own translation. We thought we were supposed to dress and keep the garden. How were you supposed to do that anyway, when the garden was already perfect? Fairytale language is deadly.
Consider this: Adam was created outside of the Garden. GOD, took him and put him, in the Garden. Scripture is very clear, that Adam was created outside the Garden (natural realm) and put inside the Garden (spiritual realm) for the purpose of anointing him for mastery in two realms, the spiritual and the natural.
Man needs the ability to operate in both the spiritual and natural realms, with authority, dominion and power.
Prayer began in the Garden of Eden. Had we been taught this scripture in context to heart-felt devotion and service to GOD in prayer and worship, and how to guard and protect the anointing on our lives and the lives of others, I honestly believe that we would be further advanced in our prayer lives, don’t you think?
Prayer and worship is not our forte within the Church. Our focus was placed on tilling the ground, toil, gardening, cultivating wealth, etc…
Eve Was Created In The Garden…Eve, was created inside the Garden. The Garden is the 1st tabernacle on Earth. It is the abode of God on Earth, the dwelling place and meeting place of GOD and mankind, Adam and Eve. Eve’s being created inside the Garden is equivalent to Adam gaining a double portion anointing in the spiritual realm, in unity.
Eve is taken from out of Adam, who has been created to operate in both realms. Eve, is in her element in the Garden/Tabernacle/Temple/House of GOD. Together, they have the ability to operate in unity and with the power of agreement in both realms, accessing a double portion anointing in the spirit.
I sincerely doubt if women, when they think about this, will disagree. Women know they are stronger in the spirit then most men. (I only say that because women far outnumber men in the church and they prayer more than men- on average). Women of prayer, can pick up their husbands, children, friends and loved ones in the spirit all day, any day. They set the tone for the spiritual atmosphere in their homes. I am utterly convinced that women have dominion in the Garden of GOD, and are in their spiritual element in prayer praise and worship. Do you know why?
Look at any church in America and many other countries for that matter. Women make up at least, 90% of the Church. (I am making an effort to be conservative). There would be no church’s if women did not hold them up, nurture them and stand by the men and women of GOD who Pastor them.
Yes, Indeed. Despite centuries of brandishing women with the fall from grace in Eden, The Tabernacle was, is and remains our spiritual domain. Women, You have everything they need in their spiritual DNA to excel in spiritual matters.
Men, You are formidable in prayer, if you choose to be. You have the ability, the potential to command enormous strength in prayer. That is, if you gave your voice to GOD in prayer, praise and worship, in greater numbers. You were created/formed to have great strength in both the natural and the spiritual realms. But, for the most part, most men do choose to use it for the House of the LORD.
I’m only speaking of the men who do not use their strength and power for the House of the LORD. Unfortunately, the lcak of men in prayer is the rule and not the exception. The majority of men leave their brothers in Christ to do all the work for them. They say that they believe. But, they just don’t serve. Yet, when the men are in unity they make light work of the forces of darkness. They could.
I could be wrong about this. But, until I see men gathered in the church, in greater numbers praying and pulling down Heaven to earth. I’m going to assume I’m right until there’s evidence otherwise. I honestly believe the world would be in better shape if the men called to GOD would operate in their position, place, and calling. I can’t help but believe this because whenever men pray in unity with one another and alongside the women in the House of GOD- situations change. That’s what I have seen. Especially, when they understand the spiritual qualities and substance of avodah and shamar. When they understand the Torah-centric applications of the Word in them.
I look forward to walking through Genesis 2 and 3 in detail with you all one day.
Aleph is Silent…
- ALL the letters in Hebrew are Consonants (with few exceptions of letters that are now used as vowels since the time of the Masoretes).
- Aleph is silent in Hebrew.
We all love a good secret. So please allow me to share one with you now. Learning the Hebrew Letters, will help you obtain more knowledge and understanding of the sacred text of scripture, it’s content and meaning, but knowledge of the letters themselves will elevate your prayers, and your personal study & devotion time. Every aspect of your ministry will flourish, because you set your mind to learn the Holy language.
After all, one of the most important concepts our torah studies provide to us is, the realization that our words provide us access into the realms and dimensions that would be closed to us in the natural. Words have a very strong impact on all of our interactions. Therefore, we must measure our words carefully for the impact they have on others. Our words allow us to draw forth something supernatural from the natural world. Let’s repeat that: What we need most of all, is for our words to draw forth something supernatural, from the natural world/realm.
The Hebrew Letter Aleph – aThe Hebrew Letter Aleph, is the 1st letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. The Gematria, i.e., the numerical value of aleph is 1. One is unique and Indivisible. Aleph is formed by the combination of 2 Hebrew letters, the vav (V) and 2 yods, (Y). (the vav is the vertical line which is slanted in the aleph, representing the partition between the upper firmament and the lower firmament. The yod’s are connected on either sides of the stem. One facing up (toward the Heavens), and the other facing down (toward earth). the Gematria of the vav is 6, and each yod has a numerical value of 10, for a total of 26. The aleph is equivalent to the 4 Letter Name of GOD, Y-H-V-H, which also equal 26.
In Paleo Hebrew, – The Ancient Hebrew Script, The letter aleph shaped in the form of an Ox head, representing strength, leadership, power. Aleph is the symbol of God. Aleph represents the Oneness of GOD, and His Sovereignty. Aleph represents Divinity, The Father, The Strong Leader of the House. Aleph represents torah, which is the thought of GOD. All of creation is a product of torah, Genesis 1. Which is why even the letters are called, the raw materials of creation. God spoke His Word into the atmosphere and the Word took physical form. Created in the image and likeness of GOD is ‘adam’, the human being. By what other name, could GOD possibly call His noblest achievement?
The aleph is the symbol of God. Aleph represents the Oneness of GOD, and His Sovereignty. Aleph represents Divinity, The Father, Strength.
Aleph represents torah, which is the thought of GOD. All of creation is a product of torah, Genesis 1. Which is why even the letters are called, the raw materials of creation. God spoke His Word into the atmosphere and the Word took physical form. Created in the image and like of GOD is ‘adam’, the human being. By what other name, could GOD possibly call His noblest achievement?
It is only fitting that human beings are given a name that begins with the the 1st letter of GOD’s Name, Elohim (spelled – aleph (A) – lamed (L) – hei (H) – closed mem (M). Mankind’s name begins, with its origins, image and likeness (reflection) in GOD. The image and likeness of GOD is embedded in the very name He gave for mankind, and it begins with the aleph. Adam is God-like in being and will be GOD’s representative and messenger on earth. God signed off on His Creation by adding His Name to our name. Mankind (adam) was created to be an aleph in the earth. Our name carries our assignment.
The Hebrew Letter Dalet – d
The Dalet, connects us to the four stages of deliverance as outlined by GOD in The Book of Exodus 6:6-7. “I will Bring You Forth, Save You, Redeem You and Take You.” Amen.The dalet (D) is the 4th letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet and carries a gematria of 4. Dalet is the door and its name carries its designation. The doorpost reaches up and down and the lintel reaches right to left. The 4 directions extend north, south, east, and west. Dalet is the poor (dal) moving toward the tav (Covenant and the Cross).
The root word of Dalet, (dal) alludes to the poor. The gimel – the 3rd letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet pursues the dalet in order to provide care, generosity, and kindness. GOD is the Giver of Kindness, who pursues the poor.
Consider Abram, whose name, by the way, also begins with the aleph – the 1st letter of GOD’s Name. Abram was called the Chariot of GOD, who brought GOD’s character and Nature down to Earth. Because of his pursuit of GOD, the LORD bestowed the letter hei (H) to his name and he became Abraham. As you will recall from class, the letter hei (H) is formed with a yod and a dalet, representing divinity, and humility (yod) combined with the anointing to bring the Presence of GOD into the physical realm; into physical reality. His deeds of righteousness were always carried out expeditiously and his kindness to others is legendary.
The dalet is the symbol of the door, the path, the way. Once we, as those reared up on New Testament teachings, hear these words, we connect the dots and immediately recognize the parallels to Christ, Who is The Way, The Truth and The Life. The dalet symbolizes movement, the pathway, access in and out, because it is the door.
Within the Ancient Paleo Hebrew symbol of the dalet, you can also see the representation of the curtain hanging from the rods in the tabernacle. The veil between the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. The dalet is the door (Christ, who stands between us and The Father). Once again, every New Testament disciple who grasps the image of the dalet, hears the scripture saying, “No one cometh unto the Father, but by me” John 14:6. You have to gain access to the door.
The Hebrew Letter Mem – m
This is the spiritual equation that we have so far…GOD + access to the pathway + Nations, People, Waters, Living Waters…
Adam, carries a message. Between Elohim and the Nations is a door. The name for mankind (adam), openly conveys a message which is concealed to our intellectual minds (hence, the final mem which means ‘concealed’).
Access to GOD is through the door. Who is the door? Who is the door that provides access to living waters? While some don’t accept that Christ is the Way, aka the door, isn’t it interesting that the crowning name for GOD’s highest creation communicates the message of The Way?
Adam’s name just happens to be Adam, which also happens to communicate his purpose in the earth? If we believe in coincidence, then we don’t believe in faith. Look at the word adam once more.
The dalet (Christ, The Door) and the mem (the Nations) spell blood.
Elohim (aleph) + dahm (blood) = GOD, Elohim and The Blood.
Enough said. Christians get this one automatically.
DAM means BLOOD
As you gain greater understanding of the messages conveyed in the letters, this knowledge will be at the forefront of your thoughts as you pray. Your words become infused with the evidence of things unseen and the substance of things hoped for, the products of another level of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
The Hebrew letters form the words of GOD’s message and they have much to teach us beyond the literal reading of the text. The Hebrew Aleph-Bet is able to transmit spiritual values and priorities. As well as, another vision and level of the Plan of GOD
My Pastor calls the Hebrew Aleph-Bet, the Letters of Fire.
Catch the Fire!
Review this material extensively and repeatedly. Be prepared for the next teaching in this series.
- Quick Links to Teachings in this Series: The Undiscovered Adam….
- Part 1 – 8 minutes The Undiscovered Adam and the Unexplained Man
- Quick Links to the Lead Message: Where There Is No Man...
- Part 1 – 11 minutes Intro: Researching the 12 ways in Hebrew to say Man
- Part 2 – 15 minutes 12 ways in Hebrew to say Man, (continued…)
- Part 3 – 6 minutes Investigate the Hebrew words; adam & zakar
- Part 4 – 6 minutes Investigation of the Hebrew words; ish & nephesh
- ++Vocabulary: Elevating our understanding of Gods terminology.
- Adam ~ The initial/primary meaning of this word in the Hebrew is human being, the crowning achievement of God; mankind. We, in our English mindset reduced it to only meaning/representing the man, Adam. Which means WE are the only ones that can undo this mindset. We learn Hebrew to grow in the word, not learn a new piece of shiny information, important facts that we never had before, and then revert back to what is comfortable or familiar. The Adam’s have to retain and apply the information that they have learned. “He called their name adam.”
- Zakar ~ male, man, belonging to and in covenant with the GOD of Heaven; The man who remembers GOD.
- ish ~ (Make note of the patterns you see in how GOD uses this word in scripture).
- nephesh ~ (Make note of the patterns you see in how GOD uses this word in scripture)
- gul-go-leth ~ every man counted in the omer of manna, or for the 1/2 shekel of the sanctuary. The counting of heads for the poll. Note: It required two shekels to make a whole. Man is one half of the shekel and GOD is the other half. Two halves equal a whole. The Jewish people were one half of the shekel, GOD was/is the other half. This is why a half shekel was taken for each man. The shekel represented man’s connection to GOD. The taking of the half shekel, which was required AFTER the sin of the golden calf, was to be taken as a antidote to distancing yourself from GOD, i.e. breaking the connection. Becoming one half of what you should / could be. In addition, consider that it takes two men to equate to a whole shekel. In brief, this spiritual journey requires unity. There needs to be unity with GOD and man AND unity between man and man. It takes two. The counting of the shekel symbolized that the children of Israel understood what this meant and this understanding was a critical source of their spiritual strength. They were undefeated when in unity with GOD and man. “How can two walk together unless they agree?” The shekel served as advance payment on their lives, a ransom so to speak. Example. In the Book of Esther when Haman sought to purchase the lives of the Jews to destroy them, although thee children of Israel were steeped in disobedience for not going back to rebuild the House of GOD, it was the shekel that merited their salvation (and many other miracles) because they had already obeyed GOD in regards to this commandment. They had laid up the treasure in heaven that moved the heart of GOD on their behalf, in advance of the crisis. While Haman was seeking their lives, they were already accounted to GOD as worthy of redemption. GOD nullified the death decree over their lives. It pays to be obedient in the little things! Amen.`
- ba’al ~ rulers, elders, lords who shall not defile themselves with the dead, other than immediate family.
- COPYRIGHT 2019, Rev. S. Madison, torahisteaching.blog
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BANQUET OF PRAYER, Hebrew Scriptures, Hebrew studies, Judeo-Christian TeachingsA PLACE WHERE GOD’S PRESENCE CAN MEET YOU…September 3, 2020 torahisteaching.com 2 Comments
And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. Genesis 28:19
And he called the name of that place House of GOD: but the name of that city was called ‘Light’ at the first. Genesis 28:19
A few questions have come up regarding “getting into a place where the anointing dwells”.
You have to create a place for the anointing, or allow to designate one.
Is there one place in your home that you can dedicate to the Presence of GOD? I have a friend who had a nice size walk in closet for her and her husband’s use and that actually became her prayer closet! (I hope she post a comment on this blog so that everyone will know how sincere I am being).
Laura adorned her closet with comfy pillows against one wall of the closet, underneath her dresses. She had a pad of blankets on the floor, with her bibles and books and I think I remember a CD player for praise and worship music.
She owned a beautiful 4 bedroom home, with plenty of nooks and cranny’s, but her personal prayer retreat became the closet, and she could be in there for hours.
In one home I had the coziest little bathroom. There were 2 baths and just me, so the guest bath became a place of solitude. I loved the position and placement of the room, the windows, the view, the tile and molding. It was actually all quite nice. It felt like a luxury bath/suana at a really nice hotel. I owned a sofa that used to be positioned at the end of my bed. It was made of pine wood (a nice aroma) and I always filled it with nice sized, soft pillows and moved it to my spa like bathroom at that time. I could be in there for hours praying.
Another time, I fell head over heels for a little bench at a Presidential Museum, in the garden area. It was so secluded, hidden away in a nice little corner where few visitors ever walked. I used to go there, when I wanted an outdoors garden atmosphere that my concrete garden condo never provided.
I’ve chosen private-never ever used balconies, private prayer walks along a selective path at a dedicated time each day.
These days, I hide away in my bedroom–the compfiest place of all- ever! Where I’m surround by all my books and pillows and comfortable blankets, in a room that captures the sun and blocks all the outside noise.
I have another friend, that owns a business where she sees patients on a private individual basis. There are no other people present during their appointments. Because of the secluded, one on one nature of my friends business, her place also doubles as a place of prayer in between appointments. The decor is meticulous, from the pleasant aromas, the 5 star personal service, you feel special, cared for and it is like, you are the only person in the world that matters.
Her customers refuse to leave the place and will stretch out their time in her spa for 2-3- 4 hours if she does not stop them. (Next customer is coming folks!)
Iv’e had special places –my own personal possessions–at the beach for the occasional emergency- this needs to happen today by any means necessary– kind of places for prayer!
Which, miraculously, always seems to be cleared of people whenever I HAD to get there for a personal emergency discussion with GOD. This is my bursting down the door, kung fu fighting anyone who dares try to stop me- I MUST SEE THE KING–kind of appointment– A Divine Appointment with GOD – My MOED- on whatever day of the week it is required!
GOD ALWAYS Answers me at the Beach! It’s a special agreement that we have.
What do all of these places have in common?
Seclusion, privacy, peace and tranquility. Customized atmospheres. Minimal foot traffic, if any. Each dedicated to a specific, controlled use. Clean, organized, inviting, no tv’s, no radios, no internet, no outside noise, no common usage whatsoever. No confusion, no arguments, no bad/profane language, not even a secular book of any kind.
Pleasant and peaceful colors, scented candles, no common or profane conversations or communications… silence, selective communication or only prayer, praise and worship.
Find a place, that you can dedicate to the anointing as if it was the temple itself. Once it was my living room, because no one in the house ever spent time there. I guess it was for decoration purposes only, until it became a place for the anointing. Then everyone just wanted to sit in it. I had to redirect them to other places of interest! (This is not for you, people!). I said that with love, of course.
Take your best, whatever you have and place it there for the King. Even if it’s only you and your bible. Make the place your own. When Heaven sees you at The Place, the Heavenly Court will recognize your intentions, and all of Heaven will come down and grace you with the anointing.
This becomes your secret place. The place where GOD will meet you, there. It could be library (some have an adorable quiet, unadulterated atmosphere). It could be a broom closet in your home. It just has to be set apart for the anointing.
The more consecrated, dedicated time you spend there in love and thanksgiving (just sheer appreciation and dedication), the more you will see of the Presence of GOD. The more you pray, praise and worship there, the more you will come into contact with the Power of GOD.
This place can become so powerful that people who don’t know GOD, will feel the Presence of GOD. Company will start to confess things that you did not even ask or want to know. People will welcome prayer, be moved to tears, people will want to stay, people that curse will stop. It’s amazing what you shall behold in this place!
Find Your Special Place at the Beach, the Bathroom, the Balcony, the Garage, the Closet, the Garden… Find Your Place!
Pick a place and just make it The Place… Make wherever you are The Place!
I can be nicely laid out, but it doesn’t have to be. Plain is absolutely beautiful and GOD will reside with plain. It’s certainly His Favorite place. God just wants to be in the company of His most personal “treasured’ possession… You!
So the next time, when the angels see you headed for the beach… they will just turn toward the direction of where ever your enemies are located, and say,
“We Got This!”
It’s called the The Place of GOD’s Presence…
And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord: Genesis 19:27
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Genesis 22:3
Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. Genesis 22:4
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. Genesis 22:9
And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. Genesis 28:11
But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: Deut. 12:5
Related Article: ELUL, THE 13TH DAY OF PRAYER, Which Place Shall Become Your Dwelling Place With GOD?
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BANQUET OF PRAYER, Hebrew Scriptures, PREP FOR Rosh HashannaPREP FOR ROSH Hashanah, Prophetic WORD for 2021/5781September 2, 2020 ymalvo Leave a commentTeachings Notes From September 1, 2020 – Preparation for Rosh Hashanah. Prelude to Rosh Hashanah, Part by Rev. Y Malveaux
- Prelude to Rosh HaShanna, PART 1 – Teaching Notes From Tuesday, September 1, 2020
- 3 PRAYERS OF Rosh HaShanna, PART 2 – Teaching Notes From Tuesday, September 1, 2020
- The Placement of the Standards of the Camps PART 3 – Teaching Notes From Tuesday, September 1, 2020
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BANQUET OF PRAYER, Hebrew Scriptures, Judeo-Christian Teachings, The Journey BackSPIRITUAL BASICS: Increasing the Anointing in Your Life…August 31, 2020 torahisteaching.com Leave a commentThere are a number of ways to maximize the anointing in your life. Simple and straightforward to explain, yet difficult to accomplish without a strong commitment to self-discipline.
For anyone that wants to increase the anointing over their life, they will have to equally increase their determination to die to self.
And therein lies the rub…For those who have been in my classes, you will have heard me speak often of my bootcamp training days in the anointing (which really never stops). The biggest challenge for me was “not kicking against the pricks.” Of course, dying to self is the critical first step we all must accept, in order to place ourselves in a position to walk in the anointing.
The Yoke Shall Be Destroyed Because of The Anointing… Isaiah 10:27
I would think that most of our Pastors have labored to teach us the meaning of Isaiah’s message--learning to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
I’m fortunate enough to have had a grandfather who owned a farm, and I can remember him caring for the animals. Leading his ox by the plow took minimal strength from my grandfather, because his ox was so adapted to the work, he practically led himself.
Obedience is a fundamental standard for qualification.
It was only when I relinquished the reigns, that the anointing was able to flow in my life. In fact, this particular spiritual character flaw is the gage I use to assess whether or not I am resisting the WORD. Being willful and resisting instruction will cause us to miss out completely on what GOD is doing.
When I see my flesh getting in the way, I just stop and obey… I simply do, whatever it is I’m trying to resist doing. When I’m paying close attention, I can catch myself and stop myself from engaging in small infractions… which in turn, prevent disobedience from escalating.
Walking in the anointing means not resisting the small directional adjustments the LORD wants to make in our walk.
Quickly Repent and Keep Moving Forward…We each know when we are being willful, headstrong, defiant, difficult, etc. Just stop. Ask GOD for a better way. We each know enough of GOD’s Word, in order to be able to respond in a more excellent way, or at the very least, recognize the type of behavior that displeases GOD and stop.
Whenever we do what is personally difficult, but spiritually better for us and another person, that’s a small adjustment worthy of our time to make, in which we can then give honor GOD. In taking this simple small step in dying to self, you will protect the anointing on your life and on the lives of others.
Our Primary Objective, is Not to Grieve the Spirit of GOD.Our relationship with GOD becomes the principle thing. What are we willing to do to please GOD and to preserve the flow of the anointing in our lives?
GOD calls those who serve Him, His personal possession (Ex 30:31 KJV).Have you set yourself aside for His personal use? This would mean that we use all of our GOD given talents and abilities for Kingdom purposes.
How can you serve the Kingdom of Heaven and lift the level of holiness?
Both our strengths and our weaknesses can be used for Heavens purpose. Our strengths can be used to advance the Kingdom of Heaven, our weaknesses will help us to rely on the Spirit of GOD.
Just a few more small measures we can take, to draw closer to GOD.
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BANQUET OF PRAYER, Hebrew Scriptures, Judeo-Christian Teachings, Spiritual Maturity, The Journey BackELUL, ON THE 7TH DAY OF PRAYERAugust 27, 2020 torahisteaching.com Leave a commentMOVING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH…Ref: ELUL, The Month of The Search… Praying The Lord’s Prayer IN HEBREW & ENGLISH
Ref: ELUL, OUR 29 DAY BANQUET OF PRAYER… TO HONOR THE KING OF GLORY!
It was 40 days journey from the brook Cherith to Mt. Horeb, when Elijah traveled there and lodged in a cave, when the word of the LORD came to him there… (1 Kings 17)
This prophetic prayer journey during Elul, will require 30 days to Rosh Hashanah- The Biblical New Year!
Our journey in prayer can be just as arduous in the spirit, as it was in the natural for Elijah, to arrive before GOD, in a place where we are believing to hear GOD’s Voice, clearer and sharper and better than ever before!
Today, we are reading and proclaiming Psalms 84-90 – August 26, 2020Today, Dear LORD we stand before you longing to be in Your Tabernacles… to be once more in the Divine Courts of Our LORD.
Blessed are your beloved children – whose strength is in thee, and in their hearts are written Your Ways.
All that weep and long for you have been given to me in prayer, their tears you have collected in a well, in Baca, the valley of tears. Tears that were created in all their dry places, You will exchange these tears for rain.
We journey toward You in Elul, the Month of the search, until we reach you in the heights of Heaven by your Holy New Year. Each prayer draws us closer, higher heights, where we shall spend days rejoicing in Your Courts. Days that will be better to us than a thousand years!, for we are the Doorkeepers in the House of Our GOD.
Through his prayers, David taught us that You are our Sun and our Shield. He told us that, “There is no good thing will you withhold from those that walk uprightly.” Each day, may our prayers teach us, correct us, lead us and uphold us in our walk.
We have purposed in our hearts and declared with our mouth, that we will not dwell in the tents of wickedness… We are turned, and headed for the tents of torah.
We cry out for the Living GOD.Blessed are those that cry out for you! Lavish our prayers for your people, all those that you have entrusted to us in prayer, favor them with blessings, abundance, protection and wisdom in their land.
Restore us, from every dry place where we are captive, open our eyes to the places where we have made camp in our captivity… shake us up LORD, in the places where we have become comfortable, entangled with familiar spirits, loose us LORD to see and to hear your call.
Fill our mouths with Your Words. Make us to hear, even the children you anoint to speak wisdom in our ears, cause their words to ride upon the frequency of Your Voice, turn us Oh, LORD toward Your rivers of Living Water. Salvation is of the LORD.
Behold! We stand at the door and knock! Our heads dripping with dew, our clothes damp with the dew of Heaven. We shall be relentless in our prayers LORD. We shall give you no rest, until we see the performance of our prayers upon every friend, neighbor, loved one, friends, friend that we have taken up in the cover of our prayers.
We ask LORD, for their treasures to be released to them on earth. May they each be open to receiving the Desires of Your Heart for them. May their prayers gather all of the Good Gifts that You have ordained for them. May they claim their gifts and callings, and pursue walking in them, wholeheartedly, earnestly, faithfully, with consecration and heartfelt devotion.
May our prayers united, allow us all to pass through Our LORD and King’s territory, safely. Every obstacle and hinderance removed. Their papers are in order and their documents approved by the King of Glory, witnessed by the Heavenly Court, signed by the Hand of GOD and delivered to all the provinces…
We dispatch Heavenly Chariots to escort each one through the Kings forest, we hold each one in prayer until they arrive at their divine appointment. We see angles round about them, in every place the sole of their foot shall tread.
To every issue and concern, every problem or situation that arise in their path, we declare they shall meet every obstacle with the pages of scripture.. they shall look on the biblical calendar and note the date that GOD has given them the victory!
Their lives shall be a triumphant, their accomplishments recorded in Heaven. Only the wise in heart shall know of them. Only the humble are allowed to see your prophets passing by. We thank GOD for every one of these lives we hold up in prayer! They are the Goodness of GOD to us!
Psalm 85:
Photo by Wendy van Zyl on Pexels.com7 You have shown us Your Mercy LORD< You have granted us they salvation.
8 We will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints: and we will not turn to folly again.
9 Your salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our lands.
10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yea, the Lord has given that which is good; and our lands are yielding the increase.
13 May our righteousness travel before Him, as we run before Our LORD, and stand the watch and pray; May our consecration in prayer set us in the way of His steps.
The LORD Our GOD, never withholds a good thing from us!
AMEN
Note: 85:13- it was customary to honor the King by running before his chariot (1 Kings 1:5, 1 Kings 18:46, 1 Sam 8:11, 2 Sam 15:1)
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BANQUET OF PRAYER, Hebrew Scriptures, Judeo-Christian Teachings, The Journey BackTalkTorahToMe.CAFE. —DWELLING IN THE TENTS OF SHEMAugust 25, 2020 torahisteaching.com Leave a commentMAY GOD ALWAYS FIND YOU DWELLING IN YOUR TENT!
Ever wonder how Adam spent his day in the Garden of Eden?
After the sin of Adam, he had to work the ground and prepare his own food. The garden, as they are still able to do, supplied his food. Imagine eating from the purest and most luscious of fruits. It had to be pretty awesome indeed!
We know his assignment in the garden was to “dress it and keep it” Genesis 2:15. We’ve talked about this before, but a question came up that I wanted to take time to review.
I mentioned that Adam was not required to prune or rake, etc. The trees grew on their own, pretty much like they do today. The Midrash teaches, something we might have missed, reminding us that a river went forth from Eden to water it (Gen 2:10), so no need to irrigate the garden.
What was the work that Adam had to do then?Adam had to occupy himself with something that we don’t readily consider, but something that the scriptures often reminds us to do. “Meditate, day and night, in the study of Torah”
Adam had complete access to the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden. The Tree of life is the symbol of Torah.
Proverbs 3:18. She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, and whoever holds on to her is happy.
Adams work, was Labor in Torah.Do you recall the scriptures teaching that, “ Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.” Genesis 25: 27
Dwelling in tents, is a Hebrew Idiom for studying the Torah.
Genesis 9:27 tells us, “GOD shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant”.
During this season, there are some Like you, who choose to dwell in their tents… which continues to this day to be an act of faith.
Jacob dwelled in his tent, studying Torah, like Abraham and Isaac before him. He chose to stay focused on the promises of GOD.
The Feast of Tabernacles is around the corner. A celebration of dwelling in the tents as a nation, and a commandment of GOD. LEV 23:42-43. “You shall dwell in booths for 7 Days”.
Remember when GOD dwelled among all of Israel, in the center of the camp when they we in the wilderness?
Jesus is the Master Rabbi, the Son of the Living GOD. He dwells in the Torah and that’s where we still find Him and GOD The Father.
Adam knew he did not have to plant fields and reap crops. The Torah fed his soul and nurtured him spiritually.
It’s the spiritual food we need more than anything today with water that will cause us to never thirst again.
May GOD Always find us Dwelling in the Tent!
Like we are doing now!
Additional Ref: Hebrews 11:9, 1 Kings 9:3, Zech 14:16,
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BANQUET OF PRAYER, Consecration, Discernment, Elul, EXODUS, Hebrew Scriptures, Holiness, Judeo-Christian TeachingsTalkTorahToME.CAFE ELUL, DAY 4August 23, 2020 torahisteaching.com 9 Comments–For EVERYONE That Ran A Good Race And Are At Ease…BENEATH THE THRONE OF GLORY.“There is an important reason that saints are likened to the stars. The sages teach that the righteous do not die; even after death they are considered alive. They still live, since their souls are beneath GOD’s Throne of Glory (Kissey ha-kavod). In this respect, they are like the stars. Although the stars are invisible by day, they exist in their place. It is we who cannot see them, because of the illumination of the sky. The same is true of the righteous, they exist after their death, but we cannot see them because of our sins. Still, the righteous remain in their place.
Just as it is impossible to see the light of the stars by day, it is impossible to see the greatness of saints in this world. It is only recognizable after they die. The sages therefore say, “Saints are greater after their death than they are in this life.”
AMEN.
Excerpt from MeAm Lo’ez by Rabbi Yaakov Culi, Book 4 Israel in Egypt –A torahisteaching 2021 Book Club RecommendationShare this:Like this:
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Hebrew Language Studies, Hebrew Scriptures, Judeo-Christian Teachings, Spiritual MaturityTalkTorahToMe.CAFE. –Our Speech Can Be A Lethal Weapon or A Means to Salvation.August 23, 2020 torahisteaching.com Leave a commentDuring the Month of Elul, Stay The Course!LEV 19:16-1816 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I am the Lord.
17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
loshon hará ~ evil speech…is language that does harm to another. Loshon hara is a profane use of the tongue, language that does harm to other nations and people. Loshon Hara is speech – a wicked and perverse form of lspeech that harms our own futures and threatens our destiny- neutralizing and undermining our power in prayer.We are very familiar with lotion hara, even though we may have never heard it called by that name. We’ve seen the devastation it causes to another person’s spirit. It’s very familiar.
During this Month of Elul, (August 20 – September 17)…We are going to keep our eye on our tongues…standing the watch over our own speech. No form of evil speech will escape our tongue. No gossip, no murmuring, so chiding or complaining, no slandering, no rebukes, no grudges, no insults, no toxic or poisonous language of any kind.
We will not allow our personal Panina’s to provoke us while we are on our spiritual journey to the Temple of GOD (1 Samuel). During the Month of Elul, we are on a mission!
We are doing this for a few reasons:
- We are determined to elevate spiritually to a new level.
- Our speech can elevate us or block us in regards to our ability to obtain that higher level.
- Our words have power, (It’s time to really believe that). and that power can only be released through holy speech.
- Our speech is the foundation of all of our prayers and…
- Your prayers are essential. People need your prayers. Your neighbor needs your prayer, right now. Your prayers can mend the World.
You will recall, the portion of the verse that reads “man became a living soul” actually reads, man became a speaking spirit.
It is right in this moment that the speech of mankind became Holy.
Your speech is meant to be Holy, to Glorify GOD, to Bless and not curse, to edify and encourage, to tear down (strongholds) and to build up (each other), and so much more good than we can ever imagine!
Our words (and prayers) have no limitations in the spirit. We’ve seen what our words can do in the natural. How much more could they accomplish when we consecrate our words and prayers to GOD?
What makes language holy is that it was given by GOD only to mankind. If we take something as pure and Holy as Language, our gift from GOD, and use it in a profane manner; to hurt, condemn, criticize, offend, destroy, etc. then we corrupt GOD’s language and disrespect GOD.
Gen 2:15 “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”
“to dress it and to keep it” from the Hebrew Language is “to avad, to serve and to keep watch, guard/protect. Ref: Adam was not in Agriculture…
Our ears (as Christians) are atuned to hearing, “to dress it and keep it” for so long that we might miss the charge of what GOD really assigned Adam to do.
No where else in scripture is there support for an understanding that Adam was a horticulturist, agriculturalist, etc.
When I speak of this to some students, they feel like the word of GOD is being rewritten before their eyes and it’s very hard to process.
Was Adam a Worshipper or a Farmer?Was his responsibility to guard and protect the anointing, to praise and worship, to draw closer to GOD? Or to grow plants and vegetables?
What we do find support for in scripture is that Adam was a worshipper, his service was to GOD. That his job was to guard and protect the anointing, that he was to protect GOD’s creation, all of it. (Disobedience affected his ability to carry our his assignment too).
Adam had work to do, certainly. But it was a spiritual kind of work in service to GOD, Avodah. Avodah has been interpreted in scripture as physical work. What I want to focus on instead, is our first work. Before caring for fields and gardens. Before building and creating and inventing.
We have the assignment to build and create with our words.
Getting our speech back in right alignment to GOD, is going to make all the difference in the level of effectiveness and fervency of our prayers.
How far we can go walking in the anointing will all begin and depend with our speech.
Mankind is a speaking spirit. Our words have spiritual impact. GOD created the world through the spoken word. Our speech can build up or tear down this creation.
Speak life and live.
RELATED ARTICLES:
- ELUL… Seasoning Our Words With Salt
- ELUL, DAY 4 –Words Are Like Arrows…
- Chofetz Chaim – A Lesson A Day
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Consecration, Elul, Hebrew Scriptures, TALK TORAH TO METalkTorahToMe.CAFE -The 15th Psalm of DavidAugust 22, 2020 torahisteaching.com Leave a comment
DAY 2 –Entering the Month of Elul and the Sanctuary of GOD.Prayer Schedule: ELUL, OUR 29 DAY BANQUET OF PRAYER…TO HONOR THE KING OF GLORY!
PSALM 1515 Lord, who shall abide (guwr, dwell as a new-comer, someone without original rights) in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
LOOKING A LITTLE CLOSER THROUGH THE HEBREW….1 Lord, who shall abide (guwr, dwell as a new-comer, someone without original rights) in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell (settle down) in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly (tah-meem, blameless) and worketh (paw-al, do or make) righteousness (tseh’-dek, justice, what is right), and speaketh (de-var, speaks) the truth (eh-met) in his heart (bil-va-vo) .
3 He that backbiteth (raw-gal, walks around by foot) not with his tongue (law-shone), nor doeth evil (rah) to his neighbour (ray-ah, friend, companion), nor taketh up a reproach (cher-pah, disgrace) against his neighbour (kaw-robe, near… from the Hebrew root word kaw-rav, meaning to draw near).
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned (ma’as, to abhor); but he honoureth (yaw-ray, awe, reverence) them that fear (kaw-vad, heavy, weighty, weight of the Glory) the Lord (YHVH) . He that sweareth (shaw-bah, keeps their word, oath) to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward (bribe or present, gifts) against the innocent (naw-kee, clean, free from guilt, blameless). He that doeth these things shall never be moved (mote, be brought down, made to shake or slip).
Who shall abide in they tabernacle? Who shall dwell in they Holy Hill?He who mirrors the character and nature of YHVH. He who meets the moral and ethical requirements of Holiness to enter the sanctuary. Psalm 15 spells it out in the very beginning of the initial psalm… “Those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked.”
At one point in time, we were all new-comers to GOD, strangers who dwelled outside of the covenant. The word choice is interesting. The prayer reminds us that we each had no original rights or privilege to occupy the dwelling place of GOD.
Today, we each have an open invitation into the sanctuary. But who is qualified to enter?
Those who worship GOD speak truth. Liars do not abide alongside the anointing.Truth is a big word in Hebrew. The word for truth is emet. Emet is spelled with the 1st letter of GOD’s Name, the aleph (a). The middle letter of the Hebrew Alphabet is the men (m) and the last and final letter is the tav (t). aleph – mem- tav; representing the entirety of the Word of GOD.
GOD (Aleph) – the Core (Mem, the people, the nations) and His Covenant (Tav). Emet is truth, beginning, middle and end. There are no adjustments, no personal points of view or versions of truth.
Truth in Hebrew can not be expressed without including GOD, His People and His Gift to us of His Covenant. The dictionary definition of truth, does not capture truth to its core… GOD, His People, and Our Covenant.
In our culture, we have excluded GOD from our definition of truth. The world believes that GOD is not a consideration in the existence of truth.
By removing GOD from the equation, we have the Hebrew Word moot, (men- tav), meaning death. Cutting GOD out of our lives and language and understanding, etc means we are working with something absent of truth.
They that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24
David is trying to tell us…that among other things, lying will completely destroy our power in prayer. Slander and backbiting will disqualify us from destiny. The worshiper of GOD does not enter the sanctuary full of gossip and walking about maliciously spreading slander.Psalm 15 is David’s prayer spoken over the generations delivered to us so that we may know that there is a protocol for entering the tent of GOD. The first step is to recognize that the degree to which our character and nature and ability to abide in truth and speak truth, will determine our ability to enter into the presence of GOD in prayer, study and worship.
There must be an important reason for that, don’t you think?
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Hebrew Scriptures, Judeo-Christian Teachings, The Journey BackELUL, OUR 29 DAY BANQUET OF PRAYER… TO HONOR THE KING OF GLORY!August 21, 2020 torahisteaching.com Leave a commentI present all my prayers to you LORD, as the First Fruits of my lips this Harvest Season…May they be accepted by You, as the Finest Fruits of my garden that I have in my heart to Present before My Beloved King! AMEN.RECITING THE Lord’s Prayer IN HEBREW DAILY. ELUL, The Month of The Search… Praying The Lord’s Prayer IN HEBREW & ENGLISH
And…Praying 7 Psalms a Day; Read them 1st and Confess the words over your life and those you are covering during the month, and into 2021.
PRAYING THROUGH THE PSALMS THROUGH THE MONTH OF ELUL:
Week 1. “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Psalms 141: 2-3
- PSALMS 43-49 THURSDAY AUGUST 20
- PSALMS 50-56 FRIDAY AUGUST 21
- PSALMS 57-63 SATURDAY AUGUST 22
- PSALMS 64-70 SUNDAY AUGUST 23
- PSALMS 70-76 MONDAY AUGUST 24
- PSALMS 77-83 TUESDAY AUGUST 25
- PSALMS 84-90 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 26
- PSALMS 91-98 THURSDAY AUGUST 27
- PSALMS 99-105 FRIDAY AUGUST 28
- PSALMS 106-113 SATURDAY AUGUST 29
- PSALMS 114-120 SUNDAY AUGUST 30
- PSALMS 121-127 MONDAY AUGUST 31
- PSALMS 128-134. TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1
- PSALMS 135-142 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2
- PSALMS 143-150 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 3
- PSALMS 1-7 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 4
- PSALMS 8-14 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 5
- PSALMS 15-21 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6
- PSALMS 22-28 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 7
- PSALMS 29-35 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 8
- PSALMS 36-42 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 9
- PSALMS 43-49 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10
- PSALMS 50-56 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11
- PSALMS 57-63 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12
- PSALMS 64-70 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13
- PSALMS 70-76 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 14
- PSALMS 77-83 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15
- PSALMS 84-90 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 16
- PSALMS 91-98 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 17
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Hebrew Scriptures, Judeo-Christian TeachingsELUL… Seasoning Our Words With SaltAugust 20, 2020 torahisteaching.com 2 CommentsTHE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH OF ELUL…
Knowing that our words should be seasoned with salt- the whole entire time— Elul, places a special requirement on us to evaluate and recalibrate every word that comes out of our mouths.
With dedication and discipline, applied in this process, we will become masters at apprehending our thoughts before they even slip out of our mouths as words.
Her’s a short torah teaching for you on this eve of Rosh Chodesh Elul, The Head of the Month of Elul
…………………
One man spread a rumor about another.
He later felt regret, and went to the rabbi to ask how to make amends. “Go to the store and buy a bag of seeds,” said the rabbi, “then go to a big open field and scatter the seeds into the wind. Do so and report back to me in a week.”
The man did as he was told, and came back the next week to find out what to do next. “Now,” said the rabbi, “go back to the field and pick up all the seeds.”
“But,” the man protested, “those seeds have scattered far and wide! I’ll never find them all. Many have even already taken root!”
“Exactly,” explained the rabbi. “Now you understand. When we speak badly about another person, the effect is far and wide. And it is damage that can never be fully undone.”
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the hand of the tongue: and they that love it, shall eat the fruit thereof.
The Sages of Old explained it this way…. ”Negative speech is even worse than a sword—since it kills many people, even at a great distance.” (Talmud, Arachin 15b)
Evil Speech (loshon hara) is equivalent to murder. The Talmud teaches that evil speech (gossip) is like a three pronged tongue which kills three people: the person who says it, the person who listens to it and the person about whom it is said.
We know this to be true because we have seen people carrying the weight of someones words around for decades. We have seen words break another persons spirit, causing such spiritual harm, that some have barely survived.
Remembering hurtful words from their childhood and re-experiencing them on a recurring basis, even nursing the words in their heart. Never letting them go. They nurse and rehearse these words to such a degree that they torment their own souls.
This Elul, we shall walk away from the pain of the past and the witchcraft of words.
Tonight as we pray, we will gather up all the seeds of words we have misplaced and misspoken, every word that hurt, insulted, or harmed in anyway.
We ask the LORD to bind up every wound we have inflicted upon anyone with our words.. intentionally, or unintentionally. Help me LORD, and heal all that I have harmed.
For every heart we have broken we repent, and ask the LORD to replace our words in their hearts and minds with healing words of love, kindness and tender mercies.
I pull down every stronghold I have built up over my life and anyone else through the careless use of my words. I strip away the very sound of any and every hurtful word that I spoke from their ears and from their hearts.
In these 29 days of Elul, I dispatch my prayers to root our every hidden place that my words have done damage. Heal me LORD, of any particle or residue of anger that caused harsh words to fall from my tongue toward my neighbor. I command my flesh to be silent, to speak sparingly, to submit to the wisdom, knowledge and counsel of the Most High GOD through His Word.
I Decree and Declare this very day, that my words shall become seasoned with salt. AMEN.
.
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Colossians 4:6 KJV
RELATED ARTICLES:
- TalkTorahToMe.CAFE. –Our Speech Can Be A Lethal Weapon or A Means to Salvation.
- Chofetz Chaim – A Lesson A Day
- ELUL, DAY 4 –Words Are Like Arrows…
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Hebrew ScripturesELUL, THE MONTH OF PROPHETIC DREAMS…August 18, 2020 torahisteaching.com Leave a commentBECAUSE THIS IS A MONTH SO SATURATED BY PRAYER, REPENTANCE AND DRAWING CLOSER TO GOD… THIS MAY BE YOUR DREAMIEST MONTH OF THE YEAR!
Expect MORE Dreams!Capture those Dreams and Pray them through During this Season!
If your dreams are vivid and a tad bit alarming…write them down as well and ask for deeper revelation. You could have been given a warning dream which is awesome!
Remember what Moses, Abraham, Jacob, Hannah, Hezekiah, Abigail, Deborah, the Zelopehad Daughters, Jochebed, Miriam, Aaron, Esther, and many more… did when they were confronted with situations that they were not so pleased about?
They stepped in and had a conversation with GOD. They didn’t let problems, complications, situations, even edicts from GOD, just stand unchallenged. They negotiated a better outcome for the people!
Should any dream alarm you… Never Fear…it’s time to open up negotiations with GOD!
The dreams we love the most are wrapped in sugar and spice, right? Definitely pray those dreams through!
Attached is a journal page from the workbook. Use it to write down your dreams and take them to prayer (in your hand) with you during your consecrated prayer time.
Make Note of The Time of the Watch in Which Your Dream OccurredJot down the date and time of your dreams whenever possible… Write the visions and run with them! (Hab 2:2).
Hebrew Root Word Study: ratz = run, to carry speedily, to escort speedily to a destination
ya’rutz = future imperfect; meaning Your actions (whether you will or will not) determine the outcome. In Hebrew the imperfect tense leaves room for what you are prepared to do with the information or situation, VISION OR DREAM!
This is one of the things I love most about the Word…GOD left room for our choices on the pages of scripture and in the declaration of His Will…
GOD has invited You to take part… the tense is imperfect… because He is waiting for Your decision….The Choice is Yours.
May all our prayers saturate you with prophetic insight, and visions and dreams… May this be the richest Season of Dreams and visions and insight for you EVER! May you see the crooked places made straight… May you see the abundance of rain coming in the distance.. May you walk each day in divine outcomes and decisions because you have stepped into the ALL The Provisions that GOD has made for you in His Word! You Shall Dream.
Enjoy! AMEN.
RELATED MESSAGES:
PRAYER JOURNAL PAGES FOR ELUL —THE NEXT LEVEL IN PRAYER
ELUL, A DAVID KIND OF PRAYER…
Elul… May GOD Find You Praying, like David Prayed…
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Bible Study, Consecration, Discernment, Elul, Hebrew Scriptures, Holiness, MOED, The Journey BackPRAYER JOURNAL PAGES FOR ELUL —THE NEXT LEVEL IN PRAYERAugust 18, 2020 torahisteaching.com 2 CommentsIt’s Time to Get Strategic…For the next month (a.k.a 33 days) you are going to log each prayer request you receive…
You will set your prayer(s) in a watch of the day or night. (See handouts) We will each be making a consecration to stand that specific watch in prayer. In the beginning… you might not stand the entire 3 hour watch, or you might. You choose.
Praying the Psalms will cause your Watch to pass quickly!
All teachings on this page have their roots in The Language of Prayer
Prayer Journal Pages through 2023 available: Click Here
Read the Psalm… Pray the PsalmDecree and Declare the Psalm out loud.
The enclosed handout contains a breakdown of the Prayer Watches. I believe you will gain more out of this exercise if you don’t focus on all the details of the prayer watch right now. We can fill in that information for you later.
For those of you who have taken this class with me before, you have a head start! For those of you who have not, just pick a watch… that you can honor and maintain through the next 33 days. Your prayer times can certainly shift based on the day of the week, that’s OK.
The important thing is to keep the commitment for prayer that you make…this is your consecration to Heaven. The flexibility is all in your hands and your words.
Write down your commitment in time to whichever prayer watch or watches you will keep. As your prayer request come in, set them / log them for the watch you have set. Jot down the key details so that you remember what you are carrying to prayer.
Can You Keep the Secrets of GOD?When someone ask you to pray for them, you do not need to tell 10 people. Keep the confidence of the LORD. When GOD sends us someone to pray for, we want to keep their info private and hold on to them as if they are the treasures of GOD Himself. Prayer is a sacred trust and we want to handle them all in a very careful way.
Be as cryptic as you like. Only you need to know what the request is! Keep the request in a safe place (in your bible if you like) just keep them in a place of honor, respect and a secure place where you can reach them.
Prayer takes time. The objective is to watch over your prayers…not to forget the commitments we make in prayer…and hold on till the breakthrough (which could be longer than 33 days).Because we each will be in agreement over the next 33 days, praying the psalms and the Lord’s Prayer together (in Hebrew), we are believing in the unity of the faith to carry us into this next level.
Get Ready… The power of agreement is incredible…and we shall see the manifestation of our prayers!
Enjoy! Amen.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE:All teachings on this page are rooted in The Language of Prayer
NOW MORE THAN EVER… Don’t let the giants into your land. Repent from all unforgiveness. Keep working on it, even it it’s a hard thing to do. No gossip, no lying, no strife to name a few! No banned battles… no battles. Let the captives go free!
KEEP YOUR HANDS CLEAN AND YOUR HEART PURE.
ELUL, A DAVID KIND OF PRAYER…
- Elul… Pray like David Prayed
- ELUL, Something of Value
- ELUL, Preparation for Elevation
- Elul, Anointed to Handle the Things of GOD… Part 1
- ELUL, What if Your Spiritual Identity is Prayer?
Read them, meditate on them, listen to the wisdom of GOD. Obey them, especially those you find particularly difficult. Your breakthrough or the breakthrough you are seeking for others could very well be locked inside.
You will experience spiritual attack during this time, especially if you are endeavoring to cast out some giants in your land. Attacks are just a message that you are on the right track!
Press In!
There’s enough Giants in the Land Already!!! Don’t Create Your Own Giants to Fight. Be Mindful of the Words You Are Speaking.
Prayer Journal Pages are Available Here
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Hebrew Scriptures, Hebrew studiesELUL, The Month of The Search… Praying The Lord’s Prayer IN HEBREW & ENGLISHAugust 17, 2020 torahisteaching.com Leave a commentPractice reading The Lord’s Prayer in Hebrew (Matthew 6:9-15). Use the transliteration key in BLUE in order to practice reciting the prayer daily. You can incorporate the prayer before, during or after praying the Psalms.
Flow with these prayer strategies during the month of Elul and watch the power of GOD fall on your faithfulness.
The Month of Elul: August 20th – September 18, 2020. -29 Days of ElulWe learned this as children, and it has devolved for some as a “patty cake” type of prayer. It’s been relegated to the place of a nursery rhyme for far too many Christians.
Over the next few months I hope to demonstrate the revelatory power in this sweet, clear, concise, precious message to every believer on how to pray. It’s more than a simplistic pattern of prayer.
Let us press in for a new level through speaking the prayer in the Hebrew tongue and stand the watch.
Note: Click on the Attachment below in order to enlarge the picture. In Hebrew you read from right to left. Begin with… ah-vee-new she-bah-sha-my-eem
For Heather and Renae! Attached is a recording just for you!
If any of you have trouble printing out a copy of the prayer, send me an email to [email protected] and we will forward you a copy as soon as possible. Thank You.
Recording #1 The Lord’s Prayer read in Hebrew only – very slowly
Recording #2 The Lord’s Prayer read in both Hebrew & English – very slowly –all versesOver the next 33 days, remain faithful to Praying the Psalms with us and rehearse the Lord’s Prayer in your own ears, over your own spirit. Don’t be critical over your pronunciation, don’t be discouraged. GOD rewards your diligence in pursuit of Him and His Holy language.
Understanding will come. You never had to be perfect, we only need to be faithful in the little things.
During this Elul, we are taking a huge step towards GOD, through increased consecration and dedication, and GOD is Faithful!
May revelation and insight abound in you over the next 33 days, like never before! Amen.
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Bible Study, Consecration, Discernment, Hebrew Scriptures, Hebrew word studies, TORAHPART 3 The Spirit of Witchcraft —One of the Works of the FleshAugust 17, 2020 torahisteaching.com Leave a commentcontinued from Part 2
Why Consult with the Witch at Endor?King Saul did this in order to pacify his fear, in order to justify his suspicion, in order to pacify his own rebellion, against God.
He resorts to consulting the witch at Endor a familiar spirit. Consulting by means outside of God. Saul only needed to humble himself and repent to open the door that would usher him back into the presence of God. He was still operating in self. Stuck in rebellion and stubbornness.
We see this in 1 Samuel 28:6 6. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
In other words, God was giving him a message by not speaking to him. His glorious presence had departed from him and God allowed it to instigate repentance.
WAS SAUL SEEING HIMSELF FOR WHO HE REALLY WAS???Was Saul oblivious to the fact that he was in disobedience?
It’s very possible to be so stuck that we deceive our own selves.
Saul was in total denial that God had departed from him and was insistent on getting a word from the Lord.
So, Saul is going to create his own message.
So often this is what happens when the body of Christ becomes susceptible and tempted with witchcraft in the competition of fellow servants of Christ.
It begins with denial toward the truth.
And wanting to imagine God is saying something he did not say and is not saying. And that is exactly what happened to Saul in this instance.
2 Samuel 1:1-27FIRST there is a concept to take note of here…
When GOD gives you an assignment, AND you know what it is AND you are not confused about the instructions. You perfectly understand…
Know this: The assignments that you fail to accomplish when it comes to the enemies of God, have a way of resurfacing.
In other words, you can send yourself back around the mountain, because you failed to accomplish the task the last time!
Except this time you are contending with spirits that are stronger (because you have made them stronger by your rebellion and disobedience). They’re objective was always to remove you from your place…now even more so!
Obedience is Better than Sacrifice.The Amalekite King that Saul did not destroy in one of his moments of disobedience, believing he knew what was best on his own accord, instead of following the orders he was given by God.
HE THOUGHT HE HAD A BETTER PLAN THAN THE PLAN GIVEN TO HIM BY GOD
His actions caused the Amalekite’s to resurface in the book of Esther. It was also an Amalekite that finished him off after he fell on his own sword. What sword? The very disobedience he walked in took his own life.
Remember that Prophet Samuel asked King Saul, “Did you do the Lord’s commandment?”, and King Saul replied that he had done the Lord’s commandment.
Saul had not completed the assignment the way he was commanded to do. Saul did it his way and opened the door to a spirit that every generation continues fight.
Every child with siblings has learned the hard way, that their disobedience/rebellion has the potential of causing the same behavior in their siblings. Every rebellious friends goal is to get you to participate in their wicked behavior. Point being: this type of behavior leaves another to have to pick up the bondage and fight the same battle again.
Someone has to slay the dragon! If it’s your assignment, and you refuse to do it or you only do the part you want to do, then you leave another to finish the job. You may even subject them to more spiritual dangers and stronger enemies because you chose not to finish your spiritual assignment.
The spirit of Amalek.2 Samuel 1:1-27. The consequences of cooling off in one’s service to God.1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
1 Samuel 30:1-31 Ziklag had been attacked by the Amalekites. David pursues them across the Negev Desert and defeats them –and rovers all, including his two wives.
Meanwhile, King Saul fights the phillistines in Mt Gilboa 1 Samuel 31:1-3
2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
A prisoner of Israel – from the battle with the Amalekites.
Consult your bible maps. note the position of Jezreel vs Mt Gilboa
4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
5 And David said unto the young man that told him, how knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
The spirit of Amalek always insist everything happens by chance… there is no design, destiny or providence of GOD.
Note: King Saul was fighting the Phillistines on Mt Gilboa 1 Sam 28:4, David was fighting the Amalekites at that time.
7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, here am I.
The Amalekites were generational enemies of Israel. This Amalekite wants King David to believe he “just happened to be passing through a battle with Israel and the Phillistines?” Is he just waiting in the cut to see how the battle will turn out?
8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
And I am proud to declare and will not hide the fact that “I am Amalekite”. (Grandson of Esau, ever present enemy to Israel, known for their audacity) Ex 17:14 GOD will blot out the name of Amalek, Deut 25:17 Amalek did not fear GOD;
9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
…”and Saul asked me to kill him“
Amalek’s primary tactic is to sneak up from behind, to attack the weak, the lame, the young, the aged, the infirm, when they are too weak to lift up their own hands in defense… Deut 25:17, Ex 17:8-16
10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
… so when Saul is weak, you can stand up..
so I did as he asked, and then I took his crown and bracelet. (If I meant to do you and Israel honor, wouldn’t I have brought back his body for burial?
Note: This Amalekite who was being held by the Israelites is somehow at Mt Gilboa with King Saul on the battlefield, just passing through?
Was he escaped from the camp of the defeated Israelites at Mt Gilboa and heard about the defeat of the Amalekites before David?
Was he an Amalekite who just happened to be passing by the battlefield of King Saul & the Phillistines?
Was he an Amalekite who heard about the defeat of his people before David and went to the battlefield of King Saul and the Phillistines in order to cut off the weak and injured? Collecting the spoils of war?
Why is an Amalekite on the battlefield with the Phillistines?
11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
(So, here you are David…a gift for the next King of Israel that we will destroy)
12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
I am ger… one who will sojourn in your land..inhabit the land, dwell here, abide (with hostile intent?), bring fear, remain in the land… ger (guwr) someone without original rights; Amalek had a lot to lose when Israel came out of captivity. They were occupying Israels land during their 400 years in captivity. They were not interested in seeing Israel set free.
an Amalekite – stated for the 2nd time Scripture repeats itself twice when we are supposed to be paying attention. (there is a bit of pride in this declaration)
14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?
GOD was internationally known for anointing his people, especially His Kings, Priests and Prophets…. there is no way a person in the bloodline of Esau would not know that Saul was anointed by GOD). Amalek did not fear GOD.
15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
David was not deceived. He saw, heard, perceived what was going on. The Amalekite was mocking GOD, the Children of Israel, the Kingdom and everything they stood for… David recognized the enemies of GOD and Israel. Would you know when the enemy is mocking GOD in your life?
Do you know when someones story does not add up?
16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’s anointed.
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
YOUR PRAYER LIFE IS… YOUR STRONGEST SPIRITUAL ASSETWhile here on earth, Amalek sought to destroy the Israelites with a vengeance. His baseless hatred for Israel was shrouded in fear of Israel. Amalek never attempted to confront Israel face to face. That would have meant, taking on the tribe of Judah head-on (Ex 17). Why take on a lion when you can sneak up from behind and challenge the a cub… The Tribe of Dan…(whom they thought was a weak link).
The Tribe of Dan was the rearguard. Their job was to protect Israels treasures; the old, the young, the weak. 11 Tribes mounted the frontal defense and protected the flanks. Dan was the rearguard.
Note: When the children of Israel left Egypt, they were no way in the path of the territory of Amalek. Amalek pursued them when they had already passed by… a completely different path to Mt Sinai. And when did they attack? Right before the children of Israel were about to get their Word from GOD… Right before they were scheduled to receive their Word about their destiny.
If you find out who you are in GOD.. the enemy has a big problem. If Israel figured out that all of this territory that Amalek illegally inhabited really belonged to the children of Israel AND if they (the Children of Israel) ever got their fight back and remembered who they are/were…
Judah was already leading them to their promise… and Judah was not to be trifled with.
What they did not know is that Dan, was a Lion’s whelp… and if you have ever seen a lion’s cub play you would recognize that they are severely underestimated, have no idea that they are the smallest, love to wrestle and are always ready for the battle. Dan was quick like a viper and strong like a lion. Add prayer to the fight and they were unbeatable!
The spirit of Amalek continues their attempts to take out GOD’s Anointed. They are relentless. If they can get you so frustrated that you come out of prayer, curse, get angry, hold grudges, act out in rage, jealousy, nurse wounds, throw your hands down ( they have sufficiently weakened your hands in prayer).
If they can just poke at your heels, drag you down to a level where you are spiritually and emotionally broken, despondent, hopeless, feeling entitled and justified in your own behaviors… If Amalek can get you to operate in greed, pride, envy, strife, etc.
If they can get you to pick up the worlds weapons and put down the weapons of your warfare, then they have you in a headlock. Your hands become weak, you have no prayer life and you are subject to the enemy’s devices.Prayer makes your hands strong… and in GOD’s Kingdom we need strong hands to war with in prayer! Hands Raised + Praise + Humility + GODs weapons= Power in Prayer ; means you win the battle!
Hands locked down and immobilized + use of the enemies weapons+ pride, lies, deceit etc.= no strength in prayer – You lose.
Rephidim ( Ex 17) means weakening of the hands. The children of Israel propelled themselves into a spiritual condition of Rephidim through all of their complaining, moaning, chiding- the sapped up their own anointing with their own mouths.
There was no water = there was no anointing. Why do we expect the anointing to flow in our lives, on our prayers, on our vision and dreams, when all we did all day was whine, moan and complain? Why do we expect the anointing to flow when all we did all day was point the finger, ridicule, blame, lash out, criticize our leaders, friends, brothers and sisters?
THE WORD OF GOD IS CLEAR ABOUT THIS POINT:Negativity does not release the anointing. Frustration, complaining, etc does not release the anointing. Pointing the finger, blame, ridicule, etc does not release the anointing.
The Prayer of Faith releases the anointing.
You can’t be on both sides of the equation. You can not do both and expect your prayers to break through. There is no middle ground here. You can’t be double minded and expect power in prayer.
When I began this teaching I made a statement…the Spirit of Witchcraft- One of the Works of the Flesh. What I am saying is that, we can easily fall into the trap of thinking that witchcraft is happening somewhere from outside, being performed by someone else, directed at us through someone else.
I am showing you another side to the coin. The witchcraft of words can come from us… from within us, from our own actions, our own flesh.
We deceive ourselves in double mindedness, when we operate in disobedience, rebellion or in any of the activities described. We allow the spirit of Amalek to operate in our lives and only we can shut it down.
Saul wanted to operate in the things of GOD and the things of the world, as it suited him. It doesn’t work like that, and it cost him everything.
Reading Assignment: Read it all in context Starting at 1 Samuel 9 – 1 Samuel 15
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Psalm 19:14 King James VersionLet the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, My Strength, and My Redeemer.
Fill my prayers over my child with blessings of wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Teach them the secret things hidden within your Word that they never become entangled in false doctrines, vain imaginations of men, that they never find themselves seated in the congregation of the ungodly. Help them to know Your Ways, Your thoughts, Your Voice, that they never become led by or follow any other voice, reign down upon them in abundance the gifts of discernment, perception, chesed, faithfulness, dedication, endurance, an overcoming spirit of resilience, in accordance with Your Word, I trust and believe that You Will. set them in the places of leadership and authority that they will always be able to edify, encourage, elevate and be of help to others.
O' Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of my child, and prepare their heart unto You:
Give unto my son or my daughter a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build Your House, the House of GOD, for which I/We have made provision in Your Honor. “Praise be to you, Lord,
the God of our Father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the Kingdom;
You are exalted as head over all.
Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your Glorious name.
1 Chronicles 29:10-20
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Serious Questions.. Who is this "Saul?"
Sounds like a Bully.
(And why does he get a free pass?)
Same with Goliath- He Needs Behavior Management,
IF Insurance will cover it.. Priorities.
Isaiah 55
Invitation to the
Needy
“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you without money,
come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost!
Why spend money on that which is not bread,
and your labor on that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.
Incline your ear and come to Me;
listen, so that your soul may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant--
My loving devotion promised to David.a
Behold, I have made him a witness to the nations,
a leader and commander of the peoples.
Surely you will summon a nation you do not know,
and nations who do not know you will run to you.
For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel,
has bestowed glory on you.”
Seek the LORD while He may be found;
call on Him while He is near.
Let the wicked man forsake his way
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD,
that He may have compassion,
and to our God,
for He will freely pardon.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways,”
declares the LORD.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so My ways are higher than your ways
and My thoughts than your thoughts.
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven
and do not return without watering the earth,
making it bud and sprout,
and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
so My word that proceeds from My mouth
will not return to Me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please,
and it will prosper where I send it.
You will indeed go out with joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush, the cypress will grow,
and instead of the brier, the myrtle will spring up;
this will make a name for the LORD,
an everlasting sign, never to be destroyed.”
3 a Cited in Acts 13:34
13 b Or pine or juniper or fir
An exposition of Romans 10:4,
which says:
"Christ is the end of
the law
so that there may
be
righteousness for everyone
who believes,"
will help in understanding what it means that Christians are not under the law.
The apostle Paul clarifies the effects of original sin in Romans 2:12, stating,
"All who sin apart from
the law
will perish apart from the law,
and all who sin under
the law
will be judged by the law."
All men stand condemned before God, whether they are Jews or not, or to put it another way, whether they have the Law of God or not. Paul also states, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
(Romans 3:23).
If we are without Christ, we are justly condemned in God’s sight by the Law that was given to His servant Moses. However, we might argue that those who are not Jewish and therefore do not benefit from the knowledge of the Mosaic Law (including the moral and ceremonial laws), should not be condemned in the same way. This is dealt with by the Apostle in Romans 2:14-15, where he states that the Gentiles have the essence of God’s legal requirements already ingrained and so are just as much without excuse.
The Law is the issue that has to be dealt with in order to bring us into a right relationship with God. "Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified" (Galatians 2:16). This passage reveals that the Law cannot justify or make righteous any man in God’s sight, which is why God sent His Son to completely fulfill the requirements of the Law for all those who would ever believe in Him.
Christ Jesus redeemed us from the curse that has been brought through the law by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). He substituted Himself in our place and upon the cross took the punishment that is justly ours so that we are no longer under the curse of the Law. In doing so, He fulfilled and upheld the requirements of the Law. This does not mean that Christians are to be lawless, as some advocate today—a teaching called antinomianism. Rather, it means that we are free from the Mosaic Law and instead under the law of Christ, which is to love God with all of our being and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Christ became the end of the Law by virtue of what He did on earth through His sinless life and His sacrifice on the cross. So, the Law no longer has any bearing over us because its demands have been fully met in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ who satisfied the righteous demands of the Law restores us into a pleasing relationship with God and keeps us there. No longer under the penalty of the Law, we now live under the law of grace in the love of God.
The concept of being in one accord is expressed frequently in the Bible, with ten instances in the book of Acts. For example, “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:14, ESV).
To be in one accord communicates
being
one in heart and mind.
More specifically,
the words in
the original language convey
the inner unity
(oneness of heart and mind)
of a group of people
engaged in a similar action.
As such,
the expression is sometimes
rendered
“with one mind,”
as in
Romans 15:6:
“So that you
may glorify the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ
with one mind and one voice”
(CSB).
When a group of people acts single-mindedly, unanimously, in harmony, in unity, and without dissent, they are operating in one accord. In the Bible, the phrase often occurs along with statements about the people, the place, or the activity in which the harmonious group is participating: “Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: ‘The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul’” (Acts 15:22–25, ESV).
In the Old Testament, the phrase in one accord is always used to describe unanimous participation in a particular action. In Joshua 9:2, the pagan kings “gathered themselves together to fight with one accord against Joshua and Israel” (LEB). Speaking of the conversion of heathen nations, Zephaniah 3:9 says, “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord” (ESV). Here, the phrase translated “with one accord” literally means “with one shoulder.” It likely comes from the practice of yoking oxen together for plowing. The NIV translates the idea with a similar English expression, “shoulder to shoulder.”
In the New Testament, in one accord is used to emphasize the internal unanimity of a community. In Acts 12:20, that community is “the people of Tyre and Sidon” who are angry with Herod. In Acts 8:6, it describes the crowd of people who are listening to Philip’s teachings: “And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did” (ESV). It illustrates how the community of Christian believers worshiped, prayed, and fellowshipped together (Acts 1:14; 2:46; 4:24; 5:12; Romans 15:6). Unity in the early church is also expressed by the sharing of material possessions: “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32, ESV). The early church, being in one accord, had “no schisms, no divided interests, no discordant purposes” (from Notes on the Bible by Albert Barnes, 1834).
This kind of oneness of heart and soul in the body of Christ is only possible through the Holy Spirit’s enabling (Ephesians 4:1–6). It is a gift of God’s grace (Romans 12:3–13). The Greek term translated “in one accord,” according to the Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon, “helps us understand the uniqueness of the Christian community. . . . The image is almost musical; a number of notes are sounded which, while different, harmonise in pitch and tone. As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concert master, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives of members of Christ’s church.”
The word eternal means "everlasting, having no beginning and no end." Psalm 90:2 tells us about God’s eternality: “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Since humans measure everything in time, it is very hard for us to conceive of something that had no beginning, but has always been, and will continue forever. However, the Bible does not try to prove God’s existence or His eternality, but simply begins with the statement “In the beginning God…” (Genesis 1:1), indicating that at the beginning of recorded time, God was already in existence. From duration stretching backward without limit to duration stretching forward without limit, from eternal ages to eternal ages, God was and is forever.
When Moses was commissioned by God to go to the Israelites with a message from Him, Moses wondered what he would tell them if they asked him what God’s name was. God’s reply is most revealing: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you'" (Exodus 3:14). This signifies the real being of God, His self-existence, and that He is the Being of beings. It also describes His eternality and immutability, as well as His constancy and faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, because it includes all time, past, present, and future. The sense is, not only I am what I am at present, but I am what I have been, and I am what I shall be, and shall be what I am. God’s own words about His eternality speak to us from the pages of Scripture.
Jesus Christ, God incarnate, also verified His deity and His eternality to the people of His day by declaring to them, “Before Abraham was born, I AM” (John 8:58). It is clear that Jesus was claiming to be God in flesh because the Jews, upon hearing this statement, tried to stone Him to death. To the Jews, declaring oneself to be the eternal God was blasphemy and worthy of death (Leviticus 24:16). Jesus was claiming to be eternal, just as His Father is eternal. The apostle John also declared this truth regarding the nature of Christ: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Jesus and His Father are one in essence, they exist sans time, and they share equally in the attribute of eternality.
Romans 1:20 tells us that God’s eternal nature and His eternal power are revealed to us through His creation. All men see and understand this aspect of God’s nature by the witness of the various aspects of the created order. The sun and heavenly bodies continue in their orbits century after century. The seasons come and go in their appointed time; the trees produce leaves in spring and drop them in the fall. Year after year these things continue, and no one can stop them or alter God’s plan. All of this attests to God’s eternal power and plan for the earth. One day, He will create a new heaven and new earth and they, like Him, will continue into eternity. We who belong to Christ through faith will continue through eternity as well, sharing the eternality of our God in whose image we are created.
The apostle Peter stressed the extreme value and enduring nature of our redemption through Jesus Christ, stating that we “were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18–19, NKJV).
In the original Greek, the word translated as “you were redeemed” (elytrōthēte) in 1 Peter 1:18 means that believers were “liberated or released by the payment of a price or ransom.” The Jews in Peter’s audience would understand the concept of redemption through the lens of their deliverance from Egypt. Redemption is seen in the Passover and the Jewish system of substitutionary sacrifices (see Exodus 12:1–51; cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7). The Gentiles might comprehend redemption as the payment for a slave to be set free. The New Living Translation illuminates these ideas: “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:18–19, NLT).
Jesus Himself said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, NLT; see also 1 Corinthians 6:20; Galatians 3:13; 1 Timothy 2:6). The death of Jesus Christ on the cross paid the ransom price for our spiritual deliverance from our old, empty way of life. Before salvation, we were slaves to sin (2 Peter 2:19; Titus 3:3), but Christ satisfied our debt to set us free (John 8:31–36; Romans 8:1–2; Colossians 1:13–14).
Jesus paid for our freedom, not with “corruptible things” (NKJV) or “perishable things” (ESV, NIV)—that is, nothing subject to decay. In New Testament times, silver and gold were coins used as currency to buy and sell. They were considered decaying commodities or “corruptible things” because they had no eternal value. Money and currency only have worth in this life on earth.
A little later, Peter states that our salvation is “not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23). The cost of our redemption and salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ cannot be valued in terms of money or precious metals. These corruptible things will one day burn up, but we who are born again by the Spirit of God will live forever (John 1:13; 1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Corinthians 15:53–54; cf. Revelation 20:14–15; Matthew 13:42–43, 50).
Though valuable, earthly possessions and worldly treasures are ultimately transient and cannot attain the eternal salvation of our souls. Instead, our redemption is secured only by the precious blood of Jesus Christ (Psalm 49:7–9, 15). As the perfect sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9:12–14), Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross is of infinite worth and permanence.
The central message to believers in 1 Peter 1 is to stay strong and stay the course because “we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay” (Peter 1:4, NLT). We must cultivate holiness and not squander our time living recklessly. We may have to endure hardship and suffering just as Jesus did (1 Peter 2:22–24). But God raised Jesus to glory (1 Peter 1:21), and He will likewise raise us, too (1 Corinthians 6:14). We have been redeemed with an incorruptible ransom. Jesus paid with His precious, eternal-life-giving blood. Thanks to His death and resurrection, we can confidently anticipate the eternal hope of heaven.
No amount of silver and gold can free a lost sinner (see Acts 8:20). We can never be redeemed with corruptible things such as these. But because of God’s great love for us and His immeasurable grace, we have been given the most precious gift of all—the enduring and incorruptible sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His Son (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 9:15).
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” (NKJV), punctuating the fact 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).
Besides “Your word is settled in heaven” (NKJV), other possible translations are “Your word . . . stands firm in the heavens” (NIV), “Your word is firmly fixed in the heavens” (ESV), and “Your word is established in heaven forever” (GW). 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.
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.
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).
The Bible teaches believers to be law-abiding citizens, to avoid civil disputes, and to show respect for all people in positions of authority. In Romans 13:1–14, the apostle Paul refers chiefly to the Christian’s attitude toward human governing authorities: “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished” (verses 1–2, NLT).
All authority comes from God means that God is the One who establishes and ordains civil government. The original Greek word (exousia), translated as “authority” in Romans 13:1, refers to the authority exerted by government officials. Christians are called to recognize, respect, and submit to public officials as the Lord’s appointed servants to restrain evil, punish the disobedient, and carry out God’s righteous will in society.
The apostle Peter echoes the command: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2:13–17).
A proper, godly response to authority is our Christian witness to the world. When believers obey the law and show respect for government officials, their conduct reflects the example of Jesus Christ. When He was arrested, put on trial, and was crucified, Jesus was submissive to the authorities (see Matthew 26:47–56; 27:11–44; John 18:1–14; 18:28—19:30).
In the Old Testament, God is presented as the ultimate ruling authority over all human governments: “He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings” (Daniel 2:21, NLT see also Daniel 4:17; 5:18–21). God raises and brings down leaders according to His will (see Psalm 75:6–7). Knowing that all authority comes from God should motivate all leaders to exercise their power responsibly (Matthew 20:25–28; 2 Corinthians 10:8; 13:10).
All authority comes from God means that obeying the law, paying taxes, and respecting our leaders is not optional for Christians. If we reject and rebel against human authority, we are rebelling against God. And Scripture says if we do this, He will punish us (Romans 13:2).
All authority comes from God does not mean blind, unreasoning obedience. The believer’s allegiance is first and foremost to God (see Exodus 1:17; Daniel 3:10–12). Suppose submission to a human authority will cause us to disobey God and His Word. In that case, we are to follow the example of Peter and the apostles: “We must obey God rather than any human authority” (Acts 5:29, NLT).
The highest authority belongs to God, who does as He pleases (Psalm 115:3). He rules over angels, demons, and all the unseen forces of the spiritual realm (Psalm 91:11; Luke 4:10; Ephesians 6:10–24). He is the sovereign head of the church: “God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church” (Ephesians 1:22, NLT, see also Ephesians 4:15; 5:22–23; Colossians 1:18; 3:18). God ordains spiritual leaders in the church and calls believers to “submit to their authority” (Hebrews 13:17; see also 1 Corinthians 16:15–16; 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13) and to “one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).
God also established the hierarchy of authority in the home and family, between husbands and wives and parents and children (see Genesis 18:19; Proverbs 6:20; Joshua 24:15; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:23; 6:1–4; Colossians 3:20; 1 Timothy 3:4, 12). Likewise, God is the Master over all earthly bosses (Colossians 4:1), and therefore Christians must respect those in authority in the workplace (Ephesians 6:5–9; Colossians 3:22–24; 1 Timothy 6:1–2; Titus 2:9–10; 1 Peter 2:18–21). Ultimately, all authority comes from God, the almighty Creator of everything (2 Chronicles 20:6; Acts 17:24–28; Romans 9:19–21).
Following His resurrection, Jesus gathered His disciples—some of whom were still experiencing doubt and fear—and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20).
In this passage, Jesus identifies Himself as having supreme authority over all creation. Christ’s authority was a theme Matthew emphasized throughout his Gospel (see Matthew 7:29; 9:6; 10:1; 21:23). The prophet Daniel prophesied of the Messiah’s authority “over all the nations of the world” (Daniel 7:13–14). This moment in Matthew 28:18 is pivotal in the New Testament, setting the stage for the church to begin its mission of evangelizing the world.
When Christ claimed to have “all authority in heaven and earth,” He was declaring the fullness of His power and dominion. The word translated as “authority” in Matthew 28:18 is exousia in the original Greek. It refers to “ruling power over a domain or sphere of influence.” Christ’s total and complete ruling authority encompasses both the spiritual (“heaven”) and physical realm (“earth”).
“Heaven” or the spiritual domain includes angels, spiritual forces, heavenly beings and activities, and all that pertains to God’s kingdom. “Earth” represents the physical world, including humanity, animals, nature, weather, governments, and all earthly affairs. Jesus Christ’s authority encompasses every aspect of life and creation (see Colossians 1:15–20; 2:9–10; 1 Peter 3:18–22). Scripture declares, “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” (Philippians 2:9–11). The apostle Paul explains that it has always been God’s “good plan” to “bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth” (Ephesians 1:9–10, NLT).
When God the Father raised Christ from the dead, He seated Him in the place of honor at His right hand in heaven (see Matthew 26:64; Romans 14:9; Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 1:3–4; 1 Peter 3:22). Now Jesus “is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church” (Ephesians 1:21–22, NLT). Christ’s authority is unlimited and eternal. No power in heaven nor on earth is outside His control.
Christ’s declaration that all authority in heaven and earth belongs to Him is the basis of the Great Commission. Jesus was about to instruct His followers to go and make disciples of all nations. The Great Commission was not a small challenge; it was an immense undertaking that would span the globe and reach through the centuries. The disciples needed to understand that Jesus was not just a great teacher or prophet but the sovereign Lord over the whole world. With His words, Christ sought to impart comfort, courage, and confidence and to dispel doubt and fear.
The foundation of the Great Commission is Jesus Christ’s authority. Believers who respond in obedience operate under His directive. His authority formally legitimizes the mission, providing His followers with confidence and assurance to carry it out. The absolute King of all creation appoints the members of His kingdom to be His delegates. In His supreme ruling authority, He grants us full rights and privileges to preach His message of truth and make disciples.
All authority in heaven and on earth reveals Jesus Christ’s ultimate power over every realm of existence. This authority is the basis for His commission to the disciples and to all believers. We preach the gospel not on our own authority but on Christ’s. Our trust in His lordship and sovereignty underpins everything we do to further His kingdom.
Jesus anticipated that His followers would sometimes be tempted to feel ashamed of the gospel. That is why He warned, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels” (Luke 9:26, NLT; see also Mark 8:38). Paul, through his ministry as an apostle of Jesus Christ, had apprehended a vital truth that produced in him radical hope and confidence in the message of the gospel: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16, KJV).
The good news that Jesus came to sacrifice His life to save us from our sins is the gospel. This message is, in fact, the mighty power of God because it is the only message that brings forgiveness and eternal salvation to everyone who believes it. When Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel,” he expressed the highest degree of confidence in it. He had come to believe that the gospel could be fully trusted.
Anyone who wholeheartedly believes and embraces the gospel message ultimately will not be disappointed, and therefore, those who proclaim it ought never to feel disgraced or embarrassed because of it. Paul urged his pastoral protégé, Timothy, “So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News” (2 Timothy 1:8, NLT).
The original Greek word translated as “power” in Romans 1:16 is dynamis. It is frequently used in the New Testament to speak of Christ’s miraculous works (see Matthew 7:22; 11:20; Mark 6:2). Paul applied the term to God’s ability to deliver people from sin, death, future judgment, and eternal separation from God. He told the Corinthians, “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NLT; see also 1 Corinthians 1:24).
The gospel is the power of God because it transforms lives (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:4; Hebrews 4:12). It saves people from the penalty and power of sin and gives them a new life filled with joy, peace, and the hope of eternal life with God (Romans 8:1–2). This saving work is initiated by God and carried out by His power (Romans 5:15–17; 8:10–11; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
Paul also explains that the gospel is the power of God because “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). The gospel reveals how God makes believers right in His sight and restores them to eternal fellowship with Himself: “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:22, NLT). Jesus saves us “not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5–6, NLT). Salvation is God’s work, and it is accomplished by His power and not our own.
When Christ died on the cross, God revealed His righteousness by punishing sin (Romans 3:23–26). Believers are “made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ” who “certainly save[s] us from God’s condemnation” (Romans 5:9, NLT). When Christ was resurrected to life, God revealed His righteousness by making salvation available to every sinner who places his or her faith in Jesus (Romans 4:22–24; 10:4; Galatians 3:24; Philippians 3:9; Genesis 15:6).
Through the gospel, God’s saving power is made available to everyone who believes (John 3:16; Romans 3:22–23; 4:4–5; Galatians 3:6–9). The power of the gospel proceeds from its core—the person of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:24).
The world is hostile to the gospel (Colossians 1:21; James 4:4). The nature of the gospel is unimpressive to those who are worldly wise (1 Corinthians 1:18–25) and offensive to the carnal-minded (Romans 8:7). But those who believe it, live it, and proclaim it, know that the gospel is the supreme power of God Himself directed toward the salvation of humanity.
Within the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power to create light and give life to the world (see Genesis 1:3; cf. John 1:1–4; 8:12). For this reason, believers can unashamedly say like Paul, “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, . . . we continue to preach because we . . . know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself” (2 Corinthians 4:7–14, NLT; see also 2 Timothy 2:8–9).
In 1 Corinthians 2:16, Paul quotes Isaiah 40:13 and then makes a statement concerning all believers: “We have the mind of Christ.” Having the mind of Christ means sharing the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ, and it is something that all believers possess.
Having the mind of Christ means we understand God’s plan in the world—to bring glory to Himself, restore creation to its original splendor, and provide salvation for sinners. It means we identify with Christ’s purpose “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). It means we share Jesus’ perspective of humility and obedience (Philippians 2:5-8), compassion (Matthew 9:36), and prayerful dependence on God (Luke 5:16).
In the verses leading up to 1 Corinthians 2:16, we note some truths concerning the mind of Christ:
1) The mind of Christ stands in sharp contrast to the wisdom of man (verses 5-6).
2) The mind of Christ involves wisdom from God, once hidden but now revealed (verse 7).
3) The mind of Christ is given to believers through the Spirit of God (verses 10-12).
4) The mind of Christ cannot be understood by those without the Spirit (verse 14).
5) The mind of Christ gives believers discernment in spiritual matters (verse 15).
In order to have the mind of Christ, one must first have saving faith in Christ (John 1:12; 1 John 5:12). After salvation, the believer lives a life under God’s influence. The Holy Spirit indwells and enlightens the believer, infusing him with wisdom—the mind of Christ. The believer bears a responsibility to yield to the Spirit’s leading (Ephesians 4:30) and to allow the Spirit to transform and renew his mind (Romans 12:1-2).
Many Christians focus on knowing the Father and the Son, but knowing the Holy Spirit is sometimes given scant attention. As a result, there are many misconceptions about the identity of the Holy Spirit: that He is a mystical force, an impersonal power, or a promoter of show-stopping signs. Is the Spirit an agent of chaos in the church, as some charismatic services imply? What does the Bible say about the identity and nature of the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead. He, equally with the Father and the Son, is God. As the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed of AD 381 says, He is “the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.” He is Spirit, that is, He is immaterial. And He is Holy, that is, set apart and without sin. We also know the following about the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit Is Personal
Scripture presents the Holy Spirit as a divine person. He thinks and knows (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). He intercedes (Romans 8:26–27), makes decisions according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7–11), and comforts and counsels (John 14:16, 26; 15:26). The Spirit appoints specific people to specific tasks (see Acts 13:2; 20:28).
The Holy Spirit Is Divine
The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many passages of Scripture. In Acts 5:3–4, Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied just to human beings but to God.” So, lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God.
Further, the Holy Spirit possesses the characteristics of God. He is omnipresent: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (Psalm 139:7–8). He is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14). And the Spirit does things that only God can do, such as create (Psalm 104:30), inspire Scripture (2 Peter 1:21), and reveal “the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10).
The Holy Spirit is as much God as the Father and the Son, as seen in the Great Commission. Jesus said that believers are to be baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”—all three Persons of the Godhead are equal and share one “name” (Matthew 28:19). As God, the Holy Spirit is to be obeyed, relied on, worshiped, and trusted.
The Holy Spirit Is Active
The Holy Spirit’s presence in the life of a believer is beyond consequential. He permanently indwells believers and seals them until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30)—a ministry He has had since the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. He assists believers in prayer (Jude 1:20) and “intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will” (Romans 8:26–27, AMP). The Holy Spirit regenerates and renews the believer (John 3:5–8; Titus 3:5). He baptizes believers into the Body of Christ (Romans 6:3). The Spirit fills believers with “all joy and peace” as they trust the Lord; the result is that believers “overflow with hope” (Romans 15:13).
The Holy Spirit is involved in the sanctification process of believers (1 Peter 1:2). The Spirit leads believers away from the desires of the flesh and into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18). He produces fruit that makes every believer more like Christ (Galatians 5:19–26). He “fills” those who yield themselves to His control (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts of a wide variety (1 Corinthians 12:4), each one “given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7).
The Holy Spirit is also active among unbelievers. The Spirit convicts “the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8, ESV). The Spirit testifies of Christ (John 15:26) and aids in evangelism. The Holy Spirit is also actively restraining sin and working against “the secret power of lawlessness” that seeks to control the world. Because of the influence of the Holy Spirt in the world, the revelation of the Antichrist is kept at bay (2 Thessalonians 2:6–10)
The Holy Spirit also gives believers wisdom by which to understand spiritual things. “These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). No amount of human knowledge can replace the Holy Spirit’s teaching (1 Corinthians 2:11–13).
Because the Holy Spirit is personal, we can know Him and fellowship with Him; because He is divine, we can worship and obey Him; because He is active, we can rely on His perfect work in our lives.
Jesus stated plainly that the mark of a true disciple of Christ is that he remains faithful to His teachings. He told the Jews who believed in Him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32, ESV).
The word know in John 8:32 is translated from a Greek verb that means “to know experientially.” Understanding something with the mind or intellect, often called “head knowledge,” is different than knowing something experientially. We can know that something is bad for us yet still do it. But when we take Jesus at His word and practice “the truth that comes from him,” then we will “throw off [our] old sinful nature and [our] former way of life” and “let the Spirit renew [our] thoughts and attitudes” so that the truth we live by sets us free “to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:20–24).
We shall know the truth in a way that sets us free from our old sinful way of life when we know Jesus experientially, in word, deed, and truth (see Colossians 3:17; 1 John 3:18). “Our actions will show that we belong to the truth” (1 John 3:19, NLT).
Knowing the truth means experiencing Jesus Christ by accepting His teachings as absolute truth and then living in faithful obedience to them. We receive the message of the gospel and the teachings of Christ, and then we abide by them. The apostle John often framed the concept of true discipleship as knowing the truth of Christ experientially: “And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments” (1 John 2:3, NLT; see also 1 John 2:29; 3:16, 24).
Knowing the truth is a rock-steady way of life. John 8:32 upholds the biblical concept that truth is the only dependable foundation for constructing one’s life (see also Psalm 26:3). Jesus taught, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matthew 7:24–27, NLT). If we plant our feet firmly on Christ’s truth and follow the path of His teachings, nothing can shake, derail, or destroy us.
Jesus is the personification of truth (John 14:6). Only He embodies the truth that sets us free (Galatians 5:1; Romans 6:18; John 8:36). Those who know the truth are born-again believers who live in fellowship with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ: “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life” (1 John 5:20, NLT).
You will know the truth also expresses the moral commitment of genuine disciples to do the will of God (John 7:17; 14:21, 23; James 1:25). We know the truth in the person of Jesus Christ, who prayed to the Father for us to be “made holy” by His truth and gave His own life as the sacrifice that made it possible for us to live out that truth (see John 17:14–19). Moreover, Jesus asked the Father to send us “the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth” (John 14:16–17, NLT; see also Ephesians 1:13).
When Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth shall make you free,” He was telling His followers that obedience to God is the only way to experience true liberation—spiritual freedom from sin. The freedom Jesus offers is restored fellowship with the Father, who is the source of all true life. And the mark of one who has received this life is to remain faithful to His teachings.
The apostle Paul challenged himself and all Christians to keep moving forward in the Christian walk of faith: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14, NKJV).
When Paul said he was “forgetting those things which are behind,” he referred to not looking back at past relationships, memories, failures, temptations, or anything that might distract from a single-minded focus on “the upward call of God in Christ.” To inspire his audience, Paul drew on the image of an athlete running a race with uncompromising determination to reach the finish line and win the prize. The New Living Translation renders the passage like this: “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
The word forgetting in Philippians 3:13 means “dismissing from the mind or paying no attention to.” To “forget” in this way is to stop dwelling on something. To win the race, a runner must dismiss every distraction from his mind. He must not rehash every early misstep or dwell on the mistakes along his course.
“Forgetting what is behind” is Paul’s way of saying, “Don’t look back! Stop dwelling on the past. Don’t let anything behind you interfere with your present progress or future efforts.” Personal growth as a believer was a constant priority in Paul’s life. He strained with every fiber of his being to keep moving forward to win the prize for which God had called him.
In 1 Corinthians 9:25, Paul compared an athlete’s crown to the believer’s eternal prize: “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” Paul kept his eyes trained on the finish line because his whole goal and purpose in life was gaining Christ: “But 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” (Philippians 3:7–8).
When it comes to forward motion, our bodies tend to move automatically toward the place where our eyes are directed. A runner who keeps turning back to see what is behind him will lose his race. Understanding this phenomenon, Paul urged believers to stop looking back at the past and stay focused on the future goal. Paul himself was determined to “forget” or “dismiss from his mind” the former way of life when he violently persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it (Galatians 1:13). He quit dwelling on the hindrances and hurdles of persecution, imprisonment, and abandonment in his past (2 Corinthians 4:8–9; Acts 16:22–40; 23:10; 25:1–12; 28:17–31; 2 Timothy 1:15). Instead, he stretched toward what was ahead of him. He looked forward to heaven, the resurrection of his body, and meeting his Savior face-to-face: “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 bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20–21).
How do things which are behind us hinder our progress in spiritual growth?
Holding onto emotions like bitterness and unforgiveness can slow us down and even keep us locked in the past. Rehearsing conflicts and rehashing hurtful episodes will only open old wounds. Peter urged us to be done with these things: “So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment” (1 Peter 2:1–2, NLT). Guilt and despair over past sins may also keep us chained to the past. But God does not hold our past sins against us, and neither should we (1 John 1:7–9).
After God delivered Israel from the oppression of slavery, the people looked back longingly to Egypt, but it got them nowhere (Numbers 11:18). “Forgetting those things which are behind” means throwing aside “every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up” and running “with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2, NLT).
The Christian life is lived with our eyes facing forward on Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate priority that makes our lives worth living. Our highest goal is to know Him better, as Paul said: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).
The Bible has a lot to say about perseverance in several different contexts. Clearly, the Scriptures teach that those who “overcome” and persevere in the faith will inherit eternal life (Revelation 2:7). This truth is also expressed in Colossians 1:23 where we see that people will be holy, blameless, and above reproach “if they continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel.” So all Christians should be in agreement that those who are ultimately saved are those who do persevere and continue to believe the gospel.
There are two very distinct views on the issue of perseverance of the saints among Christians. The first is the Arminian view that it is possible for true Christians to turn away from God and not persevere. This is consistent with the concept of salvation which has man’s “free will” at the center of it. It is logically consistent that, if man’s “free will” choice is the determining factor of his salvation, then it would also be possible for that man to later choose to reject God and thereby lose his salvation.
However, the Bible clearly teaches that we are “born again” by the Holy Spirit, which results in our coming to faith in Christ. All who have been “born again” do have eternal security and will persevere. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is founded in the promise that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6) and Jesus’ declaration that “all that the Father gives me will come to me” and “I shall lose none of them that he has given me” (John 6:37, 39).
Beyond the concept of perseverance in regard to salvation, there are biblical exhortations to persevere in the Christian life. In his pastoral epistles to Timothy, the apostle Paul reminds the young pastor to “watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). Timothy’s character was that of a godly man, and his doctrine was sound and scriptural. Paul warned him to watch them both closely and persevere in them because—and this is a warning to all Christians—perseverance in godly living and believing the truth always accompany genuine conversion (John 8:31; Romans 2:7).
Further exhortations to persevere in the Christian life come from James, who warns us to be “doers of the word and not hearers only” because those who hear but do not do are “deceiving themselves.” “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it [perseveres]…this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25). The sense here is that the Christian who perseveres in godliness and the spiritual disciplines will be blessed in the very act of persevering. The more we persevere in the Christian life, the more God grants His blessings upon us, thereby enabling us to continue to persevere. The psalmist reminds us that there is great reward in persevering in the Christian life. In keeping God’s commandments, there is “great reward” for our souls (Psalm 19:11), peace of mind, a clear conscience, and a witness to the world more eloquent than many words.
James also exhorts us to persevere “under trials” because those who do will be blessed and will receive the “crown of life” which God has promised (James 1:12). Just as the true believer will be eternally secure in his salvation, his faith will also persevere in affliction, sickness, persecution, and the other trials of life that befall all believers. If we desire to live godly lives in Christ, we will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), but the faithful will persevere, kept by the power of the Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our salvation and who will keep us “strong to the end,” persevering so we will be “blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8).
In 1 Peter 2:9, the apostle Peter describes believers in Jesus Christ with these remarkable words: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (NKJV). Other translations render the expression chosen generation as “chosen people” (NIV) or “chosen race” (NASB).
Is the phrase you are a chosen generation speaking of predestination and election—God’s predetermination of who will be saved—or does it mean something else?
In this passage, Peter weaves in Old Testament Scripture to define some of the extraordinary spiritual riches that Christians possess in Jesus Christ. He draws specifically from Isaiah 43:20–21, where God speaks of “my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise” (ESV). Peter also borrows the exact words found in Exodus 19:6, in which God identifies His people as a “royal priesthood.” God’s chosen people are no longer restricted to the Hebrews of Israel only; His holy nation now embraces the church of Jesus Christ, which includes both Jews and Gentiles.
Peter is reminding the church precisely how valuable every member is to God. When Peter says, “You are a chosen generation,” he is emphasizing God’s loving initiative in salvation. God draws us to Himself and places us, “like living stones,” as part of His church (1 Peter 2:5).
Peter is also stressing God’s ownership of our lives, as He is the One who chooses the “chosen generation.” Throughout history, God has claimed for Himself a people to be His very own prized possession. Believers in Jesus Christ are the people God has chosen to possess. We may be ordinary people, but because God owns us, our lives take on immeasurably great value.
The doctrines of predestination and election are unmistakably biblical (Mark 13:20; Ephesians 1:4–5; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 17:8). God chooses people to be the objects of His unmerited favor and grace, not because of their worthiness or anything they do to deserve it. At the heart of God’s choosing a people is His love (Deuteronomy 7:7–8; 10:14–17; Hosea 11:1, 4; 14:4; Jeremiah 31:2–3). Nothing can adequately explain the love of God for sinners; it must be received by faith.
God dwells among His people (Exodus 25:8; John 14:16–17). His chosen generation is His inheritance, His prized possession, His treasure (Deuteronomy 32:9; Exodus 19:5). He shelters them, carries them in His arms, bears them on His shoulders, holds them in His hands, and seats them at His feet (Deuteronomy 33:3, 12, 27; Isaiah 49:16). He loves them with a jealous love and insists that they worship Him exclusively (Exodus 20:5). He has given them His name (Numbers 6:22–27). All of these wonderful riches have come to us not because we deserve them or have earned them, but because God chose us in His mercy and love to belong to Him.
The second half of Peter’s statement describes the believer’s response to being God’s chosen people: “As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9, NLT). The NIV says, “That you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Declare means “to advertise, to proclaim.” The incredible blessings that Christians have inherited in Christ are not only to be received with gratitude but are to motivate believers to testify of the goodness of God and Christ. We are like panels of stained glass through which the sun pours, illuminating the darkness. Positioned just where God has placed us, we channel His marvelous light and spread the multifaceted glory of His goodness and love.
Unity is a state of oneness and harmony. All believers in Christ are united in Christ. We are in a relationship that unites us with Him and with every other believer.
Jesus prayed for His disciples—all who would believe in Him for all the ages—“that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:21). Some look at the great divisions among Christian denominations and refer to this as Christ’s great “unanswered prayer.” However, Scripture is clear that all believers are united with Christ because of our relationship with Him and with all other believers. We are all in the same family, even it at times we do not act like it. Therefore, unity in Christ has two aspects—one is objective fact, and one is subjective experience.
Objective and subjective unity can be true for any number of groups, teams, or even families. All the members of a football team are unified by their membership in the group. They do not win or lose games individually. The individuals contribute to the group, but it is the group that wins or loses—that is the objective fact. However, there may be times that the team does not act in a unified way. Selfishness and rivalry may creep up, and, when it does, it is impossible for the team to act as a unit—this is the subjective aspect. The behavior of individuals on the team is not matching the fact of their unity with every other member of the team.
All who believe in Christ are part of His body, the church. The New Testament is clear on this. Ephesians 5:30 says it plainly: “For we are members of his body.” Whether a Christian feels like it or not, he or she is part of Christ’s body and therefore unified with every other believer. Paul uses the analogy of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:12–21:
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
“Now if the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’”
The human body is a unified whole. If one part does not work right, the whole body suffers. If a person smashes his thumb with a hammer, it is not just the thumb in isolation that hurts. Other parts of the body may hurt, too, and the functioning of the whole body is impaired. This is true even when a person does not know about the malfunctioning part. If an internal organ is not functioning properly, damage may be done to the body before any pain or obvious illness is present.
In the same way, the church has unity in Christ. As part of His body, each member has a particular job to do and a place to belong. When any individual member is not fulfilling his or her purpose in the body, the whole body suffers. All the members are united, and because of that unity, when one acts in an individualistic or selfish manner (i.e., acts as if he is not part of the body), the whole body suffers because, regardless of his actions, the individual member is still in unity with all the others in the body.
Many of the commands in the New Testament direct Christians to live up to their position and demonstrate their unity in Christ. Christians are not commanded to become one in Christ—that is already an objective reality. Christians are told to make their subjective experience match the objective fact. Paul pleads with the Philippians for this kind of unity: “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:1–4). If Christians, who are members of the same team, see themselves in competition with each other, then they are not playing as teammates. They are not living in light of the unity that exists.
Unity in Christ means that all believers are in a relationship with Christ and, by extension, to every other believer. All believers are united with each other whether they know it or not, like it or not, or feel like it or not. The challenge of Christian unity is to live up to the truth of that reality. Since we are all members of one body, we need to live like it. This means subordinating our individual needs to the needs of the body at large and using our individual gifts for the good of the whole body.
Unity in Christ does not mean that all differences between churches or denominations need to be abolished. Individual churches and denominations can keep their individual distinctives and emphases while still working together in areas where they agree. For instance, an evangelical Baptist church and an evangelical Presbyterian church will be in agreement on the gospel and the essentials of the faith, but because of different beliefs about baptism, it would be impossible for these two churches to simply unite as one church. It might be possible for a church to take a neutral position on infant baptism; however, it is hard to see how a church could teach that parents should baptize their babies (as do Presbyterian churches) and simultaneously teach that parents should not baptize their babies (as in Baptist churches). While these two groups could never unite as a single local church or denomination, they can still cooperate in other ministry endeavors, and individuals within each local body can fellowship with and love each other.
Humanly speaking, Christians are a diverse lot. We come from every nation, tribe, and people group (Revelation 7:9). We speak different languages, possess a variety of skin tones, and reflect unique cultures and social classes. But for all who are members of Christ’s family, race, rank, and gender lose their significance: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28, ESV).
Every person comes to Jesus Christ the same way--by grace through faith and repentance from sin (Acts 16:30–31; Ephesians 2:8; 2 Peter 3:9; Mark 1:15). “Jew nor Greek” speaks of race, nationality, and ethnicity. “Slave nor free” refers to our rank, social class, or profession. And “male and female” indicates our gender. These distinctions lose their importance in the heavenly Father’s eyes. We are all one in Christ His Son.
The apostle Paul explained, “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:12–13, NLT). Our spiritual connection unites us into one faith and one family: “For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all” (Ephesians 4:4–6, NLT).
We are all one in Christ has wide-ranging implications. First, it calls for unity and harmony among brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. We are to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, like Jesus, showing humility, gentleness, patience, “bearing with one another in love,” and making “every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3).
We can embrace our differences, even celebrate them, as long as “above all” we clothe ourselves “with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14, NLT; see also Ephesians 5:2). The unity of believers is emphasized in Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer as the Lord prays that “all be one, just as you and I are one . . . so that the world will believe you sent me. . . . May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” (John 17:21–23). Relational unity in the church is the best witness to the reality of Jesus Christ and God to the world.
The unity Christ prayed for is not an organizational unity or a denominational unity but a spiritual unity based on faith in Christ and the glory of God within. “Christian harmony is not based on the externals of the flesh but the internals and eternals of the Spirit in the inner person. We must look beyond the elements of our first birth—race, color, abilities, etc.—and build our fellowship on the essentials of our new birth” (Warren Wiersbe, Be Transformed, Victor Books, 1989, p. 80).
Discrimination, prejudice, and racism have existed in every generation, but there is no room for such bias in God’s family. As Paul so eloquently stated, “For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us” (Ephesians 2:14, NLT). God made human beings—the entire human race—in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26–27). If we hate someone because of the color of his skin, are we not hating a part of God’s image?
Paul also said, “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us” (Colossians 3:11, NLT). How can we hate or discriminate against someone if Christ our Savior lives in him? Every form of condescension, partiality, and intolerance based on race, rank, and gender must be repented of and nailed to the cross because we are all one in Jesus Christ.
Christians should be united in passion, plan, and purpose, just as the Father and Son are united in the same. Christians are all treasure-bearing earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7). Christians are all redeemed by the same blood; we are all going to the same heaven; we have a shared aspiration, a shared enemy, and a shared hope and joy.
Everyone seeks freedom. Especially in the West, freedom is the highest virtue, and it is sought after by all who are, or consider themselves to be, oppressed. But freedom in Christ is not the same as political or economic freedom. In fact, some of the most harshly oppressed people in history have had complete freedom in Christ. The Bible tells us that, spiritually speaking, no one is free. In Romans 6, Paul explains that we are all slaves. We are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. Those who are slaves to sin cannot free themselves from it, but once we are freed from the penalty and power of sin through the cross, we become a different kind of slave, and in that slavery we find complete peace and true freedom.
Although it seems like a contradiction, the only true freedom in Christ comes to those who are His slaves. Slavery has come to mean degradation, hardship, and inequality. But the biblical paradigm is the true freedom of the slave of Christ who experiences joy and peace, the products of the only true freedom we will ever know in this life. There are 124 occurrences in the New Testament of the word doulos, which means “someone who belongs to another” or “bondslave with no ownership rights of his own.” Unfortunately, most modern Bible versions, as well as the King James Version, most often translate doulos as “servant” or “bond-servant.” But a servant is one who works for wages, and who, by virtue of his work, is owed something from his master. The Christian, on the other hand, has nothing to offer the Lord in payment for his forgiveness, and he is totally owned by the Master who bought him with His shed blood on the cross. Christians are purchased by that blood and are the possession of their Lord and Savior. We are not hired by Him; we belong to Him (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 7:4). So “slave” is really the only proper translation of the word doulos.
Far from being oppressed, the slave of Christ is truly free. We have been set free from sin by the Son of God who said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). Now the Christian can truly say, along with Paul, “Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). We now know the truth and that truth has set us free (John 8:32). Paradoxically, through our bondage to Christ, we have also become sons and heirs of the Most High God (Galatians 4:1–7). As heirs, we are partakers of that inheritance—eternal life—which God confers on all His children. This is a privilege beyond any earthly treasure we could ever inherit, while those in bondage to sin inherit only spiritual death and an eternity in hell.
Why, then, do so many Christians live as though they are still in bondage? For one thing, we often rebel against our Master, refusing to obey Him and clinging to our old lives. We hold on to the sins that once bound us to Satan as our master. Because our new nature still lives in the old fleshly nature, we are still drawn to sin. Paul tells the Ephesians to “put off” the old self with its deceit and corruption and “put on” the new self with its righteousness. Put off lying, and put on truthfulness. Put off stealing, and put on usefulness and work. Put off bitterness, rage, and anger, and put on kindness, compassion, and forgiveness (Ephesians 4:22–32). We have been set free from the bondage of sin, but we often put the chains back on because part of us loves the old life.
Furthermore, often we don’t realize that we have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20) and that we have been reborn as completely new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Christian life is one of death to self and rising to “walk in the newness of life” (Romans 6:4), and that new life is characterized by thoughts about Him who saved us, not thoughts about the dead flesh that has been crucified with Christ. When we are continually thinking about ourselves and indulging the flesh in sins we have been freed from, we are essentially carrying around a corpse, full of rottenness and death. The only way to bury it fully is by the power of the Spirit who is the only source of strength. We strengthen the new nature by continually feeding on the Word of God, and through prayer we obtain the power we need to escape the desire to return to the old life of sin. Then we will realize that our new status as slaves to Christ is the only true freedom, and we will call upon His power to “not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires” (Romans 6:12).
In Philippians 4:7 we have a wonderful promise: “The peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” It is important to note the context of this promise, because that’s where we find the condition: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (verse 6). God’s peace is promised to guard those who pray—with thanksgiving—about everything. This peace will transcend our ability to understand it.
There are other gifts of God that are not fully comprehensible to us. The gift of salvation is “indescribable” (2 Corinthians 9:15). The complexity and wisdom of God’s plan is inscrutable (Isaiah 55:8–9). According to Ephesians 3:19, the love of Christ is something else so great we will never fully understand it. Likewise, human reasoning is incapable of fully comprehending the peace of God.
The believer who places his or her full confidence in a loving God and is thankful in every circumstance will possess a supernatural peace. An inner calm will dominate the heart. The faithful believer will know peace—his heart and mind are “guarded” by it—despite the tempest raging without. No one, especially those outside of Christ, will be able to fathom that peace. To most, it will remain a mystery how someone can be so serene in the midst of turmoil.
The peace that comes from being in a right relationship with God is not the peace of this world. The world’s peace depends on having favorable circumstances: if things are going well, then we feel peaceful; when things go awry, the peace quickly dissipates. Jesus made the distinction between His peace and the world’s vacillating peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives” (John 14:27).
God’s supernatural peace surpasses natural understanding. A cancer patient who experiences a remission of the disease may proclaim, “I am so thankful to God!” That is praise. A cancer patient who is dying and in pain may calmly say, “Everything is all right. I claim Romans 8:28, and I have peace in my heart.” That is “the peace that passes all understanding.”
“The truth will set you free” is a common saying in academic circles that want to promote academic freedom and the power of learning. Many universities have this statement emblazoned on a sign near the entrance of a building. But “the truth will set you free” did not originate in academia; Jesus said it in John 8:32. In context, Jesus’ statement has nothing to do with classroom learning. In fact, John 8:32 speaks of a higher form of knowledge than is capable of being learned in a classroom.
Jesus had just finished a speech at the temple where He delineated differences between Himself and His listeners. “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:23–24). The result of Jesus’ message was that “even as he spoke, many believed in him” (verse 30). Then, in verse 31, Jesus begins to speak just to those who had believed.
“Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” (John 8:31). True discipleship is more than intellectual assent; those who are “really” followers of Christ will “hold to” His Word. That means they will not only accept His teachings as truth, but they will also obey His teachings. Action is proof of faith (cf. James 2:17).
True disciples of Jesus believe that He speaks the truth about God and the Scriptures. They also know that He is who He claims to be. Back in verse 25, the people asked Jesus who He was, and He responded, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.” There may be a tinge of exasperation in His response; He had repeatedly made known that He was the Messiah, the one they had anticipated for many years.
Verse 32 begins with, “Then you will know the truth.” “You” refers to those who are true disciples of Jesus. True disciples will know the truth. More than that, their eyes are opened to a greater understanding of the truth (cf. 1 John 5:20).
The truth Jesus’ disciples receive brings with it freedom. Jesus continues, “And the truth will set you free” (verse 32). At that point in history, the Jews were under the rule of the Roman government. Even though Rome gave them an exceptional amount of autonomy, they were keenly aware of the Roman presence around them in the form of soldiers, governors, and empirically appointed kings. When Jesus said the truth would set them free, however, He was not talking about political freedom (though the following verses indicate that’s how the Jews took it). Jesus provides the best commentary for His own statement in verse 34. Jesus explains, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Being a slave to sin is the ultimate bondage.
The freedom Jesus offers is a spiritual freedom from the bondage of sin—that is, release from the lifestyle of habitual lawlessness. He continues with an analogy: “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever” (verse 35). The people would have understood Jesus to mean that they were not members of God’s family, despite their biological relationship to Abraham (verse 37), because they were slaves to sin. If they were to become disciples of Jesus, they would know the truth of their condition and the truth about Christ, and Jesus would set them free. Believers would be freed from their bondage and brought into the family of God.
Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). Knowing the Truth will set one at liberty—free from sin, free from condemnation, and free from death (Romans 6:22; 8:1–2). Jesus came to proclaim liberty to the captives (Luke 4:18). “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16, ESV).
Sovereign grace combines two of God’s attributes, His sovereignty and His graciousness. Both of these characteristics of God are so vast that many volumes have been written about each. Briefly though, the doctrine of sovereign grace is the melding of the two into a thrilling truth that gives us a glimpse into the mind and heart of our great God. The sovereignty of God is His total control of all things past, present, and future. Nothing happens beyond His knowledge and control. All things are either caused by Him or allowed by Him for His own purposes and in accordance with His perfect will and timing (Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6). He is the only absolute and omnipotent ruler of the universe and is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption.
The other half of sovereign grace is grace. The grace of God is His unmerited favor toward those who have not earned it. It is undeserved favor. There are numerous examples of God’s grace in the Bible, both to His people and to those who reject Him. Mary found grace in the eyes of the Lord who bestowed upon her the privilege of bearing the Savior of mankind (Luke 1:28). She may have been a godly young woman, but nothing she could have done would have made her worthy of such a blessing. She was the recipient of God’s grace, and He sovereignly chose her for the task—sovereign grace. The apostle Paul admits that he was a servant of God only by grace and it was by grace that he labored effectively for the cause of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:10). Sovereign grace chose to save Paul on the Damascus Road, and sovereign grace showered him with untold blessings.
As Christians we, too, benefit from God’s sovereign grace. “For by grace are you saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Our very salvation and position in Christ is due to His grace through the faith that He gives us (Hebrews 12:2). Even those who hate God receive His grace. Every breath God allows them to take is a product of His common grace to all creation: “He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). Even the atheist enjoys the effects of God’s sovereign grace through God’s beautiful creation and His provision of the resources necessary for food, clothing, and housing. God doesn’t owe these things to us, but He sovereignly provides them to exhibit His grace.
The sovereign grace of God is noted most often by theologians in the matter of election. We see it best explained in Ephesians 1:5–6: “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.” Here, in the same sentence, we have a reference to predestination (God’s sovereignty) and God’s glorious grace—sovereign grace. God sovereignly chose those He would save through His gracious act of sending His Son to die on the cross for their salvation. Sinners were unable to save themselves or, like Mary, to merit God’s favor because of their transgression of His Law. “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20). Therefore, Christians are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).
God in His sovereign grace has chosen to save those on whom He has set His love (Romans 9:8–13). They are picked out of the stream of helpless men and women cascading into hell. This is a humbling truth and should result in immense gratitude on our part. Why did God bestow His sovereign grace on believers? Not because we deserve salvation but to demonstrate “the riches of His glory” (Romans 9:14–23). Our only proper response is to proclaim, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
From a human perspective, the idea of sitting in heavenly places is challenging to grasp, especially on this side of eternity. Nevertheless, this is the experience of everyone who is redeemed by God’s grace: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4–7, ESV).
Astonishing as it may sound, Christians are united with Jesus Christ in His resurrected life (Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:4). The apostle Paul prays for the Ephesians to understand “the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:19–20, NLT). A little later, in Ephesians 2:4–10, Paul explains that the greatness of God’s incredible power toward believers is rivaled by the magnitude of His love, mercy, and grace.
Before salvation, we were spiritually dead in our sins because our “sinful nature was not yet cut away,” but then God made us “alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins” (Colossians 2:13, NLT; see also 1 Corinthians 15:22). Our transgression no longer separates us from God (Colossians 1:21–22; Romans 8:38–39) because we now share in the life of Christ (Romans 8:11). Since Christ is seated “at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms,” so too are we in a spiritual sense. Since we have been “raised to new life with Christ,” we can now set our sights “on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Colossians 3:1, NLT). Physically, we still live in the natural world. But God, by His great power, and because of His immense love, mercy, and grace, raised us from our spiritually dead status to new life in Christ. We now sit in heavenly places.
To sit in heavenly places is more than a figure of speech. It is a spiritual reality for the believer. Because of our union with Christ, we reap the benefit of His position of divine authority (see Psalm 110:1; cf. Acts 2:34–35). He is our Head and our Representative. Peter taught, “Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority” (1 Peter 3:22, NLT; see also Philippians 2:9–11). The gates of hell will not overcome the church (Matthew 16:18; see also 1 John 2:13) because we are more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 8:37; see also 1 John 5:4–5) who gives us the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Our spiritual seat in the heavenly realms is a position of high honor, much like being seated at the VIP table of a Presidential luncheon. We have been given the royal privilege of being enthroned with the Son and will one day partake of His glory. If we let this spiritual truth sink in, it will change the way we think and live. Because we are seated with Christ in heavenly places, our position in heaven is secure, but we must never forget that we don’t deserve our place there. We did nothing to earn it, but God graces us with it anyway (Ephesians 2:8; 4:7; 2 Corinthians 3:5).
As we sit in heavenly places while still living on earth, we have access through Jesus Christ to all of heaven’s privileges and spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3–14). The power of God that raised Jesus from the dead is available and working on our behalf as we walk in this world (Ephesians 1:18–19; Acts 17:28; 1 John 4:9). We have the whole armor of God at our disposal to help us “stand against the devil’s schemes” and stand firm “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:11–12).
In 1 Corinthians 13:8–13, the apostle Paul compares the Christian virtue of love to other highly prized spiritual gifts and finds them all lacking. Love is uniquely superior (verse 8). As Christians, we share in giving and receiving the grace of God’s love (see 1 John 4:8, 16). This earthly experience of God’s divine love gives us a taste of His perfect grace and glory. Through the love of Christ poured into our hearts (see Ephesians 3:17; Romans 5:5), we participate to a limited degree in the full perfection we will know and enjoy when we stand in God’s presence in eternity: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12, ESV).
Paul explains that spiritual gifts like prophecy, tongues, and knowledge are temporary and partial. Eventually, they “will become useless. But love will last forever! Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless” (1 Corinthians 13:8–10, NLT). In our current state of existence, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are valuable to us and to the church, but their worth will run out when we are face to face with the Lord in heaven. These gifts only give us an obscured, unfinished picture of our spiritual reality, and they will ultimately pass away.
Paul uses two illustrations to explain this truth. First, he employs the example of a child maturing into adulthood: “When 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 put the ways of childhood behind me” (1 Corinthians 13:11). Right now, we are like children playing with plastic toys that will wear out and become unusable. One day we will trade them in for the enduring, grown-up, perfection of eternity. Second, Paul contrasts looking at someone in a dull, dimly lit mirror with meeting that person face to face. In the Greco-Roman world, mirrors were fashioned out of polished metal discs that reflected a blurred, imperfect image, nothing like seeing someone up close, in vivid, eye-to-eye clarity.
Thus, now we see in a mirror dimly is Paul’s figure of speech for “now we have imperfect knowledge and understanding.” The New Living Translation renders the imagery like so: “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely” (1 Corinthians 13:12, NLT). Flawless understanding and unrestricted knowledge of matters pertaining to God and His kingdom will only be achieved when we meet Jesus Christ in person.
The apostle John affirms that our knowledge of Jesus is partial now but will become clear when we see Him face to face: “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2, NLT).
Within the Scriptures, we have the complete revelation of God, but our understanding of it remains limited (see 1 Corinthians 8:1–3). As we grow in the faith, we undergo a process of spiritual maturation as individual believers (2 Peter 3:18) and together as the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11–16). Paul calls this progressive development toward Christian maturity “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14, ESV). It is our heavenward journey of intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ.
Along the way, we must stay laser-focused on Jesus, who is the trailblazing forerunner of our quest (Hebrews 12:1–2). He demonstrates the way through His perfect obedience to the Father (John 4:34; 5:30; Luke 22:42). As the Author and Perfecter of our faith, He not only inspires us, but Christ also empowers us to grow toward our heavenly stature. He starts the good work in us and “will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
In the meantime, until the Lord returns or we reach heaven, we have limited understanding and knowledge—we see in a mirror dimly. But one day our onward and upward growth in ever-increasing degrees of Christian maturity will culminate in heavenly perfection as “we bear the image of the heavenly man” (1 Corinthians 15:49).
In Isaiah 40, God delivered a message of hope and comfort to His people. The promise was that, even during the predicted captivity in Babylon, the Great Shepherd of Israel and God of all creation would keep His promise to comfort and save His people. The prophet declared, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
Israel would be cut down like grass. The people were like flowers that had faded and fallen to the ground: “All people are like grass,” explained Isaiah. “And all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass” (Isaiah 40:6–7).
Even nations like Assyria and Babylon, after they had fulfilled their purpose, would fade away when God breathed on them. “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away,” assures Psalm 37:1–2. Through the prophet Isaiah, God promised Israel that, no matter what, He still loved them and would forgive them.
God’s people can look to the Lord and His Word for comfort because His promises are reliable and eternal. Yahweh had vowed to bring restoration and salvation to Israel. The Word of the Lord would come to pass and endure forever. God’s promises can be counted on; they never fail, even in the worst of times.
Scripture often contrasts the permanence of God and His Word and the impermanence of human life: “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. . . . Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered” (Psalm 90:2–6; see also 1 Peter 1:24–25).
The good news for believers is that God’s faithful love and promised salvation endure forever for those who revere Him and His Word: “Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!” (Psalm 103:15–18, NLT).
People are here today and gone tomorrow. Flowers are not forever, and even the hardiest of blooms only lasts a short while. Yet, amid human frailty and instability, there is one thing that remains forever—God’s Word. Humans are transient, temporary, passing, but God’s Word is eternal, permanent, undying. “Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens,” confirms Psalm 119:89 (ESV).
The Word of the Lord is powerful, consistent, and trustworthy. God keeps His promises and always accomplishes what He says He will do: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10–11).
The meaning of the grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of the Lord endures forever can be apprehended in verses such as Numbers 23:19: “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” (NLT). “No,” says Joshua 21:45: “Not a single one of all the good promises the LORD had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true” (NLT).
Humans are like grass that withers and flowers that fade. Whatever glory we possess is soon gone, but if our foundation is based on the solid rock of God’s unfailing Word, our future is eternally secure (Matthew 7:24–27).
First Corinthians 12 talks about spiritual gifts, which are distributed by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4). Thus one Christian may receive one type of gift while another receives a different gift. Chapter 13 goes one step further and mentions the three gifts that are common for all Christians: faith, hope, and love. Verse 13 says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
In stating that faith, hope, and love remain, Paul does something interesting and unexpected: he uses a singular verb for a compound (and therefore plural) subject. His statement in 1 Corinthians 13:13 could be literally rendered “faith, hope, and love remains.” Paul’s point is that, essentially, faith, hope, and love are united; what happens to one happens to all. And what happens is that they “remain.”
The fact that faith, hope, and love remain must be understood in light of the broader context. Paul had just listed another set of three gifts that would not remain: “Where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away” (1 Corinthians 13:8). So, the passage contains a contrast: three gifts of the Spirit that will cease, and three gifts that will never end. Faith, hope, and love will always remain.
The Corinthian church members were priding themselves on the fact that they could speak in tongues and demonstrate other attention-getting gifts. Paul reminds them of “the most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31)—the way of love. The gifts that the Corinthians so desired were but temporary; faith, hope, and love, the foundational gifts, are permanent and therefore more to be desired.
Faith, hope, and love are gifts in the present age, and they will still be gifts in the age to come. The NLT translates the promise this way: “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love.” It’s easy to see how love will last forever, since love is an essential part of God’s nature (1 John 4:16). But what about faith and hope? Those two gifts will likewise last forever. Faith in the Son of God will not cease in the eternal state; we will not stop trusting Jesus just because our faith has become sight. If anything, our trust in Him will grow greater. Similarly, our hope will not cease just because our blessed hope has come. Our lives will continue in the eternal state, as will our expectation of other things in an infinite sequence of adventure. As commentator Alexander MacLaren explained, “That Future presents itself to us as the continual communication of an inexhaustible God to our progressively capacious and capable spirits. In that continual communication there is continual progress. Wherever there is progress there must be hope. And thus the fair form . . . will move before us through all the long avenues of an endless progress, and will ever and anon come back to tell us of the unseen glories that lie beyond the next turn, and to woo us further into the depths of heaven and the fulness of God” (MacLaren Expositions of Holy Scripture, 1 Corinthians).
Faith, hope, and love are the three gifts that will be ours throughout all eternity. And agape love is the ultimate gift. God in His goodness gives us the privilege of possessing these gifts today, and we look forward to having them remain with us forever.
Matthew 10:28 falls under a general body of instruction Jesus gave to His disciples before sending them out on a mission. The full verse states, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Or, as the ESV puts it, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” The same teaching is found in Luke 12:4–5.
As Christians, we can easily apply the message of Matthew 10:28. Like the early disciples, we are sent out to the unsaved world to share the gospel (Matthew 28:19–20; Romans 10:10–17). We also live in a world that’s increasingly hostile to Christianity, making us sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16).
We need a “do not fear” reminder more than ever. The Cato Institute, citing a study by Open Doors USA, reports that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world (www.cato.org/commentary/christianity-worlds-most-persecuted-religion-confirms-new-report, 3/7/22, accessed 5/10/23). In countries like Afghanistan, openly declaring one’s faith in Jesus is a death sentence. Even in religious countries like Nigeria, Christians are targeted by Islamic extremist groups. Mainstream America resents Christianity and Christian values. An American Christian can be canceled or lose a job for standing on biblical views of marriage and gender.
It is tempting to fear those who kill the body. After all, who wants to be persecuted? Who wants to lose their source of livelihood, their friends, their reputation, and even their lives? Compromise is easy in a postmodern world. The unspoken rule seems to be that you can practice Christianity just as long as you don’t swim against the tide of public opinion. However, being with Jesus requires going against the flow. We’re not of this world and shouldn’t be conformed to it (1 John 2:15–17; Romans 12:2).
Matthew 10:28 and the accompanying verses serve as a warning, a command, and an encouragement. We are to reserve our fear for God, the One in charge of life and death. We should also be encouraged because, even when facing persecution and death, our souls are ultimately in God’s hands. As people reconciled to God, this is good news (2 Corinthians 5:18–19; Romans 5:10–11; Colossians 1:20–23)!
Don’t be surprised that “those who kill the body” hate believers. In Matthew 10:24–25, Jesus said, “Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!” (NLT).
If Jesus was hated, His followers will be, too. People label Christians today as hateful, bigoted, rigid, and more for their stance on cultural issues that touch morality. And the gospel itself is offensive and foolish to some (1 Corinthians 1:18–21; Galatians 5:11). This helps us embrace Jesus’ command not to fear those who can kill the body.
Please note that Christians are not given leeway to develop a persecution complex or to be hateful. If persecution comes our way, it should never be because of our bad behavior. However, “it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian” (1 Peter 4:16, NLT). We need not fear the powers of the present world. Every knee will eventually bow to Christ (Philippians 2:10–11).
Contrary to popular belief, David is not the only author of the Psalms. In fact, of the 150 Psalms, David is named as the author of only 75.
David is specifically noted as the author of 73 psalms in the titles of the psalms. These include Psalms 3—9; 11—32; 34—41; 51—65; 68—70; 86; 101; 103; 108—110; 122; 124; 131; 133; and 138—145.
In addition to these psalms, David is mentioned as the author of two psalms by writers in the New Testament. Psalm 2 is attributed to David in Acts 4:25: “You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?’”
And Psalm 95 is attributed to David in Hebrews 4:7: “God again set a certain day, calling it ‘Today.’ This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’”
The first psalm of David’s that we find is Psalm 3, written when David fled from his son Absalom. From this title we surmise that David’s psalms are not organized in chronological order but rather by themes. David’s psalms are found throughout the five books of the Psalms that were likely grouped upon the completion of Psalms during the time of Ezra in the fourth century BC.
Many of David’s psalms lack background information regarding their context, but thirteen do share details of their setting:
1. Psalm 3: A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
2. Psalm 7: A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.
3. Psalm 30: A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.
4. Psalm 34: Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.
5. Psalm 51: A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
6. Psalm 52: A Maskil/Maschil of David, when Doeg the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”
7. Psalm 54: A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?”
8. Psalm 56: A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
9. Psalm 57: A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.
10. Psalm 59: A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.
11. Psalm 60: A Miktam of David; for instruction; when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return struck down twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.
12. Psalm 63: A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
13. Psalm 142: A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.
David’s psalms express a heart devoted to God. His music comforted King Saul, influenced his nation, and continues to change lives today.
The Greek word agape is often translated “love” in the New Testament. How is “agape love” different from other types of love? The essence of agape love is goodwill, benevolence, and willful delight in the object of love. Unlike our English word love, agape is not used in the New Testament to refer to romantic or sexual love. Nor does it refer to close friendship or brotherly love, for which the Greek word philia is used. Agape love involves faithfulness, commitment, and an act of the will. It is distinguished from the other types of love by its lofty moral nature and strong character. Agape love is beautifully described in 1 Corinthians 13.
Outside of the New Testament, the word agape is used in a variety of contexts, but in the vast majority of instances in the New Testament it carries distinct meaning. Agape is almost always used to describe the love that is of and from God, whose very nature is love itself: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). God does not merely love; He is love. Everything God does flows from His love. Agape is also used to describe our love for God (Luke 10:27), a servant’s faithful respect to his master (Matthew 6:24), and a man’s attachment to things (John 3:19).
The type of love that characterizes God is not a sappy, sentimental feeling such as we often hear portrayed. God loves because that is His nature and the expression of His being. He loves the unlovable and the unlovely, not because we deserve to be loved or because of any excellence we possess, but because it is His nature to love and He must be true to His nature.
Agape love is always shown by what it does. God’s love is displayed most clearly at the cross. “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4–5, ESV). We did not deserve such a sacrifice, “but God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God’s agape love is unmerited, gracious, and constantly seeking the benefit of the ones He loves. The Bible says we are the undeserving recipients of His lavish agape love (1 John 3:1). God’s demonstration of agape love led to the sacrifice of the Son of God for those He loves.
We are to love others with agape love, whether they are fellow believers (John 13:34) or bitter enemies (Matthew 5:44). Jesus gave the parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of sacrifice for the sake of others, even for those who may care nothing at all for us. Agape love as modeled by Christ is not based on a feeling; rather, it is a determined act of the will, a joyful resolve to put the welfare of others above our own.
Agape love does not come naturally to us. Because of our fallen nature, we are incapable of producing such a love. If we are to love as God loves, that love—that agape—can only come from its Source. This is the love that “has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” when we became His children (Romans 5:5; cf. Galatians 5:22). “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16). Because of God’s love toward us, we are able to love one another.
The phrase “only begotten Son” occurs in John 3:16, which reads in the King James Version as, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The phrase "only begotten" translates the Greek word monogenes. This word is variously translated into English as "only," "one and only," and "only begotten."
It’s this last phrase ("only begotten" used in the KJV, NASB and the NKJV) that causes problems. False teachers have latched onto this phrase to try to prove their false teaching that Jesus Christ isn’t God; i.e., that Jesus isn’t equal in essence to God as the Second Person of the Trinity. They see the word "begotten" and say that Jesus is a created being because only someone who had a beginning in time can be "begotten." What this fails to note is that "begotten" is an English translation of a Greek word. As such, we have to look at the original meaning of the Greek word, not transfer English meanings into the text.
So what does monogenes mean? According to the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG, 3rd Edition), monogenes has two primary definitions. The first definition is "pertaining to being the only one of its kind within a specific relationship." This is its meaning in Hebrews 11:17 when the writer refers to Isaac as Abraham’s "only begotten son" (KJV). Abraham had more than one son, but Isaac was the only son he had by Sarah and the only son of the covenant. Therefore, it is the uniqueness of Isaac among the other sons that allows for the use of monogenes in that context.
The second definition is "pertaining to being the only one of its kind or class, unique in kind." This is the meaning that is implied in John 3:16 (see also John 1:14, 18; 3:18; 1 John 4:9). John was primarily concerned with demonstrating that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31), and he uses monogenes to highlight Jesus as uniquely God’s Son—sharing the same divine nature as God—as opposed to believers who are God’s sons and daughters by adoption (Ephesians 1:5). Jesus is God’s “one and only” Son.
The bottom line is that terms such as "Father" and "Son," descriptive of God and Jesus, are human terms that help us understand the relationship between the different Persons of the Trinity. If you can understand the relationship between a human father and a human son, then you can understand, in part, the relationship between the First and Second Persons of the Trinity. The analogy breaks down if you try to take it too far and teach, as some pseudo-Christian cults (such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses), that Jesus was literally "begotten" as in “produced” or “created” by God the Father.
In Luke 1:26–38, the angel Gabriel visits teenage Mary and foretells the birth of Jesus, Israel’s long-awaited Savior and Son of God. The angel reassures the young virgin, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus” (verses 30–31, ESV). Mary, understandably confused, asks the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (verse 34, ESV). Gabriel answers, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God” (verses 35–37, ESV).
God’s messenger announced two human impossibilities—divine miracles—that God was performing: Mary, a virgin, would conceive a child through the power of the Holy Spirit and bring the Son of God into the world. And Elizabeth, Mary’s elderly, barren cousin, was already miraculously in her sixth month of pregnancy with a son who would grow up to be John the Baptist. When Mary wonders, “How can this happen?” The angel redirects Mary’s focus from natural human prospects to God’s supernatural, wonder-working power. One explanation remains: “With God, nothing will be impossible!”
The Lord encouraged the faith of other saints with similar words. When Isaac’s birth was promised to Abraham and Sarah, God said, “Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son” (Genesis 18:14, NLT). Many Bible figures have declared that nothing will be impossible with God (see Job 42:2; Jeremiah 32:17). Jesus Himself testified, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26; see also Mark 14:36).
The Greek phrase ouk pan rhema, translated as “nothing” in Luke 1:37, expresses the idea of “no word or promise” in the original language. Thus, we can understand the saying, for nothing will be impossible with God, to mean “no word or promise of God will be impossible.” The New International Version renders Luke 1:37, “For no word from God will ever fail.” “For the word of God will never fail,” states the New Living Translation. The American Standard Version says, “For no word from God shall be void of power.” Mary believes and humbly embraces God’s plan, as improbable as these pregnancies sound, for she responds, “I am the Lord’s servant. . . . May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38).
If God declares it, He will do it. He fulfills His purposes through the power of His word: “For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command” (Psalm 33:9, NLT; see also Psalm 148:5). Our God created everything from nothing. He spoke, and life came into being (2 Peter 3:5). He sustains all things by His powerful word (Hebrews 1:3). God’s word always accomplishes what He desires and the purpose for which He sends it out (Isaiah 55:11).
The angel reminded Mary that her Savior, Redeemer, and Lord is the God of the impossible. The miracle He accomplished through Sarah, He was doing again through Elizabeth. And He would perform an even greater miracle through Mary.
As God worked in Mary’s life, He continues to work in ours today. He often chooses to do the unlikely and the humanly impossible to remind us that His purposes and power are not restricted. We must live each day with unwavering faith, knowing and believing that nothing—not one word or promise of God—will be impossible.
The Bible tells us that God reveals Himself to humans in four primary ways. All that God has created in nature discloses who He is. Our consciences (the human mind and heart) bear witness to the existence of God. He reveals Himself to us through His Word and the person of Jesus Christ. The first two ways that God reveals Himself to us are general and limited. But the second two avenues of revelation are personal, full, and complete.
Creation Reveals God
Paul said in Romans 1:19–20 that, ever since the creation of the world, God has made the knowledge of Himself evident to all people: “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (NLT).
Humans can take in the beauty and splendor all around and recognize that these created things testify to the existence of God, who is the all-powerful maker of the universe. According to Paul, God has provided sufficient insight into His eternal power and divine attributes through creation so that no one can be excused for missing His existence.
Psalm 19:1–4 declares, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world” (NLT).
Scripture also seems to indicate that the revelation of God in creation is only a tiny glimpse—a small whisper—of who He is and how He wants to be known by humans: “He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them. He covers the face of the full moon and spreads over it his cloud. Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” (Job 26:8–9,14, ESV).
Written on Our Hearts
The Bible says that God has revealed His existence to humans in their consciences by impressing His law on their hearts even before they hear the gospel message: “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right” (Romans 2:14–15, NLT).
According to Ecclesiastes 3:11, within the heart of every person God has planted a longing to know Him: “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end” (NLT).
God’s purpose for placing this yearning in the human heart is so that we might have a living, personal relationship with Him. The apostle Paul spoke of this internal revelation to the pagan crowds of people in Athens: “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us” (Acts 17:27, NLT).
Through the Person of Jesus Christ
God has revealed Himself to us with the most clarity and detail in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the living, breathing, flesh-and-blood, human presentation of God: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Speaking of Jesus, John writes in his gospel: “No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us” (John 1:18, NLT). Paul told the Colossians, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation” (Colossians 1:15, NLT). And Jesus said to Philip, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” (John 14:9, NLT).
The signs and wonders Jesus performed revealed the glory and power of God. The way He lived, the miracles He performed, and His teachings and parables all demonstrated how much the Father cares for us. The way to know the Father and have a relationship with Him is to know the Son, who is the fullness of God’s revelation of Himself (Galatians 4:4–5; Hebrews 1:1–2).
Through the Word of God
One of the greatest ways we get to know the person of Jesus is through the Word of God. The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself and His purposes throughout history. Jesus Himself taught that the Scriptures reveal who He is (Luke 24:27, 44–45; John 5:39).
The Bible presents us with eyewitness testimony of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ: “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. . . . We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:16–19).
From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is God’s revelation of Himself for all to read and understand.
Many people can acknowledge the fact that there is a God. But God wants us to know Him intimately—to spend all eternity in close fellowship with Him.
Simply put, to believe in God is to possess confidence in Him. To believe in God includes an acknowledgement of His existence, of course, but true belief in God is more than that. Theism is a great place to start, but it’s not the goal of the journey.
To believe in God is necessary to having religious faith. Scripture says that believing in the true God is foundational to a relationship with Him: “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Most basically, to believe in God requires a belief that He actually exists. There are many people around the world who believe in the supernatural world, which would include God or “the gods.” Even if we exclude adherents of pagan religions, there are still many people who believe in a single, personal God. This is an important step, but simply believing that God exists is not enough. As James 2:19 explains, the demons believe in God’s existence as well. Simple acknowledgement of God’s existence does not make one godly.
To believe in God should also involve commitment and a change of life. We all believe facts about things that do not change the way we live. Most people believe the facts that they have been told about the necessity of good diet and exercise, for example, yet most of them do not change their lives on the basis of those facts. Many people who believe that God exists do not do anything in light of that fact, so their belief is really no better than that of the demons. Faith that does not result in actions is a dead faith (James 1:26).
But even a belief in God that motivates one to action is not enough. Some people have a belief in God that consumes their lives. They are driven to great acts of sacrifice, religious devotion, or service in the name of God. In most religions, there are people who are willing to do anything for their god or gods. But, depending on the god in question, the actions demanded of the devotee might include self-harm or even murder. Commitment, service, and devotion to a higher power are no guarantee of moral uprightness.
Genuine belief in God is based on who He really is. The Bible’s axiom that “anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists” (Hebrews 11:6) assumes that faith is placed in the God of the Bible, not some other god. Although many people believe that God exists and want to serve Him, the god they worship is one of their own design. People often remake God in their own image, picking and choosing the aspects of the true God they find agreeable. They may believe that He is love (which is a biblical concept--1 John 4:8), but they may then interpret that by their own definition of love. God, for some, is a doting grandfather who gives them good things and wants them to be happy. Members of Christian cults may be devoted to God, but not God as He has revealed Himself in Scripture. To believe in a god of our own making is a worthless faith. If our belief would conform to reality, we must believe in God as He has revealed Himself: the Triune God who is perfect, omniscient, omnipotent, all-sufficient, immutable, true, faithful, gracious, loving, merciful, holy, and just.
To truly believe in God as He has revealed Himself, we must believe in Jesus Christ, who is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus is God in the flesh, and it is through Him that God has shown Himself to us in a way we can all understand: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1–2). As Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. . . . Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (John 14:9–11).
In modern culture, a generic belief in God and even devotion to God that leads to service of our fellow man is still socially acceptable. However, a more specific faith in Hebrews 12:2 says that we should be “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
In Hebrews 11, the writer goes through a long list of faithful examples that the readers of the letter would do well to follow. He begins chapter 12 with this: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” So believers are pictured as being in a race. They can look at the examples that have gone before them. The people in Hebrews 11 are the “cloud of witnesses” mentioned in Hebrews 12:1. In order to “run” effectively, believers need to get rid of sin and other entanglements. People who are serious about running races do not carry extra baggage—you have never seen an Olympic runner carrying a suitcase or talking on a cell phone during the race. Everything that is not absolutely essential is left behind. And to win the race, the runner must finish. The athlete must not give up before finishing. Perseverance is required.
The author of Hebrews then calls believers to consider the ultimate example of perseverance—Jesus. Runners in an athletic competition cannot be distracted by peripheral objects. As runners in the race of life, we must “fix our eyes on Jesus.” As we run, we must be looking at Him in faith. He is more than our example; He is our final destination. We must run toward Him with all our might, in the promise that we will be conformed to His image.
Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus is the “pioneer” of our faith. He is the one who blazed the trail. He is the one who made the way into the Holy of Holies so that the rest of us could follow into God’s presence (Hebrews 10:19–20). Jesus is also the “perfecter” of our faith—He is the one who brought it to completion. He did not just start it; He finished it. The verse goes on to explain just how He finished.
First, Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus endured the cross. There in Gethsemane, He determined to carry out the will of the Father (Matthew 26:39). He did this by focusing on the joy that was to come. He knew that He would be resurrected and restored to the place of glory that He had with the Father from the beginning (John 17:5). He looked forward with joy to the people He would save. He willingly gave His life to save His sheep (John 10:10–11).
Second, Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus scorned the shame of the cross. Crucifixion was a gruesome, tortuous death, and it included public humiliation and shame. Jesus was ridiculed as He was hanging on the cross. The sign hung above Him read “King of the Jews,” a cruel irony since it was true, but those who murdered Him did not believe it. Others on the ground mocked Him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One” (Luke 23:35). The cruel irony is that He could only save others by not saving Himself. He was truly the Messiah, and this prevented Him from coming down off the cross. He was the Chosen One, and He had been chosen for the very purpose of dying as God’s sacrifice for sin. It is also an irony that God would deliver Him, but only after He endured the cross.
Third, Hebrews 12:2 says that, after Jesus’ death, God raised Him from the dead, and Jesus ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father. This signifies Jesus’ authority (at the right hand) and the fact that His work is finished (He sat down). This position is contrasted with the priests at the time who were standing and offering daily sacrifices (Hebrews 10:11–13).
The original audience of the book of Hebrews seems to have been Jews who had professed faith in Christ but who were now facing persecution from the unbelieving Jews. They were tempted to turn back, to renounce Christ and to go back to the temple and the sacrificial system. Believers who read the book of Hebrews today are faced with a similar temptation: the world and what we have left behind are always calling to us, wanting us to go back—if not to permanently return, at least to go back for visits as often as possible. But we are running a race. There is no time to backtrack or dillydally. The race we are running is probably more like a military-style obstacle course than a nice and neat Olympic race. There are real dangers along the way, but we must keep moving forward. We have the examples of past saints to follow, but our supreme example is Jesus Himself, the one who blazed the way, finished the race, paid for our sins, and is now seated in the place of highest honor and authority. We look to Him, not only as our example but as our source of strength.
Jesus Christ as the supreme and final revelation of God and the only way to God is not socially acceptable. A generic belief in God can unite Jews, Christians, and Muslims of good will. Jesus Christ, however, will divide them (Matthew 10:34). The Bible says that one cannot have faith in God as He really is, unless that faith includes Jesus Christ (John 14:6). If anyone does not honor Jesus Christ, He does not honor God the Father (John 5:23).
The joy of the Lord is the gladness of heart that comes from knowing God, abiding in Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was born, the angels announced “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10). All who find Jesus know, with the shepherds of the nativity, the joy He brings. Even before His birth, Jesus had brought joy, as attested to in Mary’s song (Luke 1:47) and by John’s response to hearing Mary’s voice as he “leaped for joy” in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:44).
Jesus exemplified joy in His ministry. He was no glum ascetic; rather, His enemies accused Him of being too joyful on occasion (Luke 7:34). Jesus described Himself as a bridegroom enjoying a wedding feast (Mark 2:18–20); He “rejoiced in the Holy Spirit” (Luke 10:21); He spoke of “my joy” (John 15:11) and promised to give His disciples a lifetime supply of it (John 16:24). Joy is reflected in many of Jesus’ parables, including the three stories in Luke 15, which mention “rejoicing in the presence of the angels” (Luke 15:10) and end with a joyful shepherd, a joyful woman, and a joyful father.
Nehemiah told the repentant Israelites that the joy of the Lord would be their strength (Nehemiah 8:10). The early church was characterized by gladness and the joy of the Lord (Acts 2:46; 13:52), and “joy in the Holy Spirit” is a distinguishing mark of the kingdom of God (Romans 14:17). Those who are part of the kingdom share in the kingdom’s delight.
Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). In fact, it is our Christian duty to rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 3:1; 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16). In Christ, the believer is “filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8).
Because of its supernatural origin, the joy of the Lord—our gladness of heart—is present even through the trials of life. We know we are children of God, and no one can snatch us away from Him (John 10:28–29). We are heirs to “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade,” and no one can steal it from us (1 Peter 1:4; Matthew 6:20). We see the Author and Finisher of our faith, and, let the enemy rage ever so much, we know who wins in the end (Hebrews 12:2; Psalm 2).
Faith is the victory that overcomes the world, and the joy of the Lord is our strength. Adverse circumstances, instead of hindering our faith, can actually enhance our joy. Paul and Silas knew adversity as they sat with their feet in the stocks in a Philippian jail cell. Their legal rights had been violated. They had been arrested without cause and beaten without a trial. At midnight, since they couldn’t sleep, they sang—loudly—the praises of the Lord they were serving (Acts 16:25). A miracle soon followed (verse 26).
The apostles in Jerusalem were arrested—twice—and ordered not to preach in Jesus’ name. The second time they faced the court, they were beaten. Unfazed, they returned home “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” and ready to preach some more (Acts 5:41). Of course, the apostles were only following the example of our Lord, who had “for the joy set before him . . . endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2).
The joy of the Lord may be inexplicable to the one who does not possess it. But, for the believer in Christ, the joy of the Lord comes as naturally as grapes on a vine. As we abide in Christ, the True Vine, we, the branches, are full of His strength and vitality, and the fruit we produce, including joy, is His doing (John 15:5).
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.
Trees are frequently mentioned in the Bible and often have significance as a metaphor. In Psalm 1:3, a person who steers clear of the ungodly and delights in God’s Word is like “a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” Likewise, the book of Jeremiah says that those whose confidence is in the LORD are “like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jeremiah 17:8).
To be like a tree planted by streams of water is to be one who has a regular supply of nourishment and refreshment. Plants growing near water are easily sustained and can thrive. Water is the ultimate source of life for a tree, so to be planted by water is to have a regular supply of life itself. This means that a tree planted by the water will grow to be strong and sturdy and have a good root system. Also, such a tree will consistently bear fruit, which is one of its primary purposes. Finally, the well-watered tree has the ability to provide shade (and therefore rest) to anyone who is in need.
The simile of a thriving tree is used elsewhere to picture the godly person:
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him’” (Psalm 92:12–15).
When we delight in and meditate on the Word of God (i.e., the Bible), as the blessed man does in Psalm 1, we, too, will be like a tree planted by streams of water. We will be firmly rooted, and Jesus, our ultimate source of life, will bring nourishment and refreshment. We will regularly bear fruit, as Galatians 5:22–23 teaches. And we, as a tree planted by streams of water, will provide shade and rest to others who are burdened or are in need (Galatians 6:2, 10).
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). It is in giving our burdens to Jesus that we find true rest and, as a result, true strength. As the tree planted by streams of water “does not fear when heat comes” (Jeremiah17:8), so does the one rooted in Jesus have peace when troubles or trials come.
As the leaves of the tree planted by streams of water are always green, so will the one “rooted and grounded in love” always be alive (Ephesians 3:17, ESV).
Romans 12:1–2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 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.” As followers of Christ, we are not to be conformed to this world’s pattern.
In Romans 12:2, Paul has a “don’t” follow by a “do.” The negative command is to not conform to the pattern of this world. As the J. B. Phillips Bible translates it, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould,” which is what the Greek term for “conform”--syschēmatizō—means: “to form according to a pattern or mold.”
The same term is found in only one other place in the New Testament, which is 1 Peter 1:14: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance.”
What exactly do Paul and Peter mean by telling Christians to not conform to the world? The Christian and the world are not to be “like-shaped.” That is, we should not allow ourselves to be pressed into following the corrupt customs, ungodly principles, or evil plans of action promoted by worldly men. The blessed man, according to Psalm 1:1, resists being conformed to the pattern of the world:
“Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers.”
Just as a boat is in the water, but not of the water, the Christian is in the world, but not of the world. Followers of Christ pattern their lives after their Lord (see 1 Peter 2:21), not according to the principles of the world, which the Bible says is controlled by the devil, the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
The reference to “world” is not the physical world, but rather the aion or age. The Bible says that Christians are delivered from this present evil age (Galatians 1:4), which Satan oversees and which is marked by idolatry, fleshly lusts, and rebellion. The believer lives by the powers of the age to come (Hebrews 6:5), even while residing in this world.
The key to escaping the world’s grip of conformity is the metamorphosis (rendered “transformed” in Romans 12:2) of the Christian’s mind. This is accomplished through God’s gift of the Holy Spirit who is working to change believers’ hearts and minds from within, so that their obedience to God might be natural and immediate (see Romans 7:6; 8:5–9; Jeremiah 31:31–34; 2 Corinthians 3:6–7; Ephesians 4:22–24).
The opening verses of
John’s Gospel
introduce us to
Jesus Christ
as the incarnation
of God.
John wants his readers to know that Jesus is fully God in human form. John then reveals the purpose of God coming to earth as a human: “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). Jesus Christ came to bring the light of God’s life into a spiritually dark and dying world.
In Genesis, the creation of light was God’s first creative move (Genesis 1:3). In the process of generating life, light was God’s initial instrument for illuminating the dark and formless void. It was the inaugural instance of God shining light in the darkness.
When John spoke of the Incarnation, he was echoing the creation account. Scripture tells us over and again that God is the source of life and light: “For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see” (Psalm 36:9, NLT; see also Acts 17:28; Psalm 27:1). “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Jesus Christ is God’s light sent down to earth to pierce through the darkness. That light is God’s life, both physical and eternal. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25; see also John 14:6). The life within Christ is the life of God: “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself” (John 5:26).
The Bible tells us that the life of Christ serves as a light to all people. That life is the light of truth—the message of Christ’s salvation and eternal life with God: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 John 5:11). The brilliance of Christ’s life and truth shine like a light into the darkness of this world.
In the New Testament, light and darkness are common symbols of good and evil. It’s clear that light in John 1:5 represents life, and ultimately, eternal life with God in His heavenly kingdom. Darkness is the absence of light—the lack of God. It represents the power of evil, sin, and unbelief in this world, all of which lead to eternal death (John 3:19; Job 10:22; 38:15; 1 Samuel 2:9).
John continues to focus on the theme of light and darkness throughout his gospel. In John 8:12, Jesus proclaims to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (NLT). John 1:5 says the darkness “has not overcome” the light because evil cannot overpower Jesus Christ, who states, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46).
Jesus declared that those who believe in the light become sons and daughters of the light: “Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light” (John 12:36, NLT). According to the apostle Paul, Christians have passed from darkness into light: “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!” (Ephesians 5:8, NLT).
By loving one another, believers shine light into the darkness: “Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them” (1 John 2:8–11).
The nature of light is to shine, and darkness cannot exist in the presence of light. Just as a bright street lamp discourages criminal mischief at night, so the light of Christ dispels the darkness of sin in the world. Just as the first rays of dawn pierce the blackness of night, God’s light and truth carry spiritual awakening to darkened hearts.
The light shines in the darkness means Jesus Christ has come into the world, bringing the good news of God’s salvation to every person. As Isaiah foretold, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2). The life of Jesus, which is the life of the Creator God Himself, is the light of the world. No power of darkness can defeat or snuff out this light (Matthew 16:18; John 16:33).
Jesus is the giver of life and bearer of light. The Son of God continues to shine His light to humankind through His church, the body of Christ (Philippians 2:15). Whoever believes in Him receives eternal life (John 3:15; see also Psalm 112:4).
The biblical passage that makes reference to the “keys of the kingdom” is Matthew 16:19. Jesus had asked His disciples who people thought He was. After hearing several of the more popular opinions, Jesus aimed His question directly at His disciples. Peter, responding for the twelve, acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. After this great confession, Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:17–19).
Keys are used to lock or unlock doors. The specific doors Jesus has in mind in this passage are the doors to the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is laying the foundation of His church (Ephesians 2:20). The disciples will be the leaders of this new institution, and Jesus is giving them the authority to, as it were, open the doors to heaven and invite the world to enter. At this point it is important to understand how, biblically speaking, one enters the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus said that, unless one is born again, he will not see the Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:3). One is born again as the Holy Spirit works through the Word of God to bring about new life in a dead sinner. The content of the message is the substitutionary death of Christ and His subsequent resurrection (Romans 10:9–10). So the faithful preaching of the gospel is the key to the kingdom.
In Matthew 16:19, Jesus is specifically addressing Peter, so it is significant that, in the book of Acts, Peter figures prominently in the “opening of doors” to three different groups of people so they can enter the Kingdom. In Acts 2, it is Peter who preaches in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost; about three thousand Jewish people are saved that day. Peter’s preaching had “unlocked the door” of heaven for the Jews. Later, in Acts 8, the Samaritans believe the gospel and receive the Holy Spirit; again, Peter (and John) was present for this event. Peter had “unlocked the door” for the Samaritans. Then, in Acts 10, Peter brings the gospel to a Roman centurion’s household, and they, too, receive the Holy Spirit. Peter had “unlocked the door” for the Gentiles. The “keys” that Jesus had given him worked in each case.
Of course, keys can be used to lock doors as well as open them. Part of the gospel message is that faith is necessary. Without faith in Christ, the door to heaven is shut and barred (see John 3:18). As the apostles preached the gospel, those who responded in faith and repentance were granted access to the Kingdom of Heaven; yet those who continued to harden their hearts and reject the gospel of God’s saving grace were shut out of the Kingdom (Acts 8:23).
The context of Matthew 16 also refers to a “binding and loosing.” To better understand this concept, we turn to Matthew 18:15–20, where Jesus gives the guidelines for church discipline, using the same “binding and loosing” language we find in Matthew 16. The apostles were not to usurp Christ’s authority over individual believers and their eternal destiny, but they were to exercise authority to discipline erring believers and, if necessary, excommunicate disobedient church members. Based on God’s Word, believers today can declare an unrepentant sinner to be unsaved (“bound”) and a repentant believer in Jesus Christ to be saved (“loosed”). The binding or loosing, based on one’s rejection or acceptance of the gospel, reflects heaven’s perspective on the matter. In heaven, Christ ratifies what is done in His name and in obedience to His Word on earth.
God’s will is that sinners be granted access to heaven through the righteousness of Christ. Consider Jesus’ warning to the Pharisees: “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in” (Matthew 23:13). If the gospel message is distorted or ignored, or if unrepentant sin is not adequately disciplined, the doors to the Kingdom of Heaven are being shut in people’s faces.
Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18 are the focus of an ongoing debate over who or what “the rock” is that Jesus mentions. The immediate context contains a question that Jesus put to His disciples: “Who do you say I am?” (verse 15). Peter answers, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (verse 16), to which Jesus replies, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (verses 17–18).
Is “this rock” on which Christ promised to build His church Peter? Is it Peter’s faith? Is it the truth of Peter’s statement? Or is the rock Jesus Himself? In all honesty, there is no way for us to be 100 percent sure which view is correct.
the rock is Peter
One view is that Jesus was declaring that Peter would be the “rock” on which He would build His church. Jesus appears to be using a play on words. “You are Peter [petros] and on this rock [petra] I will build my church.” Since Peter’s name means “rock,” and Jesus is going to build His church on a rock, it appears that Christ means to link Peter with the founding of the church. It’s true that God used Peter greatly in the foundation of the church. It was Peter who first proclaimed the gospel on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14–47). Peter was also the first to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10:1–48). In a sense, Peter was the rock “foundation” of the church.
the rock is the truth contained in Peter’s statement
Another popular interpretation is that the rock Jesus was referring to is not Peter, but Peter’s statement in Matthew 16:16: “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” In this view, the “rock” is the truthfulness of that statement—the church is built on the rock-solid truth that Jesus is God’s Chosen One and the eternal Son of God. In confessing Jesus as the Christ, Peter, the “rock,” was demonstrating his own stability as he stood on that truth. He was, in a way, showing his character and why Jesus nicknamed him “Cephas” or “Peter” (see John 1:42).
the rock is Peter’s faith
Jesus had never explicitly taught the disciples the fullness of His identity, and so it was God who had sovereignly opened Peter’s eyes to that revelation. Jesus marks the source of that truth in Matthew 16:17. Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God poured forth from him as a heartfelt declaration of personal faith. Since personal faith in Christ is the hallmark of the true Christian, those who place their faith in Christ, as Peter did, are the church. Peter, writing to believers dispersed through the ancient world, likens them to stones used to build the church: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4–5). The faith of believers is what makes them “living stones” able to be built into the church.
the rock is Jesus
After Jesus declares that God the Father had revealed the truth to Peter, He says, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). The word for “Peter,” Petros, is a masculine noun that means “a detached stone, a stone that might be thrown or easily moved” (Zodhiates, S., The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, AMG Publishers, 1992, p. 1,154). The word for “rock” next mentioned is a different Greek word, petra, a feminine noun that means “a mass of rock” or “a cliff” and therefore something foundational (ibid.; see also Matthew 7:24–25). The difference in the two terms may suggest that Jesus was contrasting Peter with Himself. That is, Jesus was saying, “You are the small rock, but I am the foundation of the church.” This view finds support in other passages that present Christ, not Peter, as the foundation of the church (1 Corinthians 3:11) and the life-giving rock (1 Corinthians 10:4).
Of course, the apostles played a foundational role in the building of the church, but the role of primacy is reserved for Christ alone. So, Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18 are best interpreted as a simple play on words: a boulder-like, foundational truth came from the mouth of one who was called a small stone.
Christ Himself is called the “chief cornerstone” (1 Peter 2:6–7; cf. Matthew 21:42). The chief cornerstone of any building was that upon which a building is anchored. If Christ declared Himself to be the cornerstone, how could Peter be the rock upon which the church was built? Believers are the stones that make up the church. They are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (not just Peter) and anchored to the Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). “The one who trusts in [Christ] will never be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:6).
The Roman Catholic Church argues that Peter is the rock upon which Jesus built His church, confers upon Peter the title of pope, and claims to be the one true church. As we have seen, however, identifying the rock as Peter is not the only valid interpretation of Matthew 16:18. Even if Peter is the rock upon which Jesus promised to build His church, it does not give the Roman Catholic Church any authority. Furthermore, scholars debate whether the New Testament refers to Peter ever being in Rome (1 Peter 5:13). What is clearer is that Scripture never describes Peter as being supreme over the other apostles. The New Testament does not describe Peter as being the all-authoritative leader of the early church. The origin of the Catholic Church is not in the teachings of Peter or any other apostle. If Peter truly was the founder of the Roman Catholic Church, it would be in full agreement with what Peter taught (Acts 2, 1 Peter, 2 Peter).
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.
Jehovah-Nissi (more properly Yahweh-Nissi) means “the Lord is our banner” in Hebrew.
The name Jehovah-Nissi appears only once in the Bible, in Exodus 17:15. Moses, after the children of Israel defeated the Amalekites, built an altar and named it Jehovah-Nissi.
The background of the name Jehovah-Nissi involves the Israelites’ wandering in the desert after leaving their bondage in Egypt. Along the way, they were attacked by the Amalekites, a powerful and warlike group of nomads. As the battle commenced, Moses stood on the top of a hill where he could see the armies below him. He held in his hand the “rod of God”—the same rod with which he had struck a rock to bring forth water for the people in the desert (Exodus 17:5–6).
The battle was an unusual one: “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning” (Exodus 17:11). As Moses’ arms grew weary, they had to be supported by his brother, Aaron, and a man named Hur. At sunset, Israel defeated the Amalekites (verses 12–13). After the battle, Moses built an altar and named it Jehovah-Nissi, “the Lord is my banner.”
The strange way in which the battle was won left no doubt as to who was responsible for the victory. Only as the rod of God was held aloft did the Israelites prevail. The battle was not won by military might or superior battle plans; it was won by the power of God. “The battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47).
The hands and rod of Moses were held up in the same way that soldiers hold up their flags in the time of battle. As these flags bear the insignia of their country, the soldiers are said to fight under that banner. The Israelites fought under the direction of God, Jehovah-Nissi. It was under the Lord’s banner and with His aid they fought, and in His name and strength they conquered.
It is safe to assume that, as Moses held up the rod of God, he was praying for the success of the Israelite troops below him. Moses’ lifting up of the rod can thus be seen as a picture of intercessory prayer. “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). Moses’ weariness, evidenced by the lowering of his hands, illustrates the truth that “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38). The naming of the altar Jehovah-Nissi is a reminder to believers of every era that we can only be victorious as we honor the name of the Lord and rally to Him as our Banner.
The writer of Hebrews writes to encourage readers that Jesus is supreme and to challenge readers to walk focused on Him (Hebrews 12:1–2). In chapter 11 the author highlights a number of portraits of faith to illustrate that, while they all gained approval (justification) through their faith, God’s promises to them would include betterment for us as well (Hebrews 11:39–40). The writer begins the “Hall of Faith,” as chapter 11 is sometimes known, by asserting that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, “the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV). But what does it mean that faith is the evidence of “things not seen”?
In Romans 8:23 Paul illustrates a principle of hope in that we wait eagerly for the redemption of our body—something we don’t currently see as a reality. He adds that in hope we have been saved and that hope that is seen is not hope—for if it were seen, then there is no more need for hope because what we were hoping for would be reality (Romans 8:24). Because we don’t yet see it, it remains hope, and we wait eagerly with perseverance to see it (Romans 8:25). Similarly, Paul suggests that we can endure momentary light affliction because of the weight of glory it produces in us (2 Corinthians 4:17). Anticipating that future result, we are looking at things that are not currently seen because the things that are not seen are future things—eternal things, in this case (2 Corinthians 4:18). Working from the same essential principle, the writer of Hebrews reminds readers that faith is “the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The term translated “evidence” is the Greek word elengchos, which often refers to an argument or a case being made. Faith is an argument for that which is not yet seen. Of course, faith doesn’t prove something that is not yet seen—only the One who made the promise can prove the promise by fulfilling it. Faith, though, is the certainty of something that one does not see and an argument for its validity.
Elsewhere, Paul argues for the superiority of love over faith and hope (1 Corinthians 13:13). Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8), but faith will one day be unnecessary, as it will be turned to sight, and hope will be realized and be unneeded after that. Love, on the other hand, will sustain throughout eternity. The author of Hebrews makes a similar case that faith is vitally important, for through faith comes justification (Hebrews 11:1), but the author is also quick to point out that faith is only as good as the object of that faith. In this case, the author directs us to fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfector of the faith (Hebrews 12:2). In so doing, we can run the race before us without growing weary (Hebrews 12:1). The power of faith, then, is not on its own merits, for faith is temporary. Rather, the power of faith is in the One who began the faith and who will complete the faith. Because He is trustworthy, the faith itself is an assurance, an argument for—and the evidence of—things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
Because of the cloud of witnesses that has preceded us and that has modeled putting faith into action, we can be encouraged in our own lives that, just as God will fulfill His promise to them, He will fulfill His promises to us. Until we see that come to pass, our faith in Him is an evidence of things not seen.
That God will fight our battles means we do not have to anguish, be anxious, or be discouraged when bad things happen in our lives. When it seems a situation is hopeless or the matter at hand is too overwhelming, we may be tempted to doubt God. But Christians must remember that no problem is beyond the scope of God’s sovereign care for His children. He has promised to take care of us (Philippians 4:19), make good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and love us beyond measure (Romans 8:37–39).
In Exodus 14:14 Moses tells the children of Israel, “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” At that moment, they were standing at the edge of the Red Sea, hemmed in by the sea before them and the Egyptian army behind. The Israelites are in a seemingly impossible situation, but it was a situation brought on by the Lord Himself. It was God who had hardened Pharaoh’s heart to pursue the fleeing slaves (Exodus 14:4, 8). Why would God do such a thing? The Bible gives some of the reasons: because God wanted to make it crystal clear to Egypt that He is LORD so that He got the glory over Pharaoh (Exodus 14:4). And because God wanted to teach Israel that He is their Deliverer (Exodus 6:6) and their Salvation (Exodus 14:13). They were incapable of escaping the situation on their own—they needed only to wait for God to move on their behalf (cf. Psalm 27:14). The battle that appeared to be between the Egyptians and the Israelites was in reality between the Egyptians and the Lord (Exodus 14:4).
The lessons believers can learn from the Exodus account can be powerful and life-changing. When Christians trust God to fight their battles, it enables them to circumvent what often accompanies conflict, i.e., panic, fear, and hopelessness (Exodus 14:11–12). There are times when we can see absolutely no way around a problem, just like Israel when they were cornered. It’s quite probable not one of the Israelites ever imagined that the massive sea was going to split down the middle, providing their way of escape. When Christians believe God’s Word (2 Chronicles 20:17), they learn that no battle is too formidable or monumental for God to handle (Joshua 1:5).
Moses gives a review of some of Israel’s history in Deuteronomy 1. In his recap he reminds them of the importance of having courage and trusting God at the edge of the Promised Land. Forty years earlier, the Israelites had spied out the land and concluded that they were unable to go up against the Canaanites, who were too big and too strong (Numbers 13:31—33). Due to that generation’s lack of faith, they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Moses tells the new generation to avoid their fathers’ lack of trust: “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes” (Deuteronomy 1:29–30). As God’s people obeyed in faith, they would find triumph at every turn. “Victory rests with the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31).
Israel, like many Christians today, had forgotten the previous battles God had fought for them all along the way (see Deuteronomy 2:7). The Israelite spies had seen “giants” in the land (Numbers 13:33, NKJV), just like Christians today see “giant” obstacles, complications, and problems that seem too large to conquer. To let the “giants” steal our faith only leaves defeat and a lack of assurance in the God who is in control of every problem, in spite of its size (Romans 8:28).
God is in control, but that does not mean Christians get to avoid the battles—in fact, the Bible states the opposite (2 Timothy 3:12). “Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4). In order for a believer to live a life of endurance, character, and hope, we must put on our armor (Ephesians 6:10–17) and trust the Deliverer. We “put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3). Our confidence is in God, who will fight our battles and bring us safely home (Jude 1:24–25). “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).
The simple answer to this question is “very interested.” A human being is comprised of body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23; 3 John 1:2; Psalm 16:9). However, human beings tend to rely on the body for input and the soul for decisions, while ignoring the spirit. This is unfortunate. The human spirit without God is like a deflated balloon. When a sinner repents and turns to Jesus for salvation, God sends His Holy Spirit to dwell within the spirit of that believer (Luke 24:49; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 6:19). The Holy Spirit breathes life into that deflated human spirit, and a new creature is born (2 Corinthians 5:17). The more room a person gives to the Holy Spirit, the more power he or she experiences in living for God.
God is spirit (John 4:24). If we want to know God, we must experience Him spiritually. Although God works in tangible, physical ways through His creation (Psalm 8:3; 107:24), we come to know Him personally through the union of our spirits with His (Romans 8:16). As we allow the Holy Spirit free rein in our lives, we learn to live by the Spirit, rather than by emotion, impulse, or fleshly indulgence (Galatians 5:16, 25; Romans 8:14). We learn to discern the voice of God as distinct from our own thoughts (John 10:27). All of this takes place within the spirit, invisible to the other senses, but is as real as touch, taste, or smell.
However, the term spiritual does not necessarily mean “godly.” Satan is also a spirit and does his evil work by attacking our minds (James 3:14-15), our bodies (Luke 9:42; 2 Corinthians 12:7), and our spirits (Matthew 16:23; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Some have delved into an exploration of the spirit world to their own destruction. The seven sons of Sceva are a case in point. They were assuming a knowledge of the spiritual realm and an authority they did not possess. They learned the hard way that spiritual warfare is not to be taken lightly; it can only be fought successfully by those who are in Christ and equipped for battle (Acts 19:13-16). Also, many people consider themselves "spiritual" while completely bypassing the true God who is the King of the spirit world (Mark 3:11). Such people are deceived by the “god of this age [who] has blinded the minds of unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
The Bible is clear that the spirit world is every bit as real as the physical universe (Ephesians 6:12). There is an unseen battle taking place around us every moment between God’s holy angels and the forces of darkness (Daniel 10:12-14; Ephesians 6:10-17; Jude 1:9). If we are vigilant as the Lord commands, we will not be caught unprepared by Satan’s attacks (1 Peter 5:8; 2 Corinthians 2:11). And we have the promise of God that His Holy Spirit is stronger than any of Satan’s schemes (1 John 4:4). God has given His children everything we need to stand firm against any spiritual attack of our enemy. The apostle Paul calls this the "armor of God" (Ephesians 6:11).
The spirit world is very real, but an unbalanced focus on demonic powers is not healthy and does not glorify God. The Holy Spirit is the only Spirit we should ever invite into our lives, and He has all the power we need to overcome anything Satan may use to try to defeat us (Isaiah 54:17).
Because of man’s sin and the subsequent curse that poisoned the perfection of God’s creation, the world is often a dangerous place. People suffer every day from natural disasters, crime, car accidents, poor health, and more. It’s natural to seek protection from the pain and sorrow of life. Does the Bible promise us the protection of God when we become part of His eternal family?
There are many verses in God’s Word that seem to promise God’s physical protection. For example, Psalm 121:3 says, “He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber.” In verse 7 the psalmist declares, “The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life.” As Israel entered the Promised Land, God promised them that He would never leave or forsake them (Deuteronomy 31:6).
At first glance, it does seem that God promises to protect His children from harm. But if that were the case, why do so many Christians around the world struggle with persecution, illness, loss, accidents, and injuries? We all know Christians whose “foot” has “slipped.” Is God breaking His promise, or are we missing something?
First of all, we should interpret the Old Testament promises of physical safety in the context of the Mosaic Covenant. As the children of Israel were obedient to the covenant, God promised them various material and physical blessings—on their crops, livestock, children, etc. (Deuteronomy 28). The Old Covenant was very much concerned with earthly blessings, and physical protection was among them. This was the basis for Hezekiah’s prayer when he was smitten with a fatal illness (2 Kings 20:1–6). Throughout the Old Testament, we see God protecting His people in order to bring His plans to pass (e.g., Exodus 1:22—2:10; 1 Kings 17:1–6; Jonah 1).
It is important to understand that we are under the New Covenant, not the Old. God does not promise to keep believers in Christ from all physical harm. There are certainly times when He does mercifully shield us from situations where we would sustain injury or loss. Paul and Luke’s survival of the shipwreck in Acts 27 and Paul’s imperviousness to the snakebite in Acts 28 are cases in point. Today, however, God’s promises to believers usually refer to spiritual protection.
When we believe in Jesus Christ for salvation, the Holy Spirit immediately enters our lives. We are sealed for eternity and brought under God’s spiritual protection from that moment on. This means that, regardless of our future sins or the schemes of Satan, we will never lose the salvation God has granted (2 Timothy 1:12). There is nothing that can ever separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38–39). In addition, we are given freedom from the dominion of sin—we are no longer slaves to sinful thoughts, desires, and actions, but are born into a new life of holiness (Romans 6:22).
Throughout our lives, God will continue to “guard [our] hearts and [our] minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7), providing the strength, peace, and perseverance we need to make it through any test or trial. His Spirit grows in us fruit that will strengthen our Christian walk (Galatians 5:22–23), and He provides us with powerful tools with which we can fend off the enemy’s spiritual attacks (Ephesians 6:10–17).
There is nothing wrong with asking for physical protection from God, as long as we realize He does not always see fit to grant it. He knows we are strengthened by the trials that come our way, and in each physical trial, we are assured of His spiritual protection. So, rather than seeking complete physical protection from God, we can agree with James when he says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2–3).
Many places in Scripture extol the faithfulness of God. Lamentations 3:22–23 says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” So, what is faithfulness?
The Hebrew word translated “faithfulness” means “steadfastness, firmness, fidelity.” The opposite of being faithful is to be ever-changing or wishy-washy. Psalm 119:89–90 says, “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations.” Here faithfulness is equated with God’s Word. God speaks never-ending truth. If God spoke something a thousand years ago, it still stands. He is faithful to His Word, because His Word is an expression of His character. The promises He made still hold true because He does not change (Malachi 3:6). We see this illustrated from a human perspective in a couple married for many years. When the wife lies on her deathbed, her husband sits nearby holding her hand. He won’t leave her, even though she no longer recognizes him. He is faithful to the promises he made to her. In the same way, God remains faithful to His promises, even though we are often unfaithful to Him (2 Timothy 2:13).
We learn to trust the character of a person by getting to know that person. We would not entrust our bank account to a stranger we met in line at the post office—we have no experience with him. We don’t know his character. Before we know God, we are afraid to trust Him. We don’t yet know who He is or what He may do. We learn to trust God by getting to know His character. There are three ways we can get to know Him: studying His Word, reviewing His working in our own lives, and learning to follow His voice.
When we study God’s Word, a pattern emerges. We learn that God never changes and never lies (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29). We learn through Scripture that God has never failed in the past (Isaiah 51:6). He was always true to His Word as He worked in the lives of the ancient Israelites. When He said He would do something, He did it (Numbers 11:23; Matthew 24:35). We begin to build trust upon His proven character. We can trust that God will be true to Himself. He will never cease acting like God. He will never cease being sovereign, being holy, or being good (1 Timothy 6:15; 1 Peter 1:16).
We learn through our own history that He has never failed us, either. One command God often gave the Israelites was: “Remember” (Deuteronomy 8:2; Isaiah 46:9). When they remembered all God had done for them, they could more easily trust Him for the future. We need to intentionally remember all the ways God has provided for us and delivered us in the past. Keeping a prayer journal can help with this. When we recall the ways God has answered our prayers, it equips us to continue asking and expecting answers. When we come to Him in prayer, we know that He always hears us (1 John 5:14; Psalm 34:15). He provides what we need (Philippians 4:19). And He will always make everything work together for our good when we trust Him with it (Romans 8:28). We learn to trust God’s future faithfulness by remembering His past faithfulness.
And we can also learn to trust Him by learning to distinguish His voice from the others that compete for attention. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). We who belong to Jesus need to cultivate the ability to hear Him. He speaks primarily through His Word, but He can also speak through other people, through circumstances, and through the inner confirmation of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16). As we carefully read and meditate upon Scripture, the Holy Spirit often quickens our hearts to a verse or passage and helps us claim it and apply it to our current situation. What the Spirit shows us in His Word is to be taken by faith as His message to us. We build trust by claiming His promises and applying them to our lives.
Above all things, God loves for us to demonstrate faith (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is trusting in the character of God before we see how He is going to work things out. He has given us His Word, and His promises still stand. As we see the ways He brings His promises to fulfillment, our trust in His faithfulness grows. Just as our trust in other people grows with daily interaction, our trust in God grows the same way. We trust Him when we know Him, and to know Him is to trust Him. When we know Him, we can rest in His goodness, even when we don’t understand the circumstances that seem to contradict it. We can trust that God’s plan for us will prevail (Proverbs 19:21). As a child trusts a loving father, we can trust our heavenly Father to always do what is right.
The apostle Paul exhorts Christians to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7, ESV). What we see here is a contrast between truth and perception—what we know and believe to be true and what we perceive to be true. This is where the Christian struggle with a lack of faith finds its basis. The main reason why so many Christians struggle with a lack of faith is that we follow our perceptions of what is true rather than what we know to be true by faith.
Perhaps before going any further it may be helpful to come up with a working definition of faith. Faith, contrary to popular opinion, is not “belief without proof.” This is the definition that many skeptics give for faith. This definition reduces faith to mere fideism—i.e., “I believe despite what the evidence tells me.” Skeptics are right to reject this concept of faith, and Christians should reject it, too. Faith is not belief without proof or belief despite the evidence; rather, faith is a complete trust or confidence in someone or something. That trust or confidence we have in someone is built up over time as he proves himself faithful time and time again.
Christianity is a faith-based religion. It is based on faith in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. God has provided us with His Word, the Holy Bible, as a testimony of His faithfulness to His people all throughout history. In its bare essentials, Christianity is faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ claimed to be the promised Messiah and the Son of God. His life was one of perfect righteousness according to the revealed Law of God, His death was an atoning sacrifice for the sins of His people, and He was raised to life three days after His death. When we place our faith and trust in Christ alone for our salvation, God takes our sin and places it on the cross of Christ and awards us, by grace, with the perfect righteousness of Christ. That, in a nutshell, is the Christian message. As Christians, we are called to believe this message and live in light of it.
Despite this, Christians still struggle with believing the biblical account because it doesn’t match up with our perception of reality. We may believe that Jesus was a real person, we may believe that He died by crucifixion at the hand of the Romans, we may even believe that He led a perfect life according to God’s Law, but we don’t “see” how faith in Christ makes us righteous before God. We can’t “see” Jesus atoning for our sins. We can’t “see” or “perceive” any of the great truths of Christianity, and, therefore, we struggle with lack of faith. As a result of this lack of perception, our lives often do not reflect the fact that we really believe what we claim to believe.
There are many reasons for this phenomenon among Christians. The main reason we struggle with faith is that we don’t truly know the God in whom we profess to have faith. In our daily lives, we don’t trust complete strangers. The more intimately we know someone and the more time we have had to see him “in action,” the more likely we are to believe what he says. But, if God is essentially a stranger to us, we are less likely to believe what He has said in His Word. The only cure for this is to spend more time in God’s Word getting to know Him.
The world, the flesh, and the devil often distract us. By “the world” is meant the accepted “wisdom” of the unbelieving world and the culture in which we find ourselves. For those of us living in Europe and North America, that dominant worldview is naturalism, materialism, skepticism, and atheism. “The flesh,” refers to our sinful nature that still clings to Christians and with which we struggle on a daily basis. “The devil” refers to Satan and his horde of evil spirits who excite and entice us through the world and our senses. These things all afflict us and cause us to struggle with faith.
That is why Christians need to be constantly reminded of what Christ has done for us and what our response should be. The apostle Paul says, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17, ESV). Our faith is built up as we have the gospel continually preached to us. Our churches need to be built on the solid preaching of the Word and the regular observance of the ordinances. Instead, too many churches spend their time, energy, and resources on the creation of “programs” that neither feed the sheep nor draw a clear distinction between godliness and ungodliness.
Consider the example of the Israelites in the Old Testament. God had performed great miracles in rescuing His chosen people from slavery in Egypt—the Ten Plagues, the pillar of smoke and fire, and the crossing of the Red Sea. God brings His people to the foot of Mount Sinai, gives them the Law and makes a covenant with them. No sooner does He do this than the people begin to grumble and lose faith. With Moses gone up on the mountain, the people convince Aaron, Moses’ brother, to construct an idol (against God’s clear prohibition) for them to worship (Exodus 32:1–6). They were no longer walking by faith, but by sight. Despite all the clear miracles God did in their redemption, they lost faith and began to go on their perception.
That is why God instructed the new generation of Israelites before going into the Promised Land to continually remind themselves of what God had done for them: “And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7, ESV). God knows that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38), and so He commands His people to be in constant remembrance of these things.
In conclusion, we need to heed the example of the disciple Thomas. When Thomas heard the stories of the resurrection, he wouldn’t believe them until he saw Jesus with his own two eyes. Jesus accommodated Thomas’ lack of faith by making an appearance to him and allowing him to see and touch Him. Thomas responds in worship, and Jesus says to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29, ESV). Many skeptics today echo Thomas’ sentiment: “Unless I see Jesus face to face, I will not believe!” We must not behave as the unbelievers do. We need to continually keep in mind Paul’s exhortation to walk by faith rather than sight. We learn in the book of Hebrews that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) because faith is believing the Word of God and acting upon it, not responding to our perceptions.
Proverbs 16:3 states, “Commit your work to the LORD, / and your plans will be established” (ESV). This wonderful verse speaks of our responsibility to serve God and the result of discharging our duty faithfully.
The first verb, commit, is a word that, in Hebrew, literally means “to roll.” Other passages such as Genesis 29:3 and Psalm 22:8–9 likewise use the idea of “rolling” something to the Lord. The idea is that we completely give something over to God in dependence upon Him. When we “commit” our work to the Lord, we offer everything we do completely to Him.
The Hebrew syntax also reveals the idea that we commit our work to the Lord in order that our plans will be established. We must do the first part if we expect God to fulfill the second part.
If we completely depend upon God in our work, He will “establish” our plans. That is, He will “bring about” or “cause to happen” our plans. We can expect God to bring our work to fruition in God’s way and in God’s time when we depend on Him in our efforts. Part of committing our work to God, of course, is seeking and following God’s will; when our work aligns with God’s will, then success will follow.
Proverbs, as a literary form, communicate general life principles and not exact promises. In other words, we can generally expect God to bless our work when we operate according to His ways in dependence upon Him. However, this does not mean we will never lose a job or have trouble in our work. Instead, we can expect God to fulfill His promise of Romans 8:28, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
This proverb is similar in context to Psalm 1:1–3:
“Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither--
whatever they do prospers.”
When we commit our ways and our work to the Lord, He will bless our efforts according to His perfect will in ways beyond our understanding. We should serve the Lord faithfully and then leave the results to Him. Though we will still face times of difficulty, we can trust that God is working for His ultimate good—and ours—through our efforts to please Him in our daily vocation.
Proverbs 19:21 says, “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand” (NKJV). The phrase a man’s heart refers to one’s innermost thoughts, intentions, and desires that drive his actions. When we examine this proverb, we have a better understanding of the relationship between human ambition and God’s will.
In biblical terms, “a man’s heart” is more than emotions, although it includes emotions. The Encyclopedia of the Bible defines heart as “that central agency and facility within man whereby he imagines, intends, purposes, thinks, and understands.” A man’s heart is his “inner self.” God “sees the heart” (Jeremiah 20:12, ESV), and it is the heart that He is most concerned with.
A man’s heart is affected by sin. Jeremiah 17:9 states, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (ESV). This verse highlights the contradictory nature of man’s heart. We have plans and ambitions, but we are influenced by sin and selfishness. Our plans, as Robert Burns wrote, “oft go awry.”
Proverbs 19:21 reminds us that it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails, despite the number of plans we may have in our hearts. There exists a tension between divine sovereignty and human freedom. In James 4:13–15, the apostle draws practical application from this tension: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that’” (ESV). Human plans are uncertain compared to the certainty of God’s will.
Instead of trusting man’s heart, we should trust in God’s sovereign plan. Proverbs 3:5–6 advises, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (ESV). If we follow this proverb, we will not trust in our own flawed plans but in the perfect and infinite wisdom of God. We will submit our plans to His wisdom and care.
Given the deceitfulness of man’s heart, we must pray for our plans to align with God’s will. Philippians 4:6–7 states, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (ESV). When we pray, trust, and obey, God aligns the plans of our hearts with His purpose.
The Bible has many examples of God redirecting the plans in man’s heart for His sovereign purpose. Young Joseph had certain dreams and ambitions, but those changed when he was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and imprisoned. In the end, God used Joseph to save many lives (Genesis 50:20). Paul had plans to persecute Christians from town to town, but the counsel of the Lord overrode his plans. Paul’s heart was transformed, and he was given a new mission (Acts 9:1–22). When we surrender our plans to God, He uses us for His purposes. We are not our own (see 1 Corinthians 6:19).
Surrendering our plans to God’s will does not mean sacrificing ambition or effort. It does mean taking a posture of humility and a willingness to be guided by God’s hand. Psalm 37:4–5 encourages, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act” (ESV). When we delight in the Lord and commit our ways to Him, He will align our plans with His purpose.
Proverbs 18:24 teaches, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, / but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Given the fact that we normally think of blood being thicker than water, this proverb is rather jarring: there are ways that a friend can be more faithful than a brother.
The ESV translates the first line of the proverb this way: “A man of many companions may come to ruin.” In any translation the emphasis is on the plurality of friends. A person with many friends may still run into problems. A large number of friends does not equal help in the time of need. Many popular celebrities have faced this dilemma—they can have thousands of fans, yet fame is fickle, and the fans quickly disappear during difficult times. Our era of social media promotes many superficial connections who are called “friends,” but there are few true friends. Even the most connected can be lonely.
In contrast, the second line of this antithetical proverb tells us, “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” The concept of friendship is a strong one in Proverbs, and the word friend is used nine other times in the book. Wisdom is called a friend (7:4), a friend loves at all times (17:17), a poor man is deserted by his friend (19:4), everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts (19:6), a person with gracious speech has the king as his friend (22:11), faithful are the wounds of a friend (27:6), the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel (27:9), and do not forsake your friend and father’s friend (27:10).
From these verses, we see there are two kinds of “friends.” There is the friend who exists because you have something to offer (such as a material gift or popularity-by-association), and there is a friend who exists due to genuine love and friendship. Proverbs 18:24 offers a contrast between these two types of friends. You can amass as many friends of the first type as you want but still come to ruin; however, even one friend of the second type is a great advantage.
The genuine or authentic friend is someone who sticks closer than a brother. In other words, he or she can be counted on. This friend is steadfast; he or she will be there for you even more so than a family member. Brotherhood is one of the strongest relationships we know. A friend who sticks closer than a brother is a trustworthy friend, indeed.
A wonderful biblical example of this type of closer-than-a-brother friendship is what existed between David and Jonathan. They became fast friends following the battle in which David killed Goliath. Despite the many hardships both men faced, they remained faithful to one another as friends and protected one another from harm. Jonathan even risked his life interceding for David before King Saul, who sought to kill David. After Jonathan’s death, David wrote a lament for his friend: “Jonathan lies slain on your heights. / I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; / you were very dear to me” (2 Samuel 1:25–26). Their friendship was stronger than David’s relationship with any of his own brothers.
Jesus was known as a “friend of sinners” (Luke 7:34), and He has promised, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus is truly the Friend who sticks closer than a brother, and blessed are those who have Him as their Friend (see John 15:14).
When we read of the "world" in the New Testament, we are reading the Greek word cosmos. Cosmos most often refers to the inhabited earth and the people who live on the earth, which functions apart from God. Satan is the ruler of this "cosmos" (John 12:31; 16:11; 1 John 5:19). By the simple definition that the word world refers to a world system ruled by Satan, we can more readily appreciate Christ’s claims that believers are no longer of the world—we are no longer ruled by sin, nor are we bound by the principles of the world. In addition, we are being changed into the image of Christ, causing our interest in the things of the world to become less and less as we mature in Christ.
Believers in Jesus Christ are simply in the world—physically present—but not of it, not part of its values (John 17:14-15). As believers, we should be set apart from the world. This is the meaning of being holy and living a holy, righteous life—to be set apart. We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the insipid, corrupt mind that the world creates. Rather, we are to conform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2). This is a daily activity and commitment.
We must also understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness. We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is something “different” about us. Christians who make every effort to live, think and act like those who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice. Even the heathen knows that “by their fruits you shall know them,” and as Christians, we should exhibit the fruit of the Spirit within us.
Being “in” the world also means we can enjoy the things of the world, such as the beautiful creation God has given us, but we are not to immerse ourselves in what the world values, nor are we to chase after worldly pleasures. Pleasure is no longer our calling in life, as it once was, but rather the worship of God.
At the Festival of Dedication, the Jews asked Jesus to tell them plainly if He was the Messiah. His response was not “Yes” or “No” but rather, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me” (John 10:25). But then Jesus continued with a reason why they did 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 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. I and the Father are one” (John 10:26–30).
Jesus states that the eternal life He offers is permanent. He holds His sheep—believers—in His hand, and no one can snatch them out of His hand. Jesus’ sheep were given to Him by the Father, who is greater than all and who also holds the sheep in His hand. No one can snatch believers out of the Father’s hand, either. Believers are eternally secure, held by the power of God.
In an extended metaphor, Jesus compares believers to sheep. A sheep without a shepherd can easily be snatched from the fold. “To snatch” refers to attacking, scattering, and stealing sheep like a wolf (John 10:12). There are people who claim to have truth but are really seeking to deceive believers (Matthew 24:5). The devil is described as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8) and as a thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Yet believers are part of Jesus’ flock and cannot be taken away by spiritual wolves, lions, or anything else because Jesus is the Good Shepherd protecting His sheep (John 10:11). Those who belong to Christ are safe from anyone or anything seeking their destruction: no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Jesus is God, and no one can take the sheep out of Jesus’ hand, either (John 10:28). Romans 8:38–39 assures 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.” Absolutely nothing can separate a child of God from the Father’s love, and absolutely nothing can take that believer’s salvation away.
A believer’s eternal security is purchased by Christ, promised by the Father, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. It is given and maintained by God’s hand, and it is permanent and irrevocable. The eternal life granted by Jesus to His “sheep” cannot and will never be stolen, revoked, or lost. A Christian who has trusted in Jesus Christ as the Savior is declared righteous before God for all eternity (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Romans 5:1) and cannot lose his salvation. The Good Shepherd protects His sheep and ensures that no one and nothing snatches them from the fold.
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).
Paul had many things about which he could have boasted. His experiences were incredible. He lists some of them in 2 Corinthians 11:22–28 to illustrate that, while he above others might have reason to boast in his own flesh—his experiences and his abilities—he would only boast in Christ. Paul recognizes that we have no real power in ourselves except for Christ in us, and he explains in Philippians 3:4–7 that, even though he has quite a list of impressive achievements, he counts all those as loss for the sake of Christ. They are worthless—even having negative value—in comparison to the joy of knowing Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 12:1 Paul provides an example of how a person should not find his or her identity and confidence in personal achievements because only God’s grace is sufficient. While showing mercy means not giving to someone what he does deserve, showing grace means giving to someone what he doesn’t deserve. God shows grace in giving us life and providing for us and strengthening us for the path ahead. That grace is sufficient—it is all we need.
To illustrate the principle, Paul tells of a man who was caught up to the third heaven and saw and heard indescribable things. This man was remarkably privileged, and it seems apparent in the context that Paul is talking about himself. He adds that, because of the greatness of the revelations he was given, he was also given a thorn in his flesh that would keep him from exalting himself (2 Corinthians 12:7). While Paul tells us very little about the nature of this “thorn” (what he also refers to as a messenger from Satan), he makes clear that its purpose was to help ensure his humility. Paul begged God that this thorn might go away, and God repeatedly said no to Paul’s request. God’s response to Paul is found in 2 Corinthians 12:9—“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
God was reminding Paul that the strength behind Paul’s ministry was not Paul’s experiences or abilities, nor was it the absence of difficulty. On the contrary, Paul’s ability to be faithful in ministry and survive incredibly difficult times was due to God’s grace. God’s grace is sufficient. When we are weak, God’s strength is even more evident. Paul could rejoice and boast in God because Paul knew the power that God exerted in Paul’s life through God’s grace. Paul could then boast in God’s strength, recognizing that, even when we are weak, God is strong. He provides the strength for us to withstand whatever challenges are before us.
Paul illustrates this same idea in Philippians 4:11–13. He explains that he has learned how to be content in any circumstance no matter how severe. When things are going well or when things are going badly, Paul knows that contentment doesn’t come from circumstances—contentment comes from recognizing that we can do whatever God intends for us to do through Christ who strengthens us. God is so gracious to provide strength when it is needed so that we can find our identity, our confidence, and our contentment in Him. This is what God meant when He said that His grace is sufficient—it is all we need.
There are many, many promises of God in Scripture. In each promise, God pledges that something will (or will not) be done or given or come to pass. These are not flippant, casual promises such as we often make; these promises of God are rock-solid, unequivocal commitments made by God Himself. Because God is faithful, the recipients of the divine promises can have full assurance that what God has pledged will indeed be realized (Numbers 23:19).
Here are just a few of the promises that God has made:
Promises of God in the Old Testament.
God promised to bless Abraham and, through his descendants, the whole world (Genesis 12:2–3). This promise, called the Abrahamic Covenant, pointed to the coming Messiah for whom Abraham looked (John 8:56).
God promised Israel to be their God and make them His people (Leviticus 26:12–13). Old Testament history is teeming with examples of God fulfilling this promise.
God promised that if we search for Him we will find Him (Deuteronomy 4:29). He is not playing hard-to-get. “Our God is near us whenever we pray to him” (Deuteronomy 4:7).
God promised protection for His children (Psalm 121). He was the vigilant watchman over all Israel.
God promised that His love will never fail (1 Chronicles 16:34). He is faithful in every way.
God promised Israel that their sin could be forgiven, their prosperity restored, and their nation healed (2 Chronicles 7:14). Repentance opened the road to fellowship and blessing.
God, under the terms of the Mosaic Covenant, promised prosperity to Israel for obedience and destruction for disobedience (Deuteronomy 30:15–18). Unfortunately, Israel eventually chose to disobey, and the nation was destroyed by Assyria and Babylon.
God promised blessing for all who will delight themselves in His Word (Psalm 1:1–3). Simple faith has its rewards.
Promises of God in the New Testament.
God promised salvation to all who believe in His Son (Romans 1:16–17). There is no greater blessing than the free gift of God’s salvation.
God promised that all things will work out for good for His children (Romans 8:28). This is the broader picture that keeps us from being dismayed by present circumstances.
God promised comfort in our trials (2 Corinthians 1:3–4). He has a plan, and one day we will be able to share the comfort we receive.
God promised new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Salvation is the beginning of a brand-new existence.
God promised every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Whereas, in the Old Testament, Israel had the promise of physical blessing, the church today has been promised spiritual blessings “in the heavenly realms.” Our inheritance is reserved for us (1 Peter 1:4).
God promised to finish the work He started in us (Philippians 1:6). God does nothing in half measures. He started the work in us, and He will be sure to complete it.
God promised peace when we pray (Philippians 4:6–7). His peace is protection. It will “guard your hearts and your minds in Christ.”
God promised to supply our needs (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19). Not that we get everything we want, but our needs will be taken care of. We are more valuable than the birds, and our Heavenly Father feeds them (Matthew 6:26).
Jesus’ promises in the Gospels.
Jesus promised rest (Matthew 11:28–30). Burdens are lifted at Calvary.
Jesus promised abundant life to those who follow Him (John 10:10). Following Jesus brings us more spiritual fulfillment than we could have anticipated. We leave boring behind.
Jesus promised eternal life to those who trust Him (John 4:14). The Good Shepherd also promised to hold us securely: “No one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).
Jesus promised His disciples power from on high (Acts 1:8). In this power, they “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6, ESV).
Jesus promised that He will return for us (John 14:2–3). From then on, we will be with Him always.
There are many more promises of God that could be listed. All of them find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, “the radiance of God’s glory” (Hebrews 1:3). “No matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Proverbs 3:5-6 is a familiar passage to many: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths." Verse 5 is a complementary pair of commands. We are told, positively, to trust the Lord and, negatively, not to trust our own understanding. Those two things are mutually exclusive. In other words, if we trust in the Lord, we cannot also depend upon our own ability to understand everything God is doing.
First Corinthians 13:12 says, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." We only see part of the picture God is painting. If we are to truly trust Him, we have to let go of our pride, our programs, and our plans. Even the best-laid human plans cannot begin to approach the magnificent sagacity of God’s plan. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:25).
Most of us have a desperate desire to understand, but in so many areas we must acknowledge that we cannot understand. We must approve of God’s ways, even when we can’t comprehend them. Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us why we often don’t understand what God is doing: "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'" God sees the whole picture, while we only see our tiny corner of it. To trust in the Lord with all our heart means we can’t place our own right to understand above His right to direct our lives the way He sees fit. When we insist on God always making sense to our finite minds, we are setting ourselves up for spiritual trouble.
Our limited understanding can easily lead us astray. Proverbs 16:25 says, "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." When we choose to direct our lives according to what seems right to us, we often reap disaster (Judges 21:25). Every culture has tried to get God to approve of its definition of right and wrong, but God never changes and His standards never change (Numbers 23:19; James 1:17; Romans 11:29). Every person must make a decision whether to live his or her life according to personal preference or according to the unchanging Word of God. We often will not understand how God is causing "all things to work together for good" (Romans 8:28), but when we trust Him with all our hearts, we know that He is. He will never fail us (Psalm 119:142; Philippians 2:13).
Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Our God is immutable; that is, He is unchanging.
In Hebrews 13 the writer is encouraging readers to conduct themselves in a way that reflects a recognition of the superiority of Jesus Christ. The writer has already challenged readers to fix their eyes on Jesus and run the race with perseverance (Hebrews 12:1–2). As long as believers are fixing their eyes on Him, they can run without losing heart (Hebrews 12:3). Believers can be encouraged that He will never forsake them or leave them (Hebrews 13:5), and believers should imitate the examples of those who have had faith in Him (Hebrews 13:6). But all this encouragement and direction is only helpful if it is truth that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If God arbitrarily changes His character, then how can we have confidence that what He has said He will do? If we can’t rely on Him to do what He has said, then we cannot have confidence and certainty, and it is impossible to run the race with endurance.
Hebrews 13:8 gives us wonderful assurance that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This statement helps us look backward and forward so that we can know He is reliable today and that the things He has said are reliable. Jesus wasn’t some trendy preacher who rose in popularity and then faded into oblivion. Jesus had always existed as God (John 1:1; 8:58), He came in the flesh as a man in order to pay the human price owed to God for sin on behalf of all humanity (Philippians 2:5–8; 1 Corinthians 15:1–4), and He is in heaven working and interceding until He returns for His people to take them home (John 14:1–3; Romans 8:34). One day He will return in glory for all to see (Colossians 3:4), He will rule as King, and He will dwell with humanity forever (Revelation 22). He has had a consistent plan from the start and has been faithfully executing that plan, always keeping His word, and always completely trustworthy. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The writer of Psalm 102 communicates beautifully that God existed always (Psalm 102:24), that He created the heavens and the earth (Psalm 102:25), and that, even though the creation changes (Psalm 102:26), God does not (Psalm 102:27). Because of those universal truths, the writer can be confident that God will keep His promises (Psalm 102:28). As Samuel once put it, “The Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind. He is not a man that He should change His mind” (1 Samuel 15:29). Even when the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, became a man, He did not lie or change His mind about those things that had been spoken. Jesus remained faithful to His word, even modeling by example that the means to withstand temptation and testing is by holding fast to the Word of God (Matthew 4:1–11). This is further evidence that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Even in passages of Scripture in which we read that God “changed His mind,” those instances do not reflect a change of character or a rewriting of promises. They typically relate to conditions that changed. In Genesis 6:6–7 God was grieved at what mankind had become, and, though He would judge humanity through the flood, He would not violate His promise of redemption, and humanity would subsist. In Exodus 32:10 God tests Moses, saying that God would destroy Israel and start again with Moses. Moses remembered that God had promised to work through a specific lineage and that He couldn’t “start over” with Moses and still keep His word. When Moses appealed to God to “change His mind,” God did. It was a key lesson in the life of Moses, that God keeps His word. In Jeremiah 26:13 God would “change His mind” about judging Israel because their judgment would be complete. In Amos 7:2–6 Amos sees visions in which God was about to destroy Israel, but God “changed His mind” when Amos interceded. This was a lesson for Amos that God keeps His word and would not allow Israel to be completely destroyed. These are a few examples of how God uses teaching tools and that He “changes His mind” only in agreement with what He has already committed to.
Being the same yesterday and today and forever, Jesus Christ is unchanging and unchangeable. No sin, distress, or complication will cause Him to abandon us. His love is constant and “as strong as death” (Song of Solomon 8:6). We can therefore have full confidence that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6).
In Romans 5 Paul explains some of the marvelous benefits of being justified (declared righteous) in God’s sight, but what does it mean when He says that “hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:5)?
The full verse is “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5, NKJV). In the context, Paul explains that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1); because of that, we stand in His grace and we rejoice, looking forward to the unveiling of His glory (Romans 5:2). As we look forward in hope and anticipation, we can even rejoice in our tribulations (Romans 5:3a). We don’t take joy in the tribulations themselves; rather, we rejoice in what they accomplish in our lives. Paul lays out the progression of results from the difficulties we encounter: “Knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance” (Romans 5:3b, NASB). Encountering hardship strengthens us and can enable us to withstand even more.
Another word for perseverance is longsuffering—when we encounter tribulations, it can help us “suffer long” and endure. Perseverance brings about proven character (Romans 5:4a). The quality of our character is tested in trials, and when we have endured, our character is no longer hypothetical; it is proven. Proven character brings about hope (Romans 5:4b). When we have endured, and our character has been tested and shown to be faithful, that helps us to have a strong hope—not simply a wish for something, but an anticipation of what will certainly come.
Finally, Paul adds that “hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:5) or “hope does not put us to shame” (ESV). That kind of hope is certain because it relies upon God’s power, His promises, and His sacrifice (Romans 5:6–11) and not our own merits. That kind of hope is certain because of what He has accomplished, not because of any work on our part. Because Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), we have been justified, and we will be delivered from the future wrath of God (Romans 5:9). We were not saved based on our own righteousness; rather, we were reconciled (given peace with God) even while we were enemies of God, and so we will be saved by His life (Romans 5:10).
While each of us will encounter difficulties—even tribulations or trials—Paul helps us recognize that those circumstances are part of God’s recipe for our growth. “Hope does not disappoint.” James offers a similar exhortation: “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2–4, NASB). Trials and difficulties are designed to produce in believers an eternal benefit. It is for this reason—“hope does not disappoint”—that we can and should rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16).
Sometimes it helps to have an example of how “hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:5), and Paul provides such an example for us in Philippians 4 as he explains that he has learned how to be content in any circumstances (Philippians 4:11). He can deal with humble means or prosperity, being filled or being hungry, having much or suffering need (Philippians 4:12). Whether in good or bad circumstances, Paul had learned to persevere because he recognized that he “can do all things through Him who strengthens” (Philippians 4:13, ESV). The same one who strengthened Paul to have that kind of contentment and courage strengthens us, working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), and that ultimate good is that we will be more Christlike. Because it is His power at work, we know that His kind of “hope does not disappoint.”
In each of the letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor recorded in Revelation, there are promises to him who overcomes. Jesus is the giver of the promises, and the overcomer is the one who remains steadfast through trials, holding fast to faith in Christ until the end.
To the church at Ephesus is presented a promise to him who overcomes that he will be granted to eat from the tree of life in God’s paradise (Revelation 2:7). To the church at Smyrna, the promise to him who overcomes is that he will not be hurt by the second death (Revelation 2:11). To the church at Pergamum the overcomer will be given manna from heaven and a white stone with the overcomer’s new name written on it (Revelation 2:17). To the church at Thyatira the overcomer is promised to rule with Christ in His kingdom (Revelation 2:26). To the church at Sardis the one who overcomes will be clothed in white garments and will not have his name erased from the book of life; further, Jesus will confess his name before the angels and the Father (Revelation 3:5). To the church at Philadelphia the overcomer will be a pillar in the temple of God (Revelation 3:12). To the church at Laodicea the one who overcomes will sit with Christ on His throne (Revelation 3:21). These are the promises in Revelation to him who overcomes.
Throughout the book of Revelation, it is evident that Christ is ultimately the One who overcomes. He is the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, who has overcome (Revelation 5:5), and He will overcome the ten kings of the beast because He is the King of kings (Revelation 17:14). John writes earlier that whatever is born of God overcomes the world (1 John 5:4a) and that the victory—or the overcoming itself—is our faith—or our belief in Him (1 John 5:4b). John makes this key definition clear in the next verse when he adds that the one who overcomes is the one who believes in Jesus (1 John 5:5). This context is important as it helps explain to the reader of Revelation that, because Christ has overcome, the one who believes in Him also has overcome. Because of that, every believer in Christ can expect to receive the promises in Revelation made to him who overcomes:
— To be unhurt by the second death (the second death is the judgment of being separated from God and sentenced to hell, as seen in Revelation 20:6, 14; 21:8)
— To receive manna from heaven
— To receive a white stone with a new name written on it
— To rule with Christ in His coming kingdom
— To be clothed in white garments
— To have his name permanently in the Book of Life, never to be removed
— To have Jesus confess the overcomer’s name before the angels and the Father
— To be a pillar in the temple of God
— To sit with Christ on His throne
Believers in Jesus can be encouraged that they have overcome through Jesus. John writes to first-century believers that they have overcome because greater is He that is in them than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). This overcoming is something God provides for us when we believe in Jesus; it is not something we earn by our own efforts. Because of that, our confidence is in Him and not in ourselves. Salvation is a gift from God, by His grace through faith and not as a result of our own works (Ephesians 2:8–9). Because believers have overcome through Jesus, they can have confidence and joy at knowing that He will come again one day to provide the overcomers with what He has promised.
In our fast-paced, attention-grabbing world, it is easy to get caught up in the daily grind, get distracted, and lose sight of our true purpose in life—the worship and love of God (see Matthew 22:37). Yet we are told to run our race with our eyes focused on Christ: “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2). How can we resist the allure of the world and keep our focus where it belongs, on Christ?
To focus is to direct one’s attention or concentrate on something. If we are focused on Christ, then He has our attention; we are concentrating on Him and His word; He occupies the forefront of our minds. Such a focus is only fitting, because Jesus “is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy” (Colossians 1:18). By rights, He should be our focus.
Colossians 3:1–4 contains much that can help us stay focused on Christ: “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.” We are to focus on “things above,” remembering that Christ is seated in the place of glory and power (verse 1). The reason for the command is also given: because we have been raised to new life with Christ. To focus on the things above, we must consciously remove our focus from “earthly things” (verse 2), and the reason is given: we have died to self, and Christ is our very life (verse 3). Helping us stay focused on Christ is the reminder that Jesus is coming again, and when we see Him we will know glory (verse 4).
Hebrews 2 lists some of the things that Christ has done or is doing for us: He shared our humanity (verse 14), He breaks the power of the devil (verse 14), He frees us (verse 15), He is our “merciful and faithful high priest” (verse 17), He suffered for us (verse 18), and He helps those who are tempted in this world (verse 18). Because of all this, Hebrews 3:1, says, “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.”
Here are some practical ways for a born-again believer to stay focused on Christ:
Commit to reading the Bible. It is impossible for a believer to be consistently in the Word without having his attention drawn again and again to Christ: “The Scriptures point to me!” Jesus said (John 5:39, NLT; see also Luke 24:44 and Hebrews 10:7). To focus on the Word of God is to have the Son of God brought more into focus.
Develop your prayer life. If you want to know how to pray, read Jesus’ instructions to His disciples in Luke 11:1–13. As you speak to the Lord throughout your day, you will naturally be more focused on Him. Little things, big things—we can come to the Lord with any and all of our cares. The command is to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), to always be in an attitude and atmosphere of instant prayer.
Trust the Lord as your only protector: “My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare” (Psalm 25:15). Once we understand the spiritual dangers we face on a daily basis, we will focus more on Christ, our one and only Savior, who alone has the power of deliverance.
Recognize your need and the Lord as the source of all good things: “Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us” (Psalm 123:2, ESV). The world offers various means of obtaining love, joy, and peace, but they are destined to disappoint. The believer understands that love, joy, and peace (and a myriad other fine gifts) are the direct result of his relationship with Christ (see Galatians 5:22–23).
See the world for what it is: a sin-filled place of desperate need. The darker the world is to us, the more clearly the light of Christ will stand out. It’s not hard to focus on a light in a darkened room. “We . . . have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19). Those who stay focused on Christ will find their perspective on worldly things changing. As Helen Lemmel says in her hymn, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, / Look full in His wonderful face, / And the things of earth will grow strangely dim / In the light of His glory and grace.”
In John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian and Faithful go through Vanity Fair, where they are offered “all sorts of vanity.” Christian’s and Faithful’s response is instructive for us: “These pilgrims set very light by all their wares—they cared not so much as to look upon them; and if they called upon them to buy, they would put their fingers in their ears, and cry, ‘Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity,’ and look upwards, signifying that their trade and traffic was in heaven” (Part I, p. 86). May we, like the pilgrims in Vanity Town, practice the heavenward-look and keep our eyes focused on Christ, His glory, and His love.
The term crisis of faith usually refers to the point at which a person feels that he or she can no longer serve God or follow Christ. A person going through a crisis of faith is tempted to turn away from all he or she had believed in. When we feel we are facing a crisis of faith, there are some questions we should ask ourselves:
1. What did I have faith in? The idea of “faith” has become trendy, and some use the word as a way to indicate how deep and spiritual they are. But faith is only as good as its object. You can have faith in a bridge, but if that bridge is built of rotting timber and constructed by a class of fourth-graders, it is not wise to cross it. So spiritual faith is only as good as its foundation.
We can have what we call a “crisis of faith” when the thing we believed in lets us down. But many times, what we called “faith” was only a misplaced trust in a god we invented. Was our trust in God—or in the notion that we would never experience trouble of a certain type? Was the Lord the object of our faith—or a friend or family member who failed us? If we have placed our faith in anything other than the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, we are guaranteed disappointment (John 3:36).
2. What caused this crisis of faith? Often, a crisis of faith is the result of a tragedy. The death of someone close, a betrayal by a spiritual mentor, a broken relationship, or some other type of devastating loss can cause us to question whether God is even paying attention. Sometimes, at the end of a series of emotional blows, we find ourselves at a crisis point. It is good to identify what got us there, to better understand the nature of our disappointment and know where the real wound lies.
3. What do I believe I deserve and did not get? At the root of most faith crises is this fact: something should have happened one way, and it happened another way. When we live life with a lot of “should’s,” we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. For example, “I should have received an A on that test.” “He should love me after all I’ve done for him.” “God should have healed my child.” At the core of those statements is the unspoken assumption that we know more than God does. We determine what “should” happen, and God owes it to us to conform reality to our expectations.
Most Christians who have walked with God for any length of time have experienced at least one crisis of faith. Elijah experienced such a crisis when Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him. On the run for his life, Elijah “came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors’” (1 Kings 19:4). Here was a godly man struggling with depression and beginning to lose the vision of why he was serving God.
A. W. Tozer wrote, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply” (The Root of the Righteous, ch. 39, “Glorify His Name!”). Sometimes, we respond to that hurt with having a crisis of faith. But what feels to us like the end is often the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. A crisis of faith is sometimes necessary to shatter our childish illusions about God and discover who He really is.
A crisis of faith can bring us to the point of such desperation that we are willing to do things God’s way, no matter the cost. To overcome a crisis of faith, we must surrender entirely to God’s plan for us. To give God instructions about how our lives should go is to eventually suffer a crisis of faith when He does not follow our instructions. We may discover in our “dark night of the soul” that we had not given Him the wholehearted devotion He requires (Mark 12:29–30).
To overcome a crisis of faith, we must repent of any sin in our lives. Repentance is the doorway to freedom, so Satan and our flesh fight it. In our struggles, we will often do everything but repent. We will cry, complain, grovel, and condemn ourselves—but God asks for none of that. Jesus warned the church at Ephesus that, even though they were still keeping up appearances, their hearts had grown cold toward Him: “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:5).
In overcoming a crisis of faith, we must lay our hearts bare before the Lord, pour out our souls, and surrender afresh to His will for our lives (Galatians 2:20). We must cast down any idols we have erected in our hearts and abolish any worldly thoughts we have entertained in our minds (2 Corinthians 10:5). Then, by faith, we ask for the fruit that can be ours again: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).
The psalmists faced life events that could have resulted in a crisis of faith for them (Psalm 10:1–11; 13:1–4; 22:1–18). They wrote about those times and were not afraid to be honest with God about their emotional struggles. In overcoming a spiritual crisis, we can pray this psalm back to the Lord, whether or not we “feel it” in the moment: “Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help. You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever” (Psalm 30:10–12).
Studies show that unbelief is indeed on the rise these days. We are living in increasingly secular times, and, unfortunately, those who do not believe in the truth of Scripture often seem to have the loudest voices in the public domain. Skeptics are becoming bolder and more vocal, and their influence is seen in education, entertainment, court systems, and government. They have made significant progress toward their goal of having God’s name entirely removed from the public realm.
Add to this the fact that we are living in what some call the most “biblically illiterate times,” and it’s apparent why unbelief is on the rise and why moral standards continue to deteriorate. Other factors contributing to today’s unbelief include the pervasiveness of secular humanism, the church’s halfhearted adherence to the hard truths God’s Word, the significant growth of New Age and Eastern religions, the attempts to redefine the family, the postmodern rejection of absolutes, and the aggressive rise of the New Atheists.
The bottom line is this—we live in a fallen world, and “the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel” (2 Corinthians 4:4). As history moves forward, many will move further away from sound biblical doctrine, and unbelief spreads. “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). There are plenty of false teachers to keep the lost blinded and aid them in their flight from God (Matthew 24:10–11; 2 Timothy 4:3; 1 John 4:1). The sad truth is that most people do not see the Bible as the absolute authority anymore. As God’s Word continues to be marginalized, unbelief will continue to increase around the world.
The Bible warned against unbelief and apostasy nearly two thousand years ago: “[People] will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:4). Along these lines, John MacArthur has stated, “Our society has grown steadily darker; and the message the church is now giving to the world is more confused and confusing than perhaps any time since the Dark Ages.” His conclusion: “The church needs to get back to the Word of God.” Indeed, getting back to the Word is the only solution; to do anything less is to hide our light under a bushel (Luke 11:33). If we want people to believe, we must give them something to believe in.
The servant of Christ should not lose heart. Despite the increasing unbelief and the growing tide of hostility toward Christianity, there is good news. Jesus told us that, before the end comes, His gospel would be preached in the whole world (Matthew 24:14). Portions of the Bible have now been translated into more than 3,850 languages, covering 98 percent of the world’s population. Christian radio broadcasts are now accessible to nearly 78 percent of the earth’s population. God’s Word is being preached around the world with tremendous success by multitudes of Christians, many of whom risk their lives every day to spread the gospel. “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save” (Isaiah 59:1), even in communist China where it is believed over one hundred million people are following Jesus Christ. The World Christian Encyclopedia reports that nearly seventeen million people accept Jesus Christ every year. Scoffers will multiply (Jude 1:18) and unbelief will grow, but Jesus is still Lord of the harvest, it is still His harvest field, and we still pray for Him to send forth His workers (Luke 10:2).
The Bible mentions rewards in heaven multiple times (Matthew 5:12; Luke 6:23, 35; 1 Corinthians 3:14; 9:18). But why are rewards necessary? Won’t being in heaven with God be enough? Experiencing Him, His glory, and the joys of heaven will be so wonderful, it’s hard to understand why extra rewards would be needed. Also, since our faith rests in Christ’s righteousness instead of our own (Romans 3:21–26), it seems strange that our works would merit reward.
God will give rewards in heaven at the bema, or the judgment seat of Christ, based on our faithfulness in service to Him (2 Corinthians 5:10). The rewards will show the reality of our sonship (Galatians 4:7) and the justice of God (Hebrews 6:10). God will give rewards in heaven in order to fulfill the law of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7–9) and make good on His promise that our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
One reason for the rewards in heaven is the fact that Jesus shares His reward with us. Paul said, “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). Our lives are “hidden” with Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1–4). We die with Him and we live with Him and we share in His joy (Romans 6:8; Matthew 25:21). In heaven we will dwell with Him (John 14:1–3). Our lives are inextricably linked with Christ’s. The reward He receives is shared with all of us: “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).
Our rewards in heaven depend on the goodness and power of God. Through Christ’s resurrection we gain an inheritance in heaven; on earth our faith is tested and results in praise and glory and honor when Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:3–9). The things we do in this life are only permanent (that is, carried with us into heaven) if they are built on the foundation, which is Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11–15).
The rewards we gain in heaven are not like the rewards we earn here on earth. We tend to think in material terms—mansions, jewels, etc. But these things are only representations of the true rewards we will gain in heaven. A child who wins a spelling bee treasures the trophy he receives not for the sake of the trophy itself but for what that trophy means. Likewise, any rewards or honor we gain in heaven will be precious to us because they carry the weight and meaning of our relationship with God—and because they remind us of what He did through us on earth.
In this way, rewards in heaven glorify God and provide us with joy, peace, and wonder as we consider God’s work in us and through us. The closer we were to God during this life, the more centered on Him and aware of Him, the more dependent on Him, the more desperate for His mercy, the more there will be to celebrate. We are like characters in a story who suffer doubt, loss, and fear, wondering if we will ever really have our heart’s desire. When the happy ending comes and desire is fulfilled, there comes a completion. The story would not be satisfying without that completion. Rewards in heaven are the completion of our earthly story, and those rewards will be eternally satisfying (Psalm 16:11).
Accomplished people will tell you that goal-setting is essential to achieving success in any worthy endeavor. Perhaps no other ambition is more important in the Christian life than the one the apostle Paul preached about in Philippians 3:13–14: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
What goal was Paul targeting? Like an Olympic athlete, Paul exerted absolute determination to cross the finish line of Christian maturity. For the remainder of his life on earth, Paul was resolutely committed to the passionate pursuit of this singular ambition. He explained to the Philippians that he had not arrived at his destination yet, “but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12).
Take hold means “to win, acquire, possess, or make one’s own.” On the road to Damascus, Paul had been seized by the powerful, unbreakable grasp of the risen Christ (Acts 9:1–19). His life now belonged wholly to Jesus. Acts 9:15 reveals that Paul was God’s chosen instrument to proclaim salvation to the Gentiles and the people of Israel. But this was not the goal Paul pressed toward. Instead, Paul explained, “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 goal Paul pressed toward was twofold: to know Jesus Christ and to become like Him.
Jesus had saved Paul and made him His very own possession to bring him into an intimate and eternal relationship—one that would grow and increase throughout Paul’s earthly life and culminate in “perfection” or “perfect knowledge” at his death (Philippians 3:12, NLT). Crossing the goal line does not happen on earth. While we press toward Christian maturity in this life, “we see only a reflection as in a mirror,” but when we reach the final destination at death, “we shall see face to face” and know Christ fully even as we are fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).
The word press in Philippians 3:14 means “to carry out or participate in an activity, to pursue or follow.” Believers are to actively press forward in our knowledge of the Lord and in our fellowship with Him until we finally hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. . . . Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23, ESV).
Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24, NLT). Giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus are the activities of a Christian who is pressing toward the goal of becoming more like Christ. That is why Paul said, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (Philippians 1:21, NLT).
The apostle John described the action like this: “We are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:2–3, NLT). We keep ourselves pure by imitating Christ in right living (1 Corinthians 11:1; Romans 13:12–14).
James taught that pressing toward the goal of Christian maturity requires determined endurance to stay the course through the trials of life: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2–4).
The Christian growth cycle is ongoing, with a snowball-like effect of building from one success to the next. As we persevere and grow through hardship, we are strengthened and prepared for even greater challenges of faith down the road. We are continually pressing upward into greater maturity as we move toward our goal—our full potential of complete and “perfect maturity” in Jesus Christ.
The English Standard Version describes the goal we press toward as “the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14, ESV). When Jesus took hold of us, God called all of us upward toward His heavenly kingdom through an intimate relationship with His Son. The direction we press toward is “up” because that is where the call comes from—directly from God’s throne. He called us from heaven and will eventually bring us home to heaven (Philippians 3:20; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11:13–16). We press toward that goal by following the call that keeps us moving ever-increasingly onward and upward in Christlikeness and in our knowledge of Jesus our Lord.
The words translated “trust” in the Bible literally mean “a bold, confident, sure security or action based on that security.” Trust is not exactly the same as faith, which is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Rather, trusting is what we do because of the faith we have been given. Trusting is believing in the promises of God in all circumstances, even in those where the evidence seems to be to the contrary. Hebrews 11 talks about faith, which is accepting and believing the truth that God reveals about Himself, supremely in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, the practical consequence of faith in God is trust, which we prove by living out our full acceptance of God’s promises day by day. Furthermore, it is by this trust that we are promised peace: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3).
The classic verse regarding trust is Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” This verse sums up the Bible’s teaching on trust. First, it is the Lord in whom we are to trust, not ourselves or our plans, and certainly not the world’s wisdom and devices. We trust in the Lord because He and He alone is truly trustworthy. His Word is trustworthy (Psalm 93:5; 111:7; Titus 1:9), His nature is faithful and true (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 25:10; 145:13; 146:6), and His plans for us are perfect and purposeful (Isaiah 46:10; Jeremiah 29:11). Further, because of God’s nature, we are to trust Him with all our hearts, committing every aspect of our lives to Him in complete confidence. Finally, we are not to trust in ourselves because our understanding is temporal, finite, and tainted by our sin natures. Trusting in ourselves is like walking confidently across a rotten wooden bridge over a yawning chasm thousands of feet deep. Disaster inevitably follows.
Trust in God is a feature of many of the psalms of David. There are 39 references to trust in the Psalms alone, whether referring to trusting in God and His Word, or to not trusting in riches or the things of this world. It is on the basis of this trust that David finds deliverance from all the evil he encounters. Many of David’s psalms describe situations when he was pursued by Saul and his army, as well as his other enemies, and always did the Lord come to his aid. One thing that can be noted about biblical trust is that it always engenders further trust in our God. The man of God never stops trusting in God completely. His faith may be knocked, he may stumble, or he may fall into the foulest of sins, but “though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand” (Psalm 37:24). The man of God knows that, though trials will beset in this life, his trust will not waver because that trust is based on faith in the promises of God: the promise of eternal joy with the Lord and the promise of an inheritance that “can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:4).
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).
The Bible informs us that Lord God Himself is our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer. In Him, we can take refuge because He is our shield of protection, our horn of salvation, and our stronghold (Psalm 18:2). Over and again, Psalms compares God to a high and strong tower of protection and a shelter where His people can safely hide. But Proverbs 18:10 reveals a similar truth about God’s name: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe” (ESV).
In ancient times, a person’s name was much more than a random identifier or title. A name expressed the person’s nature and individual attributes. Thus, God’s name represents His essential character and authority. The person of God and the name of God cannot be separated.
The Lord’s name is a strong tower because the infinite heights and depths of His person, presence, and power are apprehended in that name. The righteous—those who are made right with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ—can run to Him in all His revealed perfection, faithfulness, power, authority, mercy, and love, and be set on high, barricaded inside His tower of protection, safe from all harm.
The name of the Lord is equivalent to the Lord Himself. It speaks of the revealed essence of God or the revelation of Himself in the history of salvation. The Lord shows Himself faithful and trustworthy to all who confide in Him: “From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me” (Psalm 61:2–3, NLT). The ESV renders the phrase “for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy” (verse 3). The name of the Lord is a strong tower because He is our defense. As we discover what God has revealed about His character, we can trust in Him (Psalm 91:2).
The name of the Lord and the character of God are interchangeable phrases. David said, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you” (Psalm 9:10). God makes His character known to us through His Word, through the person of Jesus Christ, and through the multi-faceted revelations expressed through His many names.
As Elohim, He is Creator; as Yahweh, He is the covenant-keeping, eternal I AM; as El Shaddai, He is the all-sufficient, all-powerful, God Almighty; as Jehovah Jireh, He is our Provider; as Yeshua, He is Savior. He is the Good Shepherd, who leads, guides, and protects; He is the Lamb of God, who lays down His life for us; He is Jesus, the Incarnate Son and Christ the Risen Lord; and He is the eternal, glorious, highly exalted, King of Heaven! Psalm 8:1 rightly acknowledges, “LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens.”
The name of the Lord can also be understood as His nature representing itself. One aspect of that nature is a strong, high tower offering a citadel of safety capable of holding off every hostile attack. Into this tower, the righteous can run and hide, safely guarded above all danger: “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock” (Psalm 27:5).
The name of the Lord is a strong tower because it is capable of safeguarding all who call upon that name. When the prophet Joel foresaw the Lord’s return, he saw a terrifying day of judgment and terror. Yet he declared, “And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved” (Joel 2:32). That same promise of salvation in the name of the Lord echoes in the New Testament (Romans 10:13; Acts 2:21). When we call upon the name of the Lord, we call upon God Himself.
The Lord’s name signifies everything that God is in Himself—His compassion, lovingkindness, mercy, grace, power, judgment, holiness, perfection, knowledge, and more. Everyone who knows and trusts in Him discovers that He is indeed a strong tower.
In John 1:5, the apostle John writes, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” No matter how strong the darkness, it is no match for the light. Darkness cannot overcome it.
John’s reference to light and darkness draws on language from the book of Genesis (cf., Genesis 1:3–5, 14–18, 20–31; 2:7). This suggests that John 1:5 alludes to the first act of creation in making a point about God’s Son. In John’s Gospel light and darkness often have spiritual significance (see John 3:19; 8:12; 12:35, 46). Hence, light is the result of both the act of creation and the act of salvation. God spoke, “and there was light” piercing the darkness (Genesis 1:3). And when the eternal Word of God was made flesh (John 1:1, 14), the radiance of His light could not be overcome by the darkness of a sinful world.
The light of Christ is the life, truth, and knowledge He brings into our world. In the face of spiritual darkness, His light cuts through hearts and illumines sinners (John 1:9; Hebrews 4:12). The reason that many people do not accept Jesus as Lord and Savior is that they “loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed” (John 3:19–20). If people do not come to the light, it is not because they lack knowledge of the light, but because they love sin and darkness.
Notwithstanding, darkness cannot overcome the light. It has no power over light. John says, “To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12–13). The reward for those who embraced the light of God in Christ was that they saw His glory, “the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (verse 14).
John’s use of the word overcome (John 1:5) indicates a triumphant victory of light over darkness. It suggests that light and darkness are not equal counterparts. Darkness exists, but light persists. Darkness looms in the shadows, but light continues to shine through. Even in the darkness of Jesus’ crucifixion, the light was victorious over Satan, sin, and death. Jesus rose again on the third day (John 19:28–30; 20:1–9). He sends His followers “to open [unbelievers’] 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” (Acts 26:18).
As we reflect on the fact that the darkness has not overcome the light, we take heart. Evil will not win; it cannot. We are strengthened to embrace the radiance of God’s glory and share the gospel with everyone who remains in darkness. We can be confident that many will hear the gospel and turn to God in faith. The Light will win.
Jesus, in response to the Pharisees’ question “Who do you think you are?” said, “‘Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.’ ‘You are not yet fifty years old,’ the Jews said to him, ‘and you have seen Abraham!’ ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’ At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds” (John 8:56–59). The violent response of the Jews to Jesus’ “I AM” statement indicates they clearly understood what He was declaring—that He was the eternal God incarnate. Jesus was equating Himself with the "I AM" title God gave Himself in Exodus 3:14.
If Jesus had merely wanted to say He existed before Abraham’s time, He would have said, “Before Abraham, I was.” The Greek words translated “was,” in the case of Abraham, and “am,” in the case of Jesus, are quite different. The words chosen by the Spirit make it clear that Abraham was “brought into being,” but Jesus existed eternally (see John 1:1). There is no doubt that the Jews understood what He was saying because they took up stones to kill Him for making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). Such a statement, if not true, was blasphemy and the punishment prescribed by the Mosaic Law was death (Leviticus 24:11–14). But Jesus committed no blasphemy; He was and is God, the second Person of the Godhead, equal to the Father in every way.
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. They are I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51); I AM the Light of the World (John 8:12); I AM the Door of the Sheep (John 10:7, 9); I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14); I AM the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25); I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6); and I AM the True Vine (John 15:1, 5).
In writing to his “dear children” in the Lord, the apostle John tells them that “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The contrast here is between the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of antichrist; in short, God is greater than Satan.
First John 4 begins with an exhortation for believers to test the spirits of prophets or teachers: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). What a prophet or teacher proclaims reveals whether he is of God or a false prophet of the world. John tells us how to recognize a false prophet: “Every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist” (verse 3). Anyone who teaches or proclaims falsehood about Jesus, such as denying His divinity, is a false prophet. These false prophets are actually speaking in the spirit of the antichrist on behalf of “the one who is in the world,” Satan.
The word antichrist means “against Christ.” Satan is the ultimate spirit against Christ. He is the father of lies and is against truth (John 8:44). He is called “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) and “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). He is “the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2). Satan uses false prophets to lead people away from Christ by deceiving them with a false view of Jesus. Twisting who Jesus is perverts the gospel. It keeps people in the bondage of sin and in darkness. Yet Satan is not as powerful as God, and John reminds the believers in 1 John 4:4 that greater is He that is in believers than he that is in the world.
The bodies of believers are the temples of the Holy Spirit who dwells within them (1 Corinthians 6:19). John encourages those in whom God lives: “You are from God” (1 John 4:4, ESV). They are not of the world. John reassures them that they have “overcome” those who teach false doctrine and who can rightly be called “antichrists.”
John uses the concept of “overcoming” five other times in 1 John: believers have overcome the evil one (1 John 2:13, 14) and have overcome the world (three times in 1 John 5:4–5). The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now indwells believers in Christ (Romans 8:11). The Holy Spirit is far stronger than Satan or any of his minions, the Spirit’s wisdom is greater than any of Satan’s schemes, and the Spirit’s protection is more than enough to thwart any of Satan’s attacks. Because he who is in us is greater than he who is in the world, we have confidence in God and at the same time put no confidence in the flesh. The power is not ours but the Holy Spirit’s.
By these encouragements believers can have peace and rejoice because Jesus has “overcome the world” (John 16:33). Believers need not fear Satan; rather, they trust in the Lord and obey Him. By the living Spirit of God within them, believers can overcome the lies and temptations of the powers of darkness. Those who are of God can boldly say, “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.”
Psalm 23 offers comfort with its soothing words and assurance in the Shepherd. Its poetic allure attracts even unbelievers, while its pastoral imagery draws from David’s own shepherding background, aiming to evoke a sense of tranquility. Throughout Psalm 23, the timeless truth about God and His relationship with His people unfolds. An example is the second verse, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.”
To delve into David’s imagery in Psalm 23:2, consider how shepherds took care of their sheep in biblical times. Rather than “drive” them with a stick from behind as is commonly imagined, shepherds guided the sheep, going before them to suitable pasture. Without a shepherd, sheep would either starve or become prey. Similarly, the shepherd directed the sheep to water sources. By invoking this analogy, David expresses his complete reliance on God to fulfill all his needs, conveying deep adoration for God as the Ultimate Provider.
It is interesting that Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd multiple times in the Gospels, paralleling the Psalms (John 10:11, 14–15; Matthew 18:12–14; Luke 15:3–7). No doubt, His listeners were familiar enough with the Old Testament to pick up on the reference. That might explain why some thought of Him as insane (John 10:19–20). Nevertheless, the resonant truth remains that Jesus is God—the Good Shepherd whom we faithfully follow.
The green pastures and still waters symbolize both spiritual and physical needs. As the Good Shepherd, Christ initially tended to our spiritual needs by “sacrificing his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Isaiah employs similar imagery, proclaiming, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Christians lie in the green pasture of God’s grace and beside the still water of salvation, recognizing that these blessings stem from a Good Shepherd’s guidance.
Beyond spiritual needs, the Good Shepherd also attends to our other requirements. This raises an obvious objection: why do certain Christians still lack? David’s confidence in God’s provision doesn’t negate other passages highlighting the persistence of poverty in this fallen world until God renews His creation (Matthew 26:11; Mark 14:7; John 12:8). Various factors can lead to poverty, and God’s commitment to meet our needs does not necessarily entail a life of constant abundance or freedom from challenges, at least not in this world. Numerous psalms mirror the angst of the psalmist, who felt that God had abandoned him in critical moments, and it is human that we react likewise. However, God’s power shines through both in times of plenty and scarcity.
As the psalmist did, we can confidently declare that God makes us lie down in green pastures, secure, satisfied, and unafraid. Christ, our Good Shepherd, provides for our needs in profound ways.
God’s discipline, the psalmist reminds us that the sorrows we face in this life are temporary. As painful as a season may be, it is only a season. Life has twists, turns, ups, and downs, and, although we may suffer through dark nights, morning will come. Verses 11 and 12 shed more light on this idea: “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.”
We are to sing to God and worship and praise Him (Psalm 30:4; 63:4; 104:33; 146:2). When we are silent and our hearts turn away from worship, we are not living up to our full potential. This sin-riddled world gives us many reasons to despair (John 16:33). Our own sin often brings God’s discipline (Hebrews 12:7–8; Revelation 3:19). Heartaches, disappointments, and betrayals can leave us feeling shattered, and we may wonder if hope will never come again. So God reminds us that joy comes in the morning. Dark nights can last a long time, but they are never permanent for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Instead of hopelessness, we have His promise that He will make all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Only God can take the very bad and transform it into something very good. Even when walking through “the valley of the shadow of death,” we need fear no evil (Psalm 23:4). Our Good Shepherd never abandons us, and our suffering is always purposeful (Psalm 56:8). The Lord can take the broken places in our lives and create a mosaic that blesses the world. It is often our darkest pain that becomes our brightest light when we entrust it to Him. Joy comes in the morning when we awaken to our purpose and see that even our mistakes, sorrows, and confusion have become the foundation upon which God builds a ministry.
David understood that. He was anointed king as a teenager (1 Samuel 16:13) but spent many years on the run from the reigning King Saul. But those years were not wasted. Hard as they were, it was during those years that David penned many of the psalms that now comfort millions. The apostle Paul heard the prison doors slam behind him, and for two long years, he sat in a jail cell for preaching the gospel. Those years may have seemed wasted, yet it was during his imprisonment that he wrote at least four books of the New Testament.
God allows pain and struggle into our lives to refine us like gold (1 Peter 1:6–7). Jesus was God in the flesh, yet He suffered terribly while on earth so that we would know He understands our pain (Hebrews 4:15; 5:7–8). As bad as it was in the moment, “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). We are told to “consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (verse 3). So Jesus models for us what it means that joy comes in the morning.
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.
Samuel Anoints David
1Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”
2“How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!”
The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”
4So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5“In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.”
Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”
7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
8Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”
9Next Jesse presented Shammah,a but Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”
10Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel told him, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.”
11And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.”
“Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
12So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.
David Serves Saul
14Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distressb from the LORD began to torment him. 15Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you. 16Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.”
17And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.”
18One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”
19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”
20And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David. 21When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.
22Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” 23And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.
Samuel Anoints David
1Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”
2“How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!”
The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”
4So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5“In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.”
Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”
7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
8Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”
9Next Jesse presented Shammah,a but Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”
10Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel told him, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.”
11And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.”
“Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
12So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.
David Serves Saul
14Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distressb from the LORD began to torment him. 15Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you. 16Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.”
17And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.”
18One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”
19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”
20And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David. 21When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.
22Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” 23And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.
The primary reason David was loyal to Saul was the anointing King Saul had received from the Lord. In other words, the Lord was the One who chose Saul to be king, and David refused to go against God’s will. On one occasion when David had the opportunity to kill Saul, he refrained, saying, “As surely as the Lord lives . . . the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed” (1 Samuel 26:10–11). David believed Saul was in God’s hands and that he was forbidden to put Saul to death himself.
In addition, David considered Saul’s life precious and of tremendous value. Though David had killed men in war, he would not kill Saul (1 Samuel 26:24). David had great faith in God’s plan and timing. As long as God wanted Saul to be king, David would wait. He would not take matters into his own hands.
On another occasion, David and his men were hiding in a cave that Saul entered to relieve himself. David was near enough to Saul to cut off the edge of his robe, yet he would not kill him. Instead he said, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord” (1 Samuel 24:6).
Saul was the one God had selected to lead the nation of Israel. Samuel had physically anointed Saul with oil when God selected him as king. First Samuel 10:1 says, “Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, ‘Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance?’” The meaning of the physical anointing was that Saul was set apart by God for leadership. David respected God’s choice.
The young David had also been anointed as the future king of Israel. First Samuel 16:13 records, “Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.” It would be many years before God would place him as the official king of the nation, but David knew from experience what it meant to be the Lord’s anointed.
Eventually, Saul did fall in battle, in God’s own timing. This event was bittersweet, as both Saul, who wanted to take David’s life, and Jonathan, who was David’s best friend, were killed on the same day. First Samuel 31 records this battle in which Saul and his sons perished in a battle against the Philistines.
Following Saul’s death, David was appointed king of Judah for seven years before becoming king of all Israel. In total, David would rule for 40 years as king, serving as the Lord’s anointed. He had treated the previous king with great respect and later received the role himself, being called a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).
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).
If we want to know truth, we will look in God’s written Word (2 Timothy 3:16–17) and look to Jesus Christ (John 14:6; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Hebrews 1:3). John refers to Jesus Christ in John 1:1–2, saying, “In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” The Word is God’s total message, and Jesus embodied that full message, which is why He is called the “Logos,” or “Word,” of God (Colossians 1:19; 2:9). God is truth. His Word is truth. Salvation comes by accepting Jesus and agreeing that “Your word is truth.”
Jesus said, “Your word is truth.” When we look at the Bible, we see truth. The Bible does not merely contain the truth; it is the truth. Every word is truth, in every part of the Bible. “The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times” (Psalm 12:6). This is the doctrine of the verbal, plenary inspiration of Scripture.
How we respond to God’s written Word and the Word made flesh has an eternal impact on us. Since God’s Word is truth, rejecting the Bible and rejecting Jesus is rejecting God Himself. Believing, cherishing, studying, and obeying God’s Word is the key to salvation, understanding God, and living abundantly (John 10:10). No matter what we may face in this world, we are sustained by the truth prayed over us in Jesus’ prayer: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."
https://www.itownchurch.com/
Northview Church
Are you holding back from
God
because of fear?
This weekend, Pastor Steve Poe reminded us that when David stood before Goliath,
he didn’t focus on the size of the giant,
He focused on the size of his God.
Fear didn’t stop him from walking in obedience.
Take one step of faith this week and trust God with what feels uncertain.
“But the Lord said to Samuel,
‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.
The Lord does not look at the things
people look at. People look at the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
1 Samuel 16:
(Who is Saul?)
Lamp/Light:
Ner (נֵר) & Or (אוֹר)
The phrase
"light of the world"
translates to
אוֹר הָעוֹלָם (pronounced ohr ha-oh-lahm) in Hebrew.
אוֹר (Ohr)
Means "light".
הַ (Ha)
The definite article ("the").
עוֹלָם (Olam)
Means "world," "universe," or "eternity."
In the context of John 8:12—where
Jesus declares,
"I am the light of the world"
this phrase is famously spoken
in Hebrew as:
אֲנִי אוֹר הָעוֹלָם (ani ohr ha-olam)
These three words
represent the famous verse
Psalm 119:105,
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
The original Hebrew words for these concepts provide deeper insight into the meaning.
Word: Dabar (דָּבָר)
Definition:
Speech, word, or matter.
Context:
In ancient Hebrew thought, a word is not just a sound or a static concept. It carries active, creative power. When God speaks, it brings things into existence.
Lamp/Light: Ner (נֵר) & Or (אוֹר)
Lamp (Ner):
This specifically refers to a small, bowl-shaped oil lamp with a wick. It only illuminates the immediate step right in front of your feet. [1, 2, 3]
Light (Or):
This broader term refers to daylight, sunshine, or brightness. While the lamp reveals the immediate next step, this light illuminates the broader direction of the journey. [1, 2]
Path: Netibah (נְתִיבָה) or Orach (אֹרַח)
Definition:
A path, roadway, or byway.
Context:
These words refer to the physical, sometimes rugged, trail taken by a traveler. It signifies that God's teaching is not a mystery, but a clear, helpful guide to navigate life's practical journey. [1, 2]
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.
Lady Wisdom, or Chokmah (חָכְמָה),
is a prominent personified female figure in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in the Book of Proverbs. She is portrayed as a divine guide who calls out in the streets, offering insight, life, and protection to those who follow her. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The phrase "flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones" (Genesis 2:23) is a powerful Hebrew idiom denoting kinship, equality, and ultimate unity. When Adam first sees Eve, he declares, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh". [1, 2, 3]
The Hebrew Text
In Biblical Hebrew, the phrase reads: עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי (etzem me'atzamay u'vasar mib'sari). [1, 2, 3]
- עֶצֶם (Etzem): Translates literally to "bone," but often carries the meaning of "essence" or "self."
- בָּשָׂר (Basar): Translates to "flesh," representing the material, physical, and mortal aspect of humanity. [1, 2]
The primary Hebrew root for "righteousness" is צדק (ts-d-q). In Biblical Hebrew, this concept extends beyond mere abstract morality; it denotes living in a right relationship with God and others, as well as acting with fairness. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The specific variations include:
- Tzadik (צַדִּיק) - Noun/Adjective
This is the word for an individual who is righteous or just. In Jewish tradition, a highly devout, holy, or spiritually elevated person is often referred to as a Tzadik. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] - Tzedek (צֶדֶק) - Noun
This refers to the concept of righteousness or justice. You'll frequently see it in the famous biblical phrase, "Tzedek, tzedek tirdof" ("Justice, justice shall you pursue"). [1, 2] - Tzedakah (צְדָקָה) - Noun
While literally translating to "righteousness," it is heavily used to mean charity. In the Hebrew mindset, giving to the poor isn't merely an act of benevolence, but a concrete expression of doing "righteousness" in the community.
Cultural Significance
In the ancient Near East, this idiom was the standard way to declare a blood-relative or an immediate family member. By using this phrase, Adam is not just describing Eve's physical origin, but establishing a profound, covenantal bond. It is a declaration of: [1, 2, 3]
- Equality: They are made of the exact same substance.
- Solidarity: It recognizes an inseparable partnership and shared identity. [1, 2, 3]
In Hebrew, the Holy Spirit is known as Ruach HaKodesh (רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ). [1]
The phrase beautifully translates to "the Holy Wind," "Breath," or "Spirit" of God. It is broken down into two distinct words: [1, 2]
In the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh):
The concept appears throughout the Old Testament. In verses like Psalms 51:11, it is written as Ruach Kodshi (רוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ), meaning "Your Holy Spirit". In Judaism, it refers to the divine force, influence, or the spirit of prophecy given by God. [1, 2]
Pronunciation:
Phonetically pronounced ROO-akh hak-KOH-desh. The "ch" in Ruach is a guttural sound, much like clearing your throat. [1]
In the Hebrew Bible, the primary Hebrew word for the Tabernacle is מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan), which translates literally to "dwelling place" or "residence". It stems from the root verb shakan (to dwell or settle), referencing the portable sanctuary where God's presence rested among the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The Tabernacle is also referred to by several other specific Hebrew names, depending on its structural function or purpose:
- Ohel Moed (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד): Translated as "Tent of Meeting" or "Congregation." This term emphasizes its role as the designated meeting place between God and the Israelites. [1]
- Mikdash (מִקְדָּשׁ): Meaning "sanctuary" or "holy place". This highlights the sacred, set-apart nature of the structure. [1, 2]
- Sukah (סֻכָּה): Translated as "booth," "tabernacle," or "covering." While primarily used in the context of the harvest festival (Sukkot), it is sometimes used metaphorically to describe a place of temporary shelter or a divine covering. [1, 2, 3]
Westminster Leningrad Codex
נַחֲמ֥וּ נַחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י יֹאמַ֖ר אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
WLC: Consonants Only
נחמו נחמו עמי יאמר אלהיכם׃
Aleppo Codex
א נחמו נחמו עמי--יאמר אלהיכם
◄ Psalm 110 ►
Book Sum People Topics Que
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ God’s Faithful Messiah
(Genesis 14:17–24; Hebrews 5:1–10)
A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD said to my Lord:
“Sit at My right hand
until I make Your enemies
a footstool for Your feet.”a
2The LORD extends Your mighty scepter from Zion:
“Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
3Your people shall be willing
on Your day of battle.
Arrayed in holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn,
to You belongs the dew of Your youth.
4The LORD has sworn
and will not change His mind:
“You are a priest forever
in the order of Melchizedek.”b
5The Lord is at Your right hand;
He will crush kings in the day of His wrath.
6He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead;
He will crush the leaders far and wide.
7He will drink from the brook by the road;
therefore He will lift up His head.
Footnotes:
1 a Cited in Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42–43, Acts 2:34–35, and Hebrews 1:13
4 b Cited in Hebrews 5:6, Hebrews 7:17, and Hebrews 7:21
The Hebrew Bible is known in Judaism as the Tanakh, an acronym formed from its three core sections: Torah (Teaching), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). [1]
- Torah (The Five Books of Moses): Also called the Pentateuch, it comprises the foundational texts of Judaism, detailing the creation of the world, the history of the patriarchs, and the giving of the Law.
- Nevi'im (Prophets): This section covers the history of the Israelite kingdoms and prophetic oracles.
- Ketuvim (Writings): A diverse collection of poetic, wisdom, and historical texts. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
1. Torah (תּוֹרָה) – The Five Books of Moses
Tradition attributes the authorship of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible to the Prophet Moses, directly dictated by God. [1]
- Genesis (Bereishit): Creation, the patriarchs, and the journey to Egypt.
- Exodus (Shemot): The enslavement in Egypt, the Exodus, and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
- Leviticus (Vayikra): Laws regarding sacrifices, purity, and holiness.
- Numbers (Bamidbar): The journey of the Israelites through the wilderness.
- Deuteronomy (Devarim): Moses' final speeches before his death and the entry into the Promised Land. [1, 2, 3, 5]
2. Nevi'im (נְבִיאִים) – The Prophets
This division is divided into two main categories: the Former Prophets (narrative histories of the nation) and the Latter Prophets (messages of moral and spiritual admonition). [1]
- Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings.
- Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and "The Twelve" (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi). [1]
3. Ketuvim (כְּתוּבִים) – The Writings
These books contain poetry, philosophy, historical records, and apocalyptic literature.
- Poetic & Wisdom Books: Psalms, Proverbs, and Job.
- The Five Megillot (Scrolls): Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther (read on specific Jewish holidays).
- Historical & Apocalyptic Books: Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The Linguistic Basis
The primary reason wisdom is personified as a woman is grammatical. In Hebrew, the word for wisdom--hokmah (חָכְמָה)—is a grammatically feminine noun. This linguistic convention made referring to wisdom as "she" or "her" a natural fit for Hebrew writers. [1, 2, 3]
Where to Find Her
The concept and presence of Lady Wisdom are primarily concentrated in the Wisdom Literature of the Hebrew Bible:
- Proverbs: Chapters 1 through 9 strongly feature Lady Wisdom contrasting directly with "Lady Folly." She is presented as being present with God at the creation of the world. [1]
- Job 28: Contains a famous poem about the search for wisdom, which is ultimately depicted as something hidden from human reach but known to God. [1, 2]
- Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: In writings like Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus) and the Wisdom of Solomon, Lady Wisdom is expanded upon even further, often described as an emanation of God's glory and a divine teacher. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Her Characteristics
- Co-Creator and Guide: In Proverbs 8, Lady Wisdom claims to have been the master worker alongside God at the dawn of creation, delighting in the human race. [1, 2]
- The Antidote to Folly: She frequently contrasts with the "loose woman" or "Lady Folly," representing moral integrity and good judgment versus destruction and moral ruin. [1]
- Universal Reach: Unlike the Torah (the Law of Moses) which was given specifically to the nation of Israel, Wisdom was often viewed by ancient Jewish scholars as a universal gift available to anyone who seeks understanding. [1, 2]
The phrase "to seek and to save that which was lost" is the famous mission statement of Jesus Christ, found in Luke 19:10. It describes God's active pursuit of humanity, much like a shepherd searching for a wandering sheep. [1, 2]
In Hebrew, "new creation" is בְּרִיאָה חֲדָשָׁה (Beriah Chadashah). [1]
- בְּרִיאָה (Beriah): The Hebrew word for "creation," "creature," or a distinct act of making. It shares a root with Bara (בָּרָא), which implies a creation ex nihilo—making something entirely new that did not exist before.
- חֲדָשָׁה (Chadashah): The Hebrew word for "new." [1, 2, 3]
In Hebrew, the name Jesse is Yishai (יִשַׁי). Its exact etymology is debated by scholars, but it is widely thought to mean "gift," "God's gift," or "there is a gift." [1, 2]
The Name's Etymology
Depending on the linguistic analysis, the name Jesse derives from a few different roots: [1, 2]
- Gift of God: Many scholars and etymological sources associate Yishai with a combination of the Hebrew word yesh (יֵשׁ), meaning "there is," and shai (שַׁי), meaning "gift" or "present". [1, 2]
- Man of Jah: In the biblical text (1 Chronicles 2:13), the name is sometimes spelled Ishi (אישי). Some interpretations suggest it is a shortened form of Ishyah, meaning "Man of God" (or "Man of Jah"). [1]
"Root of Jesse" (Biblical Meaning)
The phrase "Root of Jesse" is a famous messianic metaphor from the Book of Isaiah: [1, 2]
"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." (Isaiah 11:10)
Biblical and Cultural Context
- Genesis: In the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Life stood alongside the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
- The Torah: In the Book of Proverbs, wisdom and the Torah itself are figuratively referred to as a "Tree of Life" to those who hold fast to it. [1, 2, 3]
The Lion of Judah in Hebrew is אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה (pronounced ar-YEH ye-hoo-DAH). [1, 2]
The phrase traces its roots back to the Hebrew Bible, originating from the patriarch Jacob’s deathbed blessing in the Book of Genesis, where he refers to his son Judah as a "lion's whelp". [1, 2]
The translation breaks down as follows:
- אַרְיֵה (Aryeh): The most common Hebrew word for "lion".
- יְהוּדָה (Yehudah): The Hebrew name for "Judah". [1, 2, 3, 4]
In addition to the exact phrase, you will often see it referred to as "Lion of the Tribe of Judah," which is written as אַרְיֵה מַטֵּה יְהוּדָה (Aryeh Matteh Yehudah). [1, 2]
In Hebrew, the phrase "horn of salvation" is translated as קֶרֶן יִשְׁעִי (qeren yish'i), which can also be rendered as קֶרֶן יְשׁוּעָתִי (qeren yeshu'ati). It is a powerful biblical metaphor combining two distinct Hebrew words: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- קֶרֶן (qeren): Translates to "horn". In ancient Near Eastern and biblical cultures, animal horns (like those of bulls or wild oxen) were universally recognized symbols of strength, power, and victorious defense. Raising the horn symbolized triumph over enemies, while an exalted horn represented honor and might. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- יִשְׁעִי (yish'i) / יְשׁוּעָתִי (yeshu'ati): Translates to "my salvation" or "my deliverance". These words stem from the Hebrew root for rescue, safety, and victory. [1, 2, 3]
- Old Testament (Tanakh): The most famous occurrence is in Psalm 18:2, where King David declares, "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer... my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold". [1, 2]
- New Testament: This Hebrew metaphor carries over to the Greek New Testament (keras sōtērias), notably in Luke 1:69 where Zechariah praises God for raising up a "horn of salvation" in the house of David, anticipating the coming of Jesus. [1, 2, 3]
The phrase "The Lord is my portion" translates to the Hebrew phrase חֶלְקִי יְהוָה (pronounced khel-KEE Yah-weh or Adonai). [1, 2]
Key Biblical References
This profound expression of faith appears primarily in the Old Testament: [1]
- Lamentations 3:24: "‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him.’"
- Psalm 73:26: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
- Psalm 16:5: "Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure." [1, 2, 3]
Meaning in Hebrew
- Portion (Hebrew: חֵלֶק / Cheleq): Refers to an allotted share, inheritance, or measured-out territory.
- Context: In the ancient division of the Promised Land, the Levites received no physical land inheritance; instead, God Himself was designated as their portion and inheritance. Saying "the Lord is my portion" expresses the deep spiritual truth that God is the believer's ultimate treasure, satisfaction, and provider. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
In Hebrew, "Cup of Salvation" is written as כּוֹס־יְשׁוּע֥וֹת (kos yeshu'ot). It famously appears in Psalm 116:13 ("I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the LORD"). The specific word for cup (kos) is also intrinsically linked to the name of Jesus (Yeshua). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
1. Linguistic Breakdown
- כּוֹס (Kos): The Hebrew word for cup or drinking vessel.
- יְשׁוּע֥וֹת (Yeshu'ot): The plural form of salvation or deliverance, literally translating to "salvations". [1, 2, 3]
2. Meaning and Symbolism
- Thanksgiving and Deliverance: In ancient Israel, lifting a cup was a liturgical gesture—often tied to the prescribed "drink offerings" (nesek) brought to the Temple as an act of profound gratitude for God's rescuing power. [1, 2, 3]
- The Passover Seder: Historically, this phrase connects to the Passover meal. During the Seder, participants drink four cups of wine representing the four promises of redemption in Exodus 6:6-7. [1, 2, 3]
Living water in Hebrew is מַיִם חַיִּים (transliterated as mayim chayim, pronounced MY-eem KHY-eem). Literally translating to "living waters," the phrase traditionally refers to fresh, running water that comes directly from a natural source like a spring, river, or rain. [1, 2]
Breakdown of the Phrase
- Mayim (מַיִם): The Hebrew word for water. It is always plural in form, reflecting the idea of water as a collection of active, moving drops.
- Chayim (חַיִּים): The Hebrew word for life. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Cultural and Biblical Meaning
In ancient times and in Jewish tradition, the concept of mayim chayim holds deep historical and spiritual significance: [1, 2]
- Purity (Mikvah): In biblical law, standing or stagnant water can become ritually impure. Running "living water" is strictly required for purification rituals in a traditional Jewish mikvah (ritual bath). [1, 2, 3]
- Spiritual Refreshment: In the Hebrew Bible, God is famously referred to as Mekor Mayim Chayim (מְקוֹר מַיִם חַיִּים), or the "fountain of living waters". It represents the source of true life, contrasting stagnant, man-made cisterns. [1]
- New Covenant Imagery: In the New Testament, this Hebrew idiom is directly translated into Greek (hydōn zōn) to signify spiritual vitality and the Holy Spirit. For example, in the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks of giving "living water" that becomes a spring welling up to eternal life. [1, 2, 3]
The "Valley of Dry Bones" refers to the famous prophetic vision in Ezekiel 37:1-14. God brings the prophet to a valley full of scattered, lifeless human bones, symbolizing the hopeless and spiritually dead state of Israel during the Babylonian exile, and miraculously resurrects them into a vast army. [1, 2]
The narrative relies on several deeply symbolic Hebrew terms and phrases from the original Tanakh (Hebrew Bible):
- The Valley (ha-Biq'ah - הַבִּקְעָה): In Ezekiel 37:1, the word implies a wide, flat plain or valley. [1, 2]
- Dry Bones (Atzamot Yaveshot - עֲצָמוֹת יְבֵשׁוֹת): The Hebrew word for bones is atzamot (עֲצָמוֹת), while yaveshot (יְבֵשׁוֹת) means "parched" or "dried up," emphasizing the absolute hopelessness of the situation. [1, 2]
- Breath / Spirit (Ruach - רוּחַ): In verses 9 and 10, God tells Ezekiel to call upon the ruach to enter the bodies. This critical Hebrew word can mean "breath," "wind," or "spirit". It ties the physical resuscitation to spiritual renewal and the life-giving power of God. [1]
Hebrews 4:12 describes the Word of God as "living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword". It means God's truth penetrates deep within a person, exposing hidden motives, dividing the spiritual from the physical, and judging the true intentions of the heart. [1, 2, 3]
Why the "Double-Edged Sword" Metaphor Matters:
- Total Penetration: In the original Greek, the text uses distomos, which literally translates to "two-mouthed." This implies the sword cuts both coming and going, leaving no part of human nature unexposed. [1, 2, 3]
- Dividing the Soul and Spirit: The metaphor highlights God's ability to divide between our natural human emotions (soul) and our spiritual nature (spirit), as well as the deeply hidden parts of us like "joints and marrow". [1, 2]
- Judging the Heart: It acts as a discerner, meaning it reveals our innermost thoughts and attitudes so clearly that we are completely exposed before God
- Psalm 46:10 declares, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The word exalted means “lifted up, glorified, or held in high regard.” God is supreme, and every nation will one day recognize His kingship. His reign will never end.
God’s exaltation represents His unmatched greatness, and His name should be lifted above all others. Psalm 99:2 states, “The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples” (ESV). This verse and Psalm 46:10 emphasize God’s sovereignty and supreme authority over all creation. It is inevitable that God’s glory will be revealed throughout the earth. He will receive the honor that is due His name.
God deserves praise and worship. Exalting Him means acknowledging His majestic holiness and power. Isaiah 6:1 vividly describes His exaltation: “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (ESV). God’s exaltation is awe-inspiring, and one day every nation will witness it.
Throughout biblical history, nations of the world pursued their own glory and were ultimately humbled by God. The king of Babylon was one of those rulers guilty of pride and self-exaltation, until the Lord humbled him: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right, and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (Daniel 4:37, ESV). God’s glory among the nations will lead to the humbling of all. “Every mountain and hill [shall be] made low” (Isaiah 40:4).
God’s glory will ultimately triumph over human rebellion and resistance. The apostle Paul emphasizes this truth in Philippians 2:9–11, stating, “God has highly exalted him [Christ] and given him the name that is above every name, so 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” (ESV). The Father has divinely ordained Christ’s exaltation among the nations. “The Lord says to my lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”’ (Psalm 110:1).
One day, Jesus will return to earth and set up His kingdom of righteousness. As the king ruling in Zion, Jesus will draw all nations to Himself: “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” (Isaiah 11:10).
God’s exaltation is closely tied to His salvation. For example, Moses sings, “The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him” (Exodus 15:2, ESV). The psalmist also links salvation to God’s worldwide exaltation: “The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. . . . All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God” (Psalm 98:2–3).
God desires to have a relationship with people from every nation. The exaltation of His glory is not limited to a single group; everyone will join in the praise. Revelation 15:4 beautifully expresses this truth: “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (ESV).
Believers are called to exalt God and share His glory with others. As witnesses of His sovereign greatness, we should actively participate in fulfilling Psalm 46:10. David declares, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south” (Psalm 107:2–3, ESV). As we wait for God to be exalted among all the nations, we are encouraged to “be still” and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).
https://www.gotquestions.blog/not-forsaking-assembling.html
King Solomon was one of the most prolific property developers in biblical history and more than qualified to say, “By wisdom a house is built” (Proverbs 24:3). He constructed the “house of the Lord,” or the temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1), a massive project that took seven years and turned out to be one of the wonders of the ancient world. He also built his own magnificent palace—“the House of the Forest of Lebanon” (1 Kings 7:1–3, ESV)—as well as gardens, roads, walls, infrastructure, and many government buildings.
Yet a physical residence was not the only structure Solomon had in mind when he said, “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures” (Proverbs 24:3–4). Solomon understood that the virtue of wisdom has constructive, life-giving qualities. His maxim closely resembles Proverbs 3:19: “The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens” (ESV). Wisdom initiates life, produces fruit, and inaugurates creative wonders. Wisdom creates, nurtures, fosters, establishes, and fills a house, whether the “house” is a brick-and-mortar building, a household, a family, an enterprise, a company, an individual reputation, or personal character. In Proverbs 14:1, “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.”
In Proverbs 24:3 and elsewhere, the Scriptures personify wisdom as a productive, hardworking woman: “Wisdom has built her house; she has carved its seven columns. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table” (Proverbs 9:1–2, NLT). Although wisdom is an intangible quality, Solomon describes it poetically, as if it were an actual person. In doing so, Solomon vividly communicates availability of wisdom and the benefits of seeking and finding it.
The “rare and beautiful treasures” that fill the rooms of Proverbs 24:4 could be literal—the wise will handle finances well—but they also symbolize blessings such as harmony, unity, loving family relationships, and a sense of safety, protection, well-being, and stability. “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,” says Proverbs 21:20, ESV.
The Bible says that believers are “God’s house.” Through wisdom, we, as God’s children, are built into a solid and secure “house” for the Lord: “But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ” (Hebrews 3:6, NLT).
The apostle Paul taught that we are members of the “household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19–22, ESV). As individual members of Christ’s body, we are being built together into one holy temple in the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:17).
The most important stone in any building is the cornerstone. For this reason, Jesus Christ is called the Cornerstone of the church. He is the firm, immovable foundation upon which the entire building is established, undergirded, supported, and constructed. He sets the pattern for the entire structure. Christ is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” upon which we are built (1 Corinthians 1:24).
Peter encouraged believers to come to God through Jesus Christ so they might be built into a spiritual house for God: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. . . . But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:4–5, 9).
God’s work will last. Without Him, we’re spinning our wheels: “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1). We must depend on the Lord’s wisdom (see Luke 6:48), but how do we get it? We first receive God’s wisdom when we are filled with His Holy Spirit at salvation (1 Corinthians 2:6–15). After that, James tells us that wisdom is gained by asking God for it (James 1:5). We obtain wisdom by seeking it, pursuing it, and valuing it (Proverbs 2:2, 4–5; 4:8). Likewise, we get wisdom by spending time in God’s Word (Psalm 19:7; Proverbs 4:5–7; 2 Timothy 3:15).
The Lord’s wisdom is failproof. God’s “house” is built by God’s wisdom and God’s power, and Jesus is the Cornerstone. We can trust that it will never crumble or collapse (Matthew 16:18).
The phrase "create in me a pure heart" comes from King David's prayer of repentance in Psalm 51:10. [1, 2, 3, 4]
In Hebrew, it is written as:
לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא-לִי אֱלֹהִים [1]
Pronunciation:
Lev tahor b'ra-li Elohim. [1]
Word-by-Word Breakdown:
- לֵב (Lev): Heart.
- טָהוֹר (Tahor): Pure, clean, or unblemished.
- בְּרָא (B'ra): Create. This specific verb is notable because it is exclusively used in the Hebrew Bible for divine creation out of nothing.
- לִי (Li): For me.
- אֱלֹהִים (Elohim): God
In the Hebrew Bible, manna is the miraculous "bread of heaven" that God provided to the Israelites every day during their 40 years of wandering in the desert. [1, 2]
The Hebrew word for manna is spelled מן. There are a few different theories about its origin and literal meaning: [1, 2]
- "What is it?": This is the most widely cited meaning. According to Exodus 16:15, when the Israelites first saw the substance covering the ground, they asked each other, "Man hu?" which translates literally to "What is it?". [1]
- "Portion" or "Gift": Other scholars suggest it comes from the Hebrew root word for portion or allotment, referring to God's daily provision for the people. [1]
Key Biblical Details:
- Appearance: It was described as small, round, and white, resembling frost or coriander seed. [1]
- Rules of Gathering: The Israelites were commanded to gather exactly one "omer" (about a daily portion) per person. It could not be hoarded; any left overnight would spoil, except for the double portion gathered on Fridays to observe the Sabbath. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- Symbolism: In The Meaning of Manna in the Bible, the substance symbolizes ultimate faith—trusting that God will provide exactly what you need, day by day, without the need to hoard for the future
In Hebrew, "King of Glory" is מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד (pronounced Melekh HaKavod). [1, 2] This exact phrase is famously found in Psalm 24:7–10: “Lift up your heads, O gates... and the King of glory shall come in”. [1, 2]
The Deeper Meaning
The root of kavod comes from the word kaved (כָּבֵד), which literally means "heavy" or "weighty". When applied to God's glory, it refers to the tangible, weighty, and substantial presence of His majesty, honor, and reputation. [1, 2, 3]
Key Hebrew Terms and Phrases
- Son of God: The Hebrew phrase for "son of God" is ben Elohim (בֶּן־אֱלֹהִים). The plural form bene Elohim (בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים) appears in the Old Testament to refer to spiritual or angelic beings (e.g., Job 1:6). It is also used metaphorically in places like Exodus 4:22 to describe the nation of Israel as God's son, and in 2 Samuel 7:14 to describe King David. [1, 2, 3]
- Eternal/Everlasting: The Hebrew word for eternity, forever, or everlasting is olam (עוֹלָם). When describing God, it points to a being who exists outside of time
In the Hebrew Bible, "appointed times" refers to Moedim (מוֹעֲדִים), meaning fixed seasons, set times, or divine appointments. These are holy days established by God in Leviticus 23 to serve as sacred assemblies and rehearsals for prophetic events. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The Moedim follow a lunar-solar calendar and include the following key observances:
- Shabbat (The Sabbath): The weekly seventh-day rest commemorating creation and God's covenant.
- Pesach (Passover): Celebrates the exodus from Egypt and points to the sacrifice of the ultimate lamb.
- Chag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread): A seven-day period symbolizing the removal of sin and haste in leaving Egypt.
- Yom HaBikkurim (Firstfruits): The offering of the first barley harvest, traditionally associated with the resurrection.
- Shavuot (Feast of Weeks / Pentecost): Celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
- Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets): The head of the year, signaling a time of awakening and preparation.
- Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement): The holiest day of the year, focused on fasting, repentance, and atonement.
- Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles): A joyous harvest festival where temporary booths (sukkahs) are built to remember wilderness wanderings. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
For exact dates, reading schedules, and ways to observe these upcoming holidays, you can utilize the Hebrew4Christians Calendar or review festival guidelines on Chabad Jewish Holidays.
Pentecost in the Jewish tradition is called Shavuot (meaning "Weeks"). It falls exactly 50 days after Passover. Originally an agricultural festival celebrating the wheat harvest and first fruits, it primarily commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key Aspects of Shavuot:
- The Date: It occurs exactly seven weeks (49 days) plus one day after Passover, concluding the Counting of the Omer. [1]
- Historical Significance: It marks the monumental day when God gave the Ten Commandments to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, transitioning them from a band of freed slaves to a nation bound by divine law. [1, 2]
- Agricultural Roots: In ancient times, it was one of the three pilgrimage festivals when farmers brought the first fruits (bikkurim) of the spring harvest to the Temple in Jerusalem. [1, 2]
Several verses in the Bible mention “the apple of the eye.” This ancient metaphor is a reference to the “pupil” of the eye, which is exactly how some Bible translations render it. Here are three Old Testament uses of the phrase the apple of the eye:
The wise father says to his son, “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye” (Proverbs 7:2).
The psalmist prays, “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 17:8).
And in Deuteronomy 32:10 Moses relates a poetic description of God’s care for Israel: “In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye.”
At the risk of getting a little word-nerdy, let’s look at some of the Hebrew behind the phrase. The “apple” in the apple of the eye is a translation of the Hebrew word for “apple,” ishon, which is related to the word ish, meaning “man.” Etymologically, the ishon of the eye is “the little man of the eye.” Have you ever looked someone in the eye and seen your own reflection in their pupil? That’s the “little man,” right in the center of the eye.
The apple of one’s eye is a very sensitive place and therefore very protected. Think about your own eye for a moment. What happens if something flies in it or toward it? Your eyelids reflexively close, your head turns, and your hands position themselves to ward off the threat. Our eyesight is valuable, and our body naturally protects that vulnerable spot to prevent injury.
So, the instruction in Proverbs 7:2 is to hold godly wisdom in high regard as the valuable thing it is. The prayer in Psalm 17:8 is for God to keep guard over us as He would the pupil of His own eye. And the description of God’s care for His people in Deuteronomy 32:10 emphasizes Israel’s vulnerability and God’s tender, loving affection. God provided complete protection; His people were a priority. In the “howling wilderness,” God provided manna for them to eat, water from a rock, and safety from their enemies. His care was as automatic as if He were guarding the center of His eye from harm. What a loving God we serve.
God held the Israelites as the apple of His eye, rebellious and stiff-necked though they were in the wilderness. Being the apple of His eye, they were most cherished. And God’s care for His people has not diminished with time. He holds His children close, and He can protect us as easily as our eyelids protect our pupils. He does this because He loves us in Christ. He has a parental, protective love for us, and the biblical descriptions of His love are eye-opening, to say the least.
When Jesus states that He came to "fulfill the law" (found in Matthew 5:17), He is not saying He came to terminate or abolish it. Instead, in Jewish and Hebrew thought, He is confirming its ultimate purpose, revealing its true meaning, and bringing it to its intended completion. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The Hebrew Context of "Fulfill"
In the original Hebrew and Aramaic cultural context of Jesus' day, the phrase "to fulfill the law" (often tracing back to the Hebrew concept of kayem) meant to interpret, uphold, and live out the Torah perfectly. When a rabbi "fulfilled" the law, he was illustrating its true requirements. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key ways Jesus fulfills the law:
- Correct Interpretation: In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus contrasts common misinterpretations of the Law with its true, deeper meaning. He teaches that the Law demands not just outward actions (like avoiding murder), but inward purity (avoiding hatred and anger). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- Living the Perfect Life: Jesus is the only one who lived a life of complete obedience to God's standard, fully "establishing" the Torah through His own actions. [1, 2]
- Completing the Story: "The Law and the Prophets" is the traditional Jewish term for the entire Hebrew Bible. Jesus fulfills them by completing God’s long-standing story of bringing healing and redemption to humanity. [1]
- The Final Sacrifice: The Law required sacrifices and rituals to deal with sin. Jesus fulfilled these requirements once and for all through His own sacrificial death on the cross, making repeated temple sacrifices unnecessary. [1, 2]
Ultimately, Christians believe Jesus became the climactic goal of the Law. Because of His fulfillment, believers are guided by His teachings of love rather than being bound by the strict legal code of the Old Testament (Romans 13:8-10).
The Tower of Babel is a foundational narrative in Genesis 11:1–9 that explains the origin of diverse languages. In Hebrew, it is known as Migdal Bavel (מִגְדַּל בָּבֶל). According to the text, God confused humanity's single language to stop their arrogant rebellion, scattering them across the earth. [1, 2, 3]
Key Hebrew Terms & Etymology
- Babel (בָּבֶל): In the Hebrew Bible, the name derives from the verb balal (בָּלַל), which means "to confuse," "to jumble," or "to confound". The text states, “That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world”.
- Migdal (מִגְדַּל): The Hebrew word for "tower" or "fortress."
- Shinar (שִׁנְעָר): The plains where the event took place. This refers to ancient Mesopotamia/Babylonia. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
The Original Biblical Hebrew Text
A classic translation from the original Hebrew Bible begins with the unity of mankind prior to the tower's construction (Genesis 11:1):
- Hebrew text: וַיְהִי כָל-הָאָרֶץ, שָׂפָה אֶחָת, וּדְבָרִים, אֲחָדִים.
- Transliteration: Vayehi chol-ha'aretz safah echat udvarim achadim.
- Translation: "And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech." [1, 2]
Ruach (רוּחַ) is a Hebrew word meaning "spirit," "wind," or "breath". Pronounced roo-ahkh (with a guttural, throaty "kh" at the end), it implies a powerful, animating life force. In biblical contexts, it refers to the breath of life and the Spirit of God. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The Core Meanings
- Breath: The physical breath required to sustain life.
- Wind: The invisible, moving air or a gale.
- Spirit: The animating essence, mood, or divine presence within people or the world. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key Concepts in the Hebrew Bible
- Creative Force: In Genesis 1:2, the Ruach Elohim (Spirit of God) hovered over the waters, signifying an active, life-giving presence preparing to create the world. [1, 2, 3]
- Life-Giver: The word is used in Ezekiel 37 (the valley of dry bones), where God breathes His ruach into the dead, bringing them back to life. [1, 2, 3]
- The Holy Spirit: In Psalms, "Holy Spirit" is written as Ruach HaKodesh (רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ). [1, 2]
In Daniel 9:24, the "seventy weeks" translates directly from the Hebrew phrase shiv'im shavu'im (שִׁבְעִים שָׁבֻעִים), which literally means "seventy sevens". Historically and contextually, this refers to seventy groups of seven years each—totaling 490 years—which are decreed for Jerusalem and the Jewish people. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Breaking Down the Hebrew and the Timeline
The prophecy is famously divided into three distinct segments, calculated as 49 years, 434 years, and a final 7-year period. [1]
- The First 7 Weeks (49 Years): Referred to in Hebrew as shavu'im shiva' (שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעָה), this period covers the time from the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the completion of its streets and walls, a difficult process detailed in the Book of Nehemiah. [1]
- The Next 62 Weeks (434 Years): In Hebrew, shavu'im shishim u-shenayim (שָׁבֻעִים שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם). This span brings the timeline to the arrival of the "Anointed One" (מָשִׁיחַ - Mashiach), or Messiah. [1, 2]
- The Final 1 Week (7 Years): The last period, shavu'a echad (שָׁבוּעַ אֶחָד), describes a time where the Messiah will be "cut off" (killed) and a future ruler will bring an end to sacrifices, causing the "abomination of desolation". [1, 2]
Significance of the Language
- Shavu'im (שָׁבֻעִים): The plural masculine noun for "weeks," which in biblical chronology stands for "sevens" of years. It shares the same root as the Hebrew word for the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot). [1, 2, 3, 4]
- Messiah Cut Off: The word for "cut off" is the Hebrew yikaret (יִכָּרֵת), signifying a violent death or being cut off from one's people.
- Seventy: The number 70 traditionally carries theological weight in the Hebrew Bible, often representing a period of divine completion, perfection, or the fullness of a generation (e.g., the 70 years of Babylonian exile). [1, 2]
In Hebrew, "Messiah" is מָשִׁיחַ (pronounced mah-shee-akh or ma-shí-ah), which literally translates to "the anointed one". The term originates from the root meaning to anoint, reflecting the ancient tradition of pouring sacred oil over the heads of kings, priests, and prophets to consecrate them for their roles. [1, 2, 3]
Related Hebrew Terms
- מלך המשיח (Melekh HaMashiach): "The Anointed King," often used in Jewish tradition to refer to the future redeemer descended from King David.
- משיח בן דוד (Mashiach ben David): "Messiah, son of David."
- ישוע המשיח (Yeshua HaMashiach): "Jesus the Messiah" (or Jesus Christ) in Christian theology. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Historical and Religious Context
- Judaism: The Mashiach is understood to be a mortal, human king from the line of King David who will bring about an era of global peace, gather the Jewish exiles to the land of Israel, and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. [1, 2]
- Christianity: The term evolved to define Jesus as the ultimate savior, lord, and anointed king whose life and sacrifice fulfilled the prophecies found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). The English word "Christ" comes directly from Christos, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Mashiach
In Hebrew, "Yeshua" (יֵשׁוּעַ) is the original name for Jesus. It is a shortened form of the biblical name Yehoshua (Joshua) and literally translates to "salvation". Names in Hebrew are often deeply tied to a person’s purpose, highlighting the Messiah's mission to rescue and deliver. [1, 2, 3]
History and Meaning
- The Root: Yeshua comes from the Hebrew root word yasha (to rescue, deliver, or save). [1, 2, 3]
- Biblical Usage: The name appears nearly 30 times in the Hebrew Bible, primarily in the later books (such as Ezra and Nehemiah) to describe different individuals, including the high priest Joshua. [1, 2, 3]
- Evolution into "Jesus": How did Yeshua become Jesus? The process involves multiple languages:Hebrew: Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ)
Paul began, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation” (Colossians 1:15, NLT). Jesus is “before all things” because He is Creator of all things: “For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16, CSB).
Jesus Christ had to exist “before all things” (before the creation of the world) to be present and active with God at the creation of the world: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1–2). The “Word” or Logos is an undeniable reference to Jesus Christ in this passage. The apostle John established Christ’s eternal existence, an attribute that can only be ascribed to God.
John also confirmed that there is absolutely nothing that Jesus did not create: “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3). Everything in the universe came about by and through Jesus, the source of life (Hebrews 1:3; John 1:10). And thus Paul concluded that Jesus outranks everything in creation because He is the eternal God and Creator of all things. As Creator, Jesus has absolute superiority over all creation, including any false gods, idols, or spirit beings that these false teachers in the early church were promoting.
He is before all things means Jesus Christ is sovereign and supreme: “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven” (Hebrews 1:3, NLT). Jesus alone is the perfect image of God, expressing His character and glory. Paul reinforces the point that Jesus is God: “For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ” (Colossians 1:19, NLT).
He is before all things means Jesus is first in everything: “Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything” (Colossians 1:18, NLT). Every other being in creation is subject to His authority (Matthew 8:23–27; 28:18; John 3:35). “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” (Philippians 2:9–11; see also Hebrews 1:4). Jesus Christ reigns supreme over and above everything in the universe (Ephesians 1:22–23; John 3:31).
The problem with denying Christ’s preeminence or supremacy is that it negates His sufficiency as Lord and Savior. So, with this as his culminating point, Paul drove home his argument: “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. This 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 1:20–22, NLT). Paul challenged the Colossians to stand firm in the rock-solid good news by which they had received salvation and not let false teachings cause them to drift away from the truth (Colossians 1:23).
He is before all things means Jesus Christ has always existed—He is “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Timothy 1:17). He was alive and active before the creation of the world. Indeed, He is the Creator, our source of life, and first in everything. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior—the only One sufficient to reconcile us sinners to God. “And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen” (Romans 9:5, NLT).
- In Hebrew, "New Covenant" is בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה (pronounced brit chadashah). [1, 2]
- בְּרִית (Brit): Covenant, treaty, or testament.
- חֲדָשָׁה (Chadashah): New or renewed. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The Davidic Covenant (in Hebrew: בְּרִית דָּוִד, Brit David) is God's unconditional promise to King David, primarily found in 2 Samuel 7, guaranteeing an eternal royal dynasty, an everlasting kingdom, and an ultimate lineage culminating in the Messiah. [1, 2]
Core Hebrew Terms
Understanding the original Hebrew reveals the poetic and theological depth of the covenant:
- Covenant (בְּרִית - B'rit): A binding contract, pact, or treaty. In the context of King David, it is an eternal grant of kingship. [1, 2, 3]
- House (בַּיִת - Bayit): A central wordplay in 2 Samuel 7. David initially wanted to build God a bayit (a physical house or Temple). Instead, God answered that He would build David a bayit (a dynastic household or royal lineage). [1]
- Seed/Offspring (זֶרַע - Zera): God promises that David’s literal zera will succeed him on the throne, which found its initial fulfillment in Solomon but looks prophetically to the ultimate Anointed One. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- Forever (עוֹלָם - Olam): God promises that David's throne, kingdom, and household will endure eternally. [1, 2]
The United Monarchy of ancient Israel was a pivotal era (c. 1047–930 BCE) when the twelve Hebrew tribes transitioned from a loose confederation into a centralized state under the reigns of Kings Saul, David, and Solomon. [1, 2, 3]
The period is detailed in the Hebrew Bible and remains a major subject of archaeological investigation. [1, 2]
The Three Monarchs
- King Saul: The first king of Israel, anointed by the prophet Samuel to unite the Hebrew tribes and defend against the Philistines. [1, 2, 3]
- King David: Saul’s successor, who consolidated the tribes, expanded the kingdom's borders, and established Jerusalem as the political and spiritual capital. [1]
- King Solomon: David’s son, who ushered in a period of economic prosperity, built the First Temple, and centralized the official cult of Yahweh. [1, 2]
The concept of the "remnant of Israel" (Hebrew: She'erit Yisrael - שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל or She'ar - שְׁאָר) is a foundational biblical doctrine. It refers to the faithful, surviving portion of the Jewish people who remain loyal to God's covenant despite exile, divine judgment, or widespread unfaithfulness. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Hebrew Terms
- She'erit (שְׁאֵרִית): The most common Hebrew word for "remnant" or "residue". It comes from the root sha'ar (to be left behind or to remain). It emphasizes the posterity and survivors of a larger group. [1]
- She'ar (שְׁאָר): Another Hebrew noun for remnant. Notably, the prophet Isaiah named his son Shear-jashub (שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב), which translates to "a remnant will return," as a sign that God would preserve a portion of Israel after the Assyrian invasion. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Theological Significance
- Divine Mercy and Preservation: Though prophets warned of catastrophic consequences and exile for straying from God, the doctrine of the remnant guaranteed that Israel would not be completely destroyed. [1, 2]
- The Faithful Few: The remnant represents those who are spiritually faithful—the "poor," "meek," or "servants of Yhwh" in the community, rather than the nation as a whole. [1, 2]
- Future Redemption: The prophets—such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, and Zechariah—foretold that God would ultimately gather this remnant from all the nations where they were scattered and restore them to the Promised Land. [1, 2, 3]
Modern Usage
Historically and culturally, the phrase She'erit Yisrael has been used as a name for historic Jewish congregations. For example, Congregation Shearith Israel is the oldest Jewish congregation in New York City, honoring the idea that those who kept the faith are the continuing, living legacy of ancient Israel
The 144,000 are first mentioned in Revelation 7:4, “Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.” This passage comes in an interlude between the judgment of the sixth seal of the tribulation (Revelation 6:12–17) and the opening of the seventh seal (Revelation 8:1).
How one answers the question “who are the 144,000?” depends on which interpretive approach one takes to the book of Revelation. The futurist approach, which we consider the best, interprets the 144,000 literally. When taken at face value, Revelation 7:4 seems to speak of 144,000 actual people living during the end-times tribulation. Nothing in the passage leads to interpreting the 144,000 as anything but a literal number of Jews—12,000 taken from every tribe of the children of Israel, according to verses 5–8.
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.
Much of the confusion regarding the 144,000 is a result of the false doctrine of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that 144,000 is a limit to the number of people who will reign with Christ in heaven and spend eternity with God. The 144,000 have what the Jehovah’s Witnesses call the “heavenly hope.” Those who are not among the 144,000 will enjoy what they call the “earthly hope”—a paradise on earth ruled by Christ and the 144,000. It is true that there will be people ruling in the millennium with Christ. These people will be comprised of the church (believers in Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 6:2), Old Testament saints (believers who died before Christ’s first advent, Daniel 7:27), and tribulation saints (those who accept Christ during the tribulation, Revelation 20:4). Yet the Bible places no numerical limit on this group of people. Furthermore, the millennium is different from the eternal state, which will be established at the completion of the millennial period. At that time, God will dwell with us in the New Jerusalem. He will be our God, and we will be His people (Revelation 21:3). The inheritance promised to us in Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13–14) will become ours, and we will be co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
“No one has ever seen God” (John 1:18a). This statement refers to the spiritual nature of God. God is spirit (John 4:24a), and so we are naturally limited in perceiving Him. Physical eyes cannot behold spiritual beings.
The Lord Jesus Christ is a unique case: “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man” (John 3:13). Since He is both the Son of Man and the Son of God, Jesus knows both the earthly and heavenly realms. He descended from heaven, where “he was with God in the beginning” (John 1:2). Jesus has seen God; in fact, Jesus is the embodiment of all God is: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known” (John 1:18; cf. Colossians 2:9).
Because of our physical, moral, and spiritual limitations, God the Father sent His one-and-only Son into the world. Through Jesus Christ, we know God and are redeemed from our sin. If we want to see God, we must look to Jesus. Those who beheld Jesus as He walked this earth were, in a sense, seeing God—not God as a spirit but God clothed in humanity (John 14:9).
When Moses talked with God at the burning bush, “Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God” (Exodus 3:6). Later, God tells Moses, “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (Exodus 33:20). In other words, truly seeing God as He is, in the fullness of His glory, is more than any mortal can tolerate (cf. Isaiah 6:5). Moses was allowed a glimpse of God’s glory, but, for his own protection, most of God’s glory was kept hidden from him (Exodus 33:21–23).
What, then, should we do with other passages that describe various people “seeing” God? For example, in Exodus 33, the same chapter in which Moses cannot see God, Moses speaks to God “face to face” (verse 11). In this instance, we must understand the phrase face to face as a figure of speech indicating Moses and God were in close communion. They were speaking to each other as if they were two human beings holding a conversation.
There are other times when people seem to have seen God:
• In Genesis 32:22–32, Jacob wrestles with someone who is later revealed to be God. When the incident was over and Jacob felt the full import of what had just happened, he was overawed: “So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared’” (verse 30). However, Jacob did not see God in all His glory, and he did not see God in spirit form. On a purely physical level, Jacob wrestled a theophany, a manifestation of God in human form.
• In Judges 13:1–23, Samson’s parents have an interaction with the angel of the Lord. They don’t realize they are speaking to the angel of the Lord until the angel performs a sign and ascends to heaven before their eyes. At that point, Samson’s father is terrified: “‘We are doomed to die!’ he said to his wife. ‘We have seen God!’” (verse 22). But, as in Jacob’s case, they had only seen God appearing as an angel. This is another example of a theophany (or Christophany).
• In Isaiah 6:1–13, Isaiah has a vision of “the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne” (verse 1). There are seraphim present, and even they cover their faces in God’s presence (verse 2). Isaiah’s immediate reaction is fear due to his sin: “Woe to me!” he cries. “I am ruined! . . . My eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty” (verse 5). God then atones for Isaiah’s sin and commissions him as a prophet. Of note here is that Isaiah is experiencing a prophetic vision; thus, he is not seeing Yahweh, per se, but a symbol of His presence and majesty. Or this could be another Christophany (see John 12:41).
No one has ever seen God, who is “the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:15–16, emphasis added). It is only through God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that we can approach God, know God, and see God.
https://www.newcovenantgj.org/if-you-believe-you-will-see-the-glory-of-god/
The phrase "arise, shine" comes from the famous Bible verse Isaiah 60:1: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you". [1]
In the original Hebrew text (often transliterated as kumi ori), the key terms hold deep, active meanings: [1, 2]
- Arise (Kumi / קומי): Comes from the root word qum. It means to stand up, awaken, or to be established. Rather than just waking up from sleep, it implies rising to a place of restoration and taking action. [1, 2, 3]
- Shine (Ori / אוֹרִי): Translates to "give light" or "be radiant." It is an active command to radiate light, originating from the root word for light (or). [1, 2, 3, 4]
- Glory (Kavod / כָּבוֹד): In biblical Hebrew, glory refers to weight, substance, splendor, majesty, and the visible manifestation of God's presence. [1, 2]
Together, the phrase is a spiritual call to stand up out of darkness and actively reflect God’s radiant presence and majesty into the world. [1, 2]
Hebrews 12:6 says, “For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives” (KJV). Another word for “chasten” is “discipline.” The passage goes on to quote Proverbs 3:11-12, which says, “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” Proper discipline is a proof of love.
Throughout Scripture, God portrays Himself as a Father. Those who have received Jesus as Savior are His children (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26). He uses the analogy of father/son because we understand it. He compares Himself to a loving father who not only blesses but disciplines His beloved children for their own good. Hebrews 12 goes on to show that those who do not receive God’s discipline are not legitimate children (verse 8). A loving father carefully watches his son, and when that son defies his orders and heads for danger, the father disciplines him to keep him safe. God does that with us. When a born-again child of God heads for sin or refuses to resist temptation, our Heavenly Father brings chastening into his life to direct him back to holiness.
Chastening can come in the form of guilty feelings, unpleasant circumstances, loss of peace, relationship fractures, or any number of negative consequences for choosing sin. Sometimes, the chastening of the Lord can be physical illness or even death (1 Corinthians 11:30).
Often, people ask if God is “punishing” them for wrong choices in the past. All our punishment for sin was exhausted upon Jesus on the cross (Romans 5:9). The wrath of God was poured out on Him so that for those who are “in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1) no wrath remains. When we give our lives to Christ, our Substitute for sin, our sin is forgiven and God remembers it no more (Hebrews 8:12; 10:15-18). However, often, our wrong choices in the past have brought about unpleasant consequences now. God does not necessarily remove the natural consequences of sin when we repent. Those consequences are tools God can use to teach us, to prevent us from repeating the same mistakes, and to remind us of God’s grace.
Examples of chastening are found throughout the Bible. The Israelites were continually disobeying God’s commands (Numbers 14:21-23; Judges 2:1-2; 2 Kings 18:12). He was patient with them, He sent prophets to plead with them, and He warned them many times. But when they dug in their heels and embraced idols or evil practices, God brought chastening upon them in the form of plagues or enemy attacks (Jeremiah 40:3). He still loved them, and in His love He could not allow them to continue in behavior that would destroy them.
There are many examples of personal chastening in the Bible, as well, even upon those in whom the Lord most delighted—Moses (Numbers 27:12), David (1 Chronicles 28:3), and Solomon (1 Kings 11:11), to name a few. Notice that, although these men made mistakes and were chastened for them, God did not stop loving or using them. He brought discipline appropriate to the crime, but always forgave the truly repentant heart. God always restored the relationship.
When we sin, we can expect that our loving Heavenly Father will not let us get away with it. Because He loves us, He desires us to live holy lives (1 Peter 1:15-16; Romans 8:29). If someone professes to know Christ but is living a lifestyle of unrepentant sin and claims to “feel fine about it,” with no qualms, then that person is not a legitimate child of God (Revelation 3:19; Hebrews 12:5-11; Job 5:17; Psalm 94:12; I John 3:4-12). God “chastens everyone he accepts as his son” (Hebrews 12:6).
The twelve tribes of Israel came from the twelve sons of Israel. “Israel” is the name that God gave Jacob (Genesis 32:28). His twelve sons are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin (Genesis 35:23-26; Exodus 1:1–4; 1 Chronicles 2:1–2). When the tribes inherited the Promised Land, Levi’s descendants did not receive a territory for themselves (Joshua 13:14). Instead, they became priests and had several cities scattered throughout all of Israel. Joseph’s tribe was divided in two—Jacob had adopted Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, essentially giving Joseph a double portion for his faithfulness in saving the family from famine (Genesis 47:11–12). This means the tribes who received territory in the Promised Land were Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. In some places in Scripture, the tribe of Ephraim is referred to as the tribe of Joseph (Numbers 1:32–33).
After King Solomon died, Israel split into two kingdoms. Judah, to the south, included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The other tribes combined to make the kingdom of Israel in the north. In the ensuing years, many Israelites in the north emigrated to Judah in the south to flee the apostasy in their homeland (see 2 Chronicles 11:16; 15:9). Eventually, Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians, and most of the Israelites were either killed or deported; the Israelites who remained most likely integrated with Judah as many of the faithful before them had.
Jesus was from Judah, Paul was from Benjamin, and John the Baptist was a Levite, but, since the diaspora in A.D. 70, identifying the tribe of a modern Jew is a little more difficult. That doesn’t mean that the tribal divisions are irrelevant. During the tribulation, when most of the world has abandoned God and is following the Antichrist, 144,000 Jews will be sealed by God. This number comprises 12,000 from each tribe. So, even if we don’t know who is in what tribe, God has kept track. The tribes are listed again in Revelation 7:5-8, but they are not the same tribes that were given land in Joshua. Manasseh is there, and Ephraim (under Joseph’s name). But instead of Dan, Levi is included. No explanation is given as to why.
In Hebrew, the concept of the "breath of God" is primarily translated using two distinct words found in the scriptures: Ruach and Neshamah. [1]
1. Ruach (רוּחַ) [1, 2, 3]
- Meaning: Spirit, wind, or breath.
- Context: This is the most common word for "spirit" in the Old Testament. When referring to the breath of God, it is written as Ruach Elohim (Spirit of God). It conveys the animating, creative, and life-sustaining essence of God.
- First Appearance: Genesis 1:2, where the "Spirit of God" hovers over the waters. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
2. Neshamah (נְשָׁמָה)
- Meaning: Breath, blast, or soul.
- Context: This term is more exclusively tied to literal breath or the life-force that God places within living creatures. When referring to the breath of God, it is translated as Nishmat Eloah.
- First Appearance: Genesis 2:7, where God breathes the "breath of life" (nishmat chayyim) into the first human
In the Hebrew Bible, the phrase "everlasting kingdom" refers to the eternal, unshakeable reign of God. It translates from the Hebrew phrase malkhut olam (מַלְכוּת עוֹלָם). [1, 2]
Key Hebrew Words Explained
- Malkhut (מַלְכוּת): Meaning "kingdom," "reign," or "dominion". It stems from the root word for king (melech).
- Olam (עוֹלָם): Meaning "forever," "eternity," or "everlasting." It represents a time with no horizon or a duration stretching beyond human limits. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Notable Biblical Occurrences
This concept highlights the ultimate sovereignty of God in contrast to temporary earthly empires. You can find the phrase in key passages such as: [1]
- Psalm 145:13: "Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom (malkhut olam), and your dominion endures throughout all generations."
- Daniel 4:3: "His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
The King is alive!
“Mine EYES have seen
The GLORY
of
The coming of the Lord
He is Trampling
out
The vintage where
The Grapes
of
Wrath are Stored
He have loosed the fateful lightening
of
His terrible swift sword
His TRUTH
Is Marching on
Glory, glory Hallelujah
Glory, glory Hallelujah
Glory, glory Hallelujah
His Truth is marching on
ONE
time, while on a short,
overseas trip…
Sometimes
it seems that I can have
severe
short-term memory loss
when it comes to
remembering the
goodness and faithfulness
of our God.
He has come through so many times, even
miraculously!
And yet, when times get tough or things get hard, worry, doubt and fear want to creep right into my mind and tell me why something is impossible. Even worse, my mind seems to want to partner with and take ownership of the worry, doubt and fear.
That is why it’s good to remind ourselves how the Lord has worked it out before! Our stories and our testimonies stir up our faith, encourage us and keep us going. In fact, in Revelation 12 we see how the saints were able to overcome the accuser of the brethren:
Revelation 12:11 NIV – “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
They overcame by the blood of Jesus, and the word of their testimony. Because of what Jesus did through his blood, they were able to testify about all that he’d already done in their lives. They were able to testify that they had already overcome. And this carried them through, to the end.
Their testimony fueled their victory! Our testimony can fuel our victories, and the victories of others too!
Back to my story: One time, while on a short, overseas trip…
We were partnered with an organization that was present long-term in this predominantly Muslim country, and part of their long-term strategy involved some activities that could have had them thrown out. In order to accomplish this, they brought in short-term teams. Sounds fun, doesn’t it.
The project at hand was to distribute as many Bibles as possible, directly into the hands of the people of the land. They had been running a newspaper ad for years and thousands of people had responded, asking to receive a Bible. This was another phase of that project. Give them a Bible and information about how to find somebody to study the Bible with.
Now I should say, that Bible distribution isn’t our normal mode for outreach in most places. In fact, the last time we had been in this country, the very people we were partnering with had told us to NEVER do anything like this. Because of this, we really struggled with the assignment.
We set out to a pre-determined part of the city to begin handing out the Word of God. Again, we were really struggling with this idea and were very hesitant. We hadn’t been walking long, when my wife, Lydia, suddenly had a powerful headache. We decided to sit at a small coffee shop and drink some tea.
As we drank tea, we talked about our task and prayed. We hadn’t been there long when Lydia said, “I know somebody is praying for us, because the headache just lifted!” In that moment, right there over the coffee shop radio, Elvis Presley began to sing over us,
“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored
He have loosed the fateful lightening of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on
Glory, glory Hallelujah
Glory, glory Hallelujah
Glory, glory Hallelujah
His truth is marching on”
We were blown away.
Here we were, discouraged and unsure that we could actually do what God had brought us there to do, encountering spiritual warfare and overcoming strange headaches, and God showed up. He chose to speak His truth to us, through Elvis, of all people.
We were energized by the song, which was a proclamation of God’s truth marching down the street. Our backpacks were full of his truth, and we had been sent to this street to help it march! So, we got to our feet and began to engage people, randomly on the street.
We had learned enough of the local language to say, “Hello. I have a gift for you!” Then we would hand them a Bible in their language, information about connecting to somebody to study the Bible, and a DVD that had the Jesus Film. It was wrapped in a bag like a gift.
In most cases, we would give the gift and leave before they were opened. Sometimes people would open them in our presence and were very grateful for what they had received. At one point, people began to chase us down. “Where did you get this? I have been wanting one of these but never knew where I could find one! Could I have another one for my brother?”
Empowered by Holy Spirit, within fifteen minutes, our bags were empty and our task was done. God is so good! He knew our hesitation and the struggle we were having internally about doing something we had been told to never do. But, there is a season for everything. He knew we needed something so out of the ordinary and He sent Elvis to proclaim his truth and his desire over us.
By the blood of the Lamb and the word of Elvis’ testimony through a song on the coffee shop radio, we overcame!
On the way back to the hotel we were reflecting on God’s faithfulness and giving Him thanks for what had just unfolded. As we celebrated, God gave us another gift. Somehow, we had been totally oblivious to the fact that, four years earlier my Lydia and I, along with another couple, had spent several weeks prayer walking in that very neighborhood, asking God to reveal Himself. He gifted us with a reminder of this and a testimony to help us overcome.
Honestly, we were ready to give up that day. But God….
Galatians 6:9 NIV – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
The King is alive!
https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/media/music/story-behind-the-song/the-story-behind-the-song/the-battle-hymn-of-the-republic/
Apostles' Creed
I believe in God,
The Father almighty,
Creator of
heaven and earth,
and in
Jesus Christ,
His only Son, our Lord,
who was
Conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered
Under Pontius Pilate,
was
Crucified, died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day
He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at
The right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he
will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.
Psalm 34 is an acrostic poem; in this case, each line of verse begins with a different Hebrew letter, arranged in alphabetical order. The primary purpose of the psalm is to teach moral lessons about God. Its theme highlights God’s constant care for His people. In verse 8, the psalm’s author, David, invites readers to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” What does it mean to taste and see that the Lord is good?
To taste involves testing or sampling; to see involves understanding or perceiving. The phrase taste and see, then, means “try and experience.” David urges God’s people to discover the goodness of the Lord by personal trial and experience it for themselves. He doesn’t want readers to merely take his word for it that the Lord is good; he wants them to actively to experience and know for themselves the fact that God is good.
Humans associate taste with pleasure and satisfaction. Bible commentator Matthew Henry elaborates on this idea: “Let God’s goodness be rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel.” When David says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” he is calling us to figuratively take a bite—to try for ourselves by our own experience—and find out exactly how satisfyingly good God is. The apostle Peter applies the same language in 1 Peter 2:3 when he says, “You have tasted that the Lord is good.”
Tasting must happen before seeing; that is, our spiritual experiences bring us to spiritual enlightenment and understanding. David desires others to “taste and see.” He wants them to experience what he has experienced so that they can know what he has come to know, the soul-sustaining goodness of the Lord.
Psalm 34 goes on to outline examples of God’s incredible goodness to those who take refuge in Him: He takes care of their every need (verses 8–10); He provides them with a good, long life (verses 11–15); He is with them through troubles and saves them from their enemies (verses 17–22). Those who taste and see that the Lord is good will know His provision.
Believers in Jesus experience tastes of God’s goodness and grace when we observe the beauty of His creation or recognize His blessings of provision, protection, and care. We taste and see His goodness when we contemplate His holiness and infinite righteousness. We delight in His goodness when we appreciate the cost of Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation.
To taste and see that the Lord is good, we must trust God and seek Him as our sole source of protection and provision. The only way to genuinely taste and see that the Lord is good is to put the matter to the test, to try and experience His goodness for ourselves.
The Greek word agape
is often translated
“love”
in the New Testament.
How is “agape love”
different
from other types of love?
The essence of agape love is goodwill, benevolence, and willful delight in the object of love. Unlike our English word love, agape is not used in the New Testament to refer to romantic or sexual love. Nor does it refer to close friendship or brotherly love, for which the Greek word philia is used. Agape love involves faithfulness, commitment, and an act of the will. It is distinguished from the other types of love by its lofty moral nature and strong character. Agape love is beautifully described in 1 Corinthians 13.
Outside of the New Testament, the word agape is used in a variety of contexts, but in the vast majority of instances in the New Testament it carries distinct meaning. Agape is almost always used to describe the love that is of and from God, whose very nature is love itself: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). God does not merely love; He is love. Everything God does flows from His love. Agape is also used to describe our love for God (Luke 10:27), a servant’s faithful respect to his master (Matthew 6:24), and a man’s attachment to things (John 3:19).
The type of love that characterizes God is not a sappy, sentimental feeling such as we often hear portrayed. God loves because that is His nature and the expression of His being. He loves the unlovable and the unlovely, not because we deserve to be loved or because of any excellence we possess, but because it is His nature to love and He must be true to His nature.
Agape love is always shown by what it does. God’s love is displayed most clearly at the cross. “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4–5, ESV). We did not deserve such a sacrifice, “but God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God’s agape love is unmerited, gracious, and constantly seeking the benefit of the ones He loves. The Bible says we are the undeserving recipients of His lavish agape love (1 John 3:1). God’s demonstration of agape love led to the sacrifice of the Son of God for those He loves.
We are to love others with agape love, whether they are fellow believers (John 13:34) or bitter enemies (Matthew 5:44). Jesus gave the parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of sacrifice for the sake of others, even for those who may care nothing at all for us. Agape love as modeled by Christ is not based on a feeling; rather, it is a determined act of the will, a joyful resolve to put the welfare of others above our own.
Agape love does not come naturally to us. Because of our fallen nature, we are incapable of producing such a love. If we are to love as God loves, that love—that agape—can only come from its Source. This is the love that “has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” when we became His children (Romans 5:5; cf. Galatians 5:22). “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16).
Because of God’s love toward us, we are able to love one another.
The English writer and poet Steve Turner,
in his short work called
“The Creed,”
answers the question of whether all religions are equivalent in this way:
“We believe that all religions are
basically the same
At least the one that we read was.
They all believe in love and goodness.
They only
differ on matters of
creation, sin, heaven, hell, God,
and salvation.”
As Turner points out,
every
religion differs
from others
in its
foundational teachings.
Beyond that,
they also differ in their overall
approach
to finding spiritual truth.
Some religions, like Buddhism, take an epistemological approach:
“If I just learn something, I’ll find spiritual meaning and truth.”
Others, like Islam, take a pragmatic path:
“If I just do something, I’ll find spiritual meaning and truth.”
Still others, such as many New Age religions, try an existential method:
“If I just experience something, I’ll find spiritual meaning and truth.”
Christianity differs from all other religions in that it is the only one that is ontological in its approach to finding spiritual truth; i.e., it rests completely on the person of Jesus Christ. In addition, Christianity subsumes the approaches found in other religions and pours them into the person of Christ.
For example, knowledge is gained through words. To that end, the Gospel of John starts off by saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14, NASB). Jesus is the knowledge of God personified.
When it comes to pragmatism (i.e., works), the people once asked Jesus, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works [plural] of God?” Jesus answer to them was, “This is the work [singular] of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent” (John 6:28–29, NASB).
Existentialism and experience are fundamentally concerned with life. To that end, Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
So, Christianity differs from all other religions in that it is built upon the person of Christ, who embodies all approaches to spiritual truth. Paul acknowledges this unique and ontological nature of Christianity when he exclaims, “I know whom [not what] I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12) and “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
Americans are celebrating the 250th birthday of the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. The story of The Liberty Bell rings as a reminder of the principles that shaped this great nation.
Originally called the State House Bell, it was dedicated to celebrating the 50th anniversary of Pennsylvania Governor William Penn’s 1701 Charter of Privileges laying out the framework of government.
The document highlights the essential nature of religious freedom: “No people can be truly happy, though under the greatest Enjoyment of Civil Liberties, if abridged of the Freedom of their Consciences, as to their Religious Profession and Worship.”
Many people were fleeing to America in search of the freedom to worship without government intervention or oppression, as they had experienced under the Church of England. They knew firsthand that religious liberty was essential to a free society.
The Liberty Bell was crafted to remember the Judeo-Christian principles that influenced our nation’s founding. Inscribed around the top is Leviticus 25:10 “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
In the year of Jubilee, indentured servants were set free, debts were forgiven, and land was returned to its original owners.
The significance of the bell’s inscription went beyond the local politics of the time. It represented the people’s duty to uphold liberty, no matter the cost. Fueled by their faith, the Patriots of early Pennsylvania did exactly that.
It earned the name “Liberty Bell” by becoming a symbol for abolitionists. They rallied behind the message that freedom was for all Americans.
William Lloyd Garrison led this movement by first publishing the name “Liberty Bell” in The Liberator. His newspaper unified people under the banner of liberty and inspired them to make a difference.
After the Civil War, The Liberty Bell traveled throughout the country as a tangible symbol of the people’s desire to reunite. A replica was used in the fight for women’s right to vote. This Justice Bell remained silent until Sept. 25, 1920, when it was rung for the first time to celebrate the enactment of the 19th Amendment.
As America approaches her 250th birthday, may the Liberty Bell continue to ring and turn us to rededicate our lives to God and the freedoms that our Founding Fathers fought to secure.
Battle Hymn of the Republic
The story behind the songPatriotic songs have the power to bring people together in a musical celebration of unity and love of country. But what do people sing when their country tears itself apart? That was the unhappy circumstance during the American Civil War, which lasted from 1861–1865. For four years, the fate of the country hung in the balance as two parts of America took aim at each other.
For the victors, one song came to represent all they were fighting for. To the conquered, it was a musical slap at their honor and pride. Here is the story behind “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
Lesson ContentBattle Lines Being DrawnIn 1860, American voters elected Abraham Lincoln as president. Although he personally hated slavery, Lincoln promised not to interfere with the slave system in southern states.
Most Southerners, however, were fighting mad about Lincoln’s election. They were convinced his true goal was to end slavery and control the South. One by one these states seceded, or broke away, from the United States to form the Confederate States of America. As president, Lincoln felt duty-bound to fight to keep “the Union” together; the South vowed to fight for its independence.
On April 12, 1861, a Confederate cannon fired on Union forces at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, igniting what northerners referred to as the Civil War, and most southerners called the War Between the States.
The Civil War
Started: April 1861
Ended: April 1865
Who: The United States of America against the Confederate States of America
Why: Eleven southern states seceded from the U.S. for fear the national government would interfere with their rights—especially the right to own slaves. The states that remained in the Union went to war to end the rebellion.
Writing Fighting WordsIn November 1861, a woman named Julia Ward Howe and her husband visited Washington, D.C. While there, Howe, a published poet, heard Union troops belting out a well-known marching song called “John Brown’s Body,” after the famous abolitionist, John Brown. A preacher standing with Howe encouraged her to write new lyrics to the tune.
“I replied that I had often wished to do so,” Howe later wrote.
I… awoke the next morning in the gray of the early dawn, and to my astonishment found that the wished-for lines were arranging themselves in my brain. I lay quite still until the last verse had completed itself in my thoughts, then hastily arose, saying to myself, I shall lose this if I don’t write it down immediately. I… began to scrawl the lines almost without looking…. Having completed this, I lay down again and fell asleep, but not before feeling that something of importance had happened to me.”That “something of importance” proved to be the words to the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” In February 1862, she sold her poem to the Atlantic Monthly, a well-known magazine, for five dollars.
The new song spread quickly through the Union armies and was adopted by Union supporters who wanted to teach the southern rebels a lesson. (Oddly, it had been a southerner named William Steffe who had written the original music.) Howe’s version was packed with Biblical imagery and phrasing.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.
(Chorus)
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory hallelujah!
His truth is marching on. Howe took dead aim at slavery in her lyrics. She and her husband were strong anti-slavery activists, called abolitionists. Included in one verse of the hymn were the words “let us die to make men free”—to fight to end slavery, in other words. Howe’s new words also angered southerners. Not only did the song sing for an end to slavery, this “hymn”—a holy, church song—claimed that God was on the North’s side.
The Poet: Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910)Despite pressures of the time to provide for her husband and home in very traditional ways, Julia Ward Howe was quite socially active in circles that included other authors such as Charles Margaret Fuller, Charles Sumner, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Charles Dickens. A lyrical poet and prolific author in her own right, Howe is best remembered for her new words to the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” She was active in prison reform, the fight to end slavery, and the fight to win equal rights for women.
Julia Ward Howe’s efforts for social justice continued after the war. In 1870, she campaigned for a Mother’s Day for Peace, a precursor of Mother’s Day. She also pushed for women’s suffrage—the right for women to vote.
“Battle Hymn of the Republic”
“Dixie” — The Unofficial Anthem of the SouthThis lively song of the South was actually written in New York City by a northern composer named Dan Emmett. Even stranger, “Dixie” was often featured in minstrel shows—white performers who painted their hands and faces black and acted out shameful stereotypes of former slaves. But the song became the unofficial anthem of the South during the war, and its lyrics were changed to make it a battle song. The lyrics below are attributed to Confederate General Albert Pike.
Southrons, hear your country call you,
Up, lest worse than death befall you!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Lo! all the beacon-fires are lighted,
Let all hearts be now united!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Advance the flag of Dixie! Hurrah! Hurrah!
In Dixie’s land we take our stand, and live or die for Dixie!
To arms! To arms! And conquer peace for Dixie!
To arms! To arms! And conquer peace for Dixie!
Hear the Northern thunders mutter!
Northern flags in South winds flutter!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Send them back your fierce defiance!
Stamp upon the cursed alliance!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
(Chorus)
Fear no danger! Shun no labor!
Lift up rifle, pike, and saber!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Shoulder pressing close to shoulder,
Let the odds make each heart bolder!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
(Chorus)
How the South’s great heart rejoices
At your cannon’s ringing voices!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
For faith betrayed and pledges broken,
Wrongs inflicted, insults spoken,
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
(Chorus)
Strong as lions, swift as eagles,
Back to their kennels hunt these beagles!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Cut the unequal bonds asunder!
Let them hence each other plunder!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
(Chorus)
Swear upon your country’s altar
Never to submit or falter
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Till the spoilers are defeated,
Till the Lord's work is completed!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
(Chorus)
Halt not till our Federation
Secures among earth’s powers its station!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Then at peace and crowned with glory,
Hear your children tell the story!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
(Chorus)
If the loved ones weep in sadness,
Victory soon shall bring them gladness
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Exultant pride soon vanish sorrow;
Smiles chase tears away to-morrow!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
(Chorus)
The War Ends
The fighting raged for four brutal years. More Americans died during the Civil War than in any war before or since: 620,000 dead and tens of thousands more wounded. Both sides fought fiercely for their beliefs.
In the end, the North’s larger population and manufacturing power overwhelmed the resources of the South. Compared to Confederate forces, the Union Army seemed to have a bottomless supply of soldiers and guns. Southern slave owners even had to battle their former slaves, now fighting in the blue uniforms of Union soldiers.
The main Confederate army surrendered in April 1865, and the Union was restored. Much of the South, though, was left in smoking ruins. Defeat, destruction, and the end of their way of life—namely slavery—left southerners with a bitter taste in their mouths. And when they heard “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” it left a bitter sound in their ears.
But the song was beautiful music to former slaves—black children, women, and men who now tasted freedom.
https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/media/music/story-behind-the-song/the-story-behind-the-song/the-battle-hymn-of-the-republic/
https://www.youtube.com/live/xUOJugF5w6s?si=jaodd3YVGmyJx1If
Weekly Marian Devotion Deepening — May 30, 2026
This week, we look deeply into the rich theological tapestry surrounding one of the most ancient and profound titles of the Mother of God: Mary, Ark of the New Covenant. While the ancient Israelites guarded the golden Ark with absolute reverence because it contained the stone tablets of the Decalogue, the jar of manna, and the budding rod of Aaron, the early Church Fathers recognized that these sacred artifacts were merely prefigurations of a greater reality. Mary is the true, living Ark chosen by the Most High to carry the fulfillment of these promises.
Where the old Ark held the dead stone of the Law, Mary’s womb housed the living Logos, the Word made flesh. Where the old Ark held a portion of earthly manna, Mary carried the true Bread of Life descended from heaven to give eternal life to mankind. Furthermore, just as the Shekinah glory cloud overshadowed the ancient Tabernacle, the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary at the moment of the Annunciation. Understanding this title deepens our appreciation for Marian dogmas, illustrating clearly that all honor paid to Mary is Christocentric, marveling at how God prepared a human vessel to hold the Infinite.
#ArkOfTheNewCovenant #MarianTheology #ChurchFathers #ScriptureFulfillment #BlessedMother
In Hebrew, "Messiah" is מָשִׁיחַ (pronounced mah-shee-akh or ma-shí-ah), which literally translates to "the anointed one". The term originates from the root meaning to anoint, reflecting the ancient tradition of pouring sacred oil over the heads of kings, priests, and prophets to consecrate them for their roles. [1, 2, 3]
Related Hebrew Terms
Historical and Religious Context
The Bible addresses life in three primary ways: physical life, spiritual life, and eternal life. A biblical definition of life must tackle the topic from each of these facets.
God Himself is the author of life, and all forms of life originate from Him (Genesis 2:7; Job 33:4; Acts 3:15). God alone possesses life in its absolute, autonomous sense (Deuteronomy 32:40; Acts 17:25; Romans 4:17).
Physical Life
Physical life is the animating force in humans, animals, plants, and all living organisms. Life is the underlying source that causes things to move, grow, and reproduce. The Bible calls this force in animals and human beings the “breath of life.” When God created Adam, “He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person” (Genesis 2:7, NLT).
God is sovereign over all life. Job 34:14–15 reveals, “If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust” (NLT). The length of one’s existence between birth and death defines a person’s physical life (see Genesis 25:7). God gives life (Job 33:4) and takes away life (Genesis 7:22; James 4:14). He determines the length of life (Job 14:5) and can even restore life to the dead (Ezekiel 37:9; John 11).
Because of the fall of mankind into sin, life in this physical body is subject to suffering, sickness, hardship, labor, decay, temptation, sin, and death (Psalm 103:14–16; 104:23; Romans 5:12–21; 6:21–23; 8:18). But Jesus came to give His followers life “to the full” (John 10:10). He was talking about spiritual life, that is, communion with God. Apart from a relationship with God, physical existence is empty and meaningless (Luke 12:15, 22–23; Romans 14:17). Understanding the definition of life from a spiritual perspective is essential.
Spiritual Life
God designed humans uniquely for spiritual life. We were created to have fellowship with Him. Both animals and humans have sentience, which is an aspect of life that enables them to perceive and feel things through the senses. But spiritual life and sentience are not the same. Creatures in the animal kingdom have different levels of sentience, some more advanced than others. But only humans can make moral decisions regarding right and wrong. Unlike animals, humans ask “why” questions about existence and grapple with other philosophical issues. God set humans apart from all other creatures, and He cares for them deeply. God created men and women in His own image and gave them authority over all His creation (Genesis 1:26–29; Psalm 8:5–6).
In the Garden of Eden, humanity rebelled against God, resulting in spiritual death, which is separation from God (Romans 5:12). Under the Old Covenant, God offered His people a choice: faithful obedience and the promise of life and communion with Him, or unfaithfulness and disobedience, which would lead to broken fellowship with God and death (Deuteronomy 30:11–20).
Under the New Covenant, restored communion with God is available through salvation in Jesus Christ. Because of Adam’s sin and the fall of man, all people are born spiritually dead in disobedience and sin (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1–3). “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead” (Ephesians 2:4–5, NLT). Believers are given the gift of spiritual life in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:6). The apostle Paul explained, “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13–14, NLT). Although Adam’s sin condemned us to death, “Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone” (Romans 5:18, NLT; see also 1 Peter 3:18).
Eternal Life
The definition of life for a Christian is Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Romans 14:7–9). Once we receive new life in Him, our “real life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1–3). Paul said, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (Philippians 1:21, NLT). Dying is “even better” for those who receive spiritual life through Jesus Christ because they have the ultimate gift of eternal life (John 6:63; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:45; Ephesians 2:8–10). Fullness of life is found in being a child of God and in right relationship with Him. Jesus said, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3, ESV).
Scripture reveals that all people will experience an endless duration of life after their physical existence on earth ends. Either they will live for all eternity in the blessing of God’s presence or endure eternal damnation separated from God’s presence (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:31–46; John 5:28–29). Eternal life in fellowship with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ is the definition of true life. The apostle John writes, “And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life” (1 John 5:11–12, NLT).
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.
For Further Study
1, 2 & 3 John: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary by Gary Derickson
This week, we look deeply into the rich theological tapestry surrounding one of the most ancient and profound titles of the Mother of God: Mary, Ark of the New Covenant. While the ancient Israelites guarded the golden Ark with absolute reverence because it contained the stone tablets of the Decalogue, the jar of manna, and the budding rod of Aaron, the early Church Fathers recognized that these sacred artifacts were merely prefigurations of a greater reality. Mary is the true, living Ark chosen by the Most High to carry the fulfillment of these promises.
Where the old Ark held the dead stone of the Law, Mary’s womb housed the living Logos, the Word made flesh. Where the old Ark held a portion of earthly manna, Mary carried the true Bread of Life descended from heaven to give eternal life to mankind. Furthermore, just as the Shekinah glory cloud overshadowed the ancient Tabernacle, the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary at the moment of the Annunciation. Understanding this title deepens our appreciation for Marian dogmas, illustrating clearly that all honor paid to Mary is Christocentric, marveling at how God prepared a human vessel to hold the Infinite.
#ArkOfTheNewCovenant #MarianTheology #ChurchFathers #ScriptureFulfillment #BlessedMother
In Hebrew, "Messiah" is מָשִׁיחַ (pronounced mah-shee-akh or ma-shí-ah), which literally translates to "the anointed one". The term originates from the root meaning to anoint, reflecting the ancient tradition of pouring sacred oil over the heads of kings, priests, and prophets to consecrate them for their roles. [1, 2, 3]
Related Hebrew Terms
- מלך המשיח (Melekh HaMashiach): "The Anointed King," often used in Jewish tradition to refer to the future redeemer descended from King David.
- משיח בן דוד (Mashiach ben David): "Messiah, son of David."
- ישוע המשיח (Yeshua HaMashiach): "Jesus the Messiah" (or Jesus Christ) in Christian theology. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Historical and Religious Context
- Judaism: The Mashiach is understood to be a mortal, human king from the line of King David who will bring about an era of global peace, gather the Jewish exiles to the land of Israel, and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. [1, 2]
- Christianity: The term evolved to define Jesus as the ultimate savior, lord, and anointed king whose life and sacrifice fulfilled the prophecies found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). The English word "Christ" comes directly from Christos, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Mashiach. [1, 2, 3]
The Bible addresses life in three primary ways: physical life, spiritual life, and eternal life. A biblical definition of life must tackle the topic from each of these facets.
God Himself is the author of life, and all forms of life originate from Him (Genesis 2:7; Job 33:4; Acts 3:15). God alone possesses life in its absolute, autonomous sense (Deuteronomy 32:40; Acts 17:25; Romans 4:17).
Physical Life
Physical life is the animating force in humans, animals, plants, and all living organisms. Life is the underlying source that causes things to move, grow, and reproduce. The Bible calls this force in animals and human beings the “breath of life.” When God created Adam, “He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person” (Genesis 2:7, NLT).
God is sovereign over all life. Job 34:14–15 reveals, “If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust” (NLT). The length of one’s existence between birth and death defines a person’s physical life (see Genesis 25:7). God gives life (Job 33:4) and takes away life (Genesis 7:22; James 4:14). He determines the length of life (Job 14:5) and can even restore life to the dead (Ezekiel 37:9; John 11).
Because of the fall of mankind into sin, life in this physical body is subject to suffering, sickness, hardship, labor, decay, temptation, sin, and death (Psalm 103:14–16; 104:23; Romans 5:12–21; 6:21–23; 8:18). But Jesus came to give His followers life “to the full” (John 10:10). He was talking about spiritual life, that is, communion with God. Apart from a relationship with God, physical existence is empty and meaningless (Luke 12:15, 22–23; Romans 14:17). Understanding the definition of life from a spiritual perspective is essential.
Spiritual Life
God designed humans uniquely for spiritual life. We were created to have fellowship with Him. Both animals and humans have sentience, which is an aspect of life that enables them to perceive and feel things through the senses. But spiritual life and sentience are not the same. Creatures in the animal kingdom have different levels of sentience, some more advanced than others. But only humans can make moral decisions regarding right and wrong. Unlike animals, humans ask “why” questions about existence and grapple with other philosophical issues. God set humans apart from all other creatures, and He cares for them deeply. God created men and women in His own image and gave them authority over all His creation (Genesis 1:26–29; Psalm 8:5–6).
In the Garden of Eden, humanity rebelled against God, resulting in spiritual death, which is separation from God (Romans 5:12). Under the Old Covenant, God offered His people a choice: faithful obedience and the promise of life and communion with Him, or unfaithfulness and disobedience, which would lead to broken fellowship with God and death (Deuteronomy 30:11–20).
Under the New Covenant, restored communion with God is available through salvation in Jesus Christ. Because of Adam’s sin and the fall of man, all people are born spiritually dead in disobedience and sin (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1–3). “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead” (Ephesians 2:4–5, NLT). Believers are given the gift of spiritual life in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:6). The apostle Paul explained, “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13–14, NLT). Although Adam’s sin condemned us to death, “Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone” (Romans 5:18, NLT; see also 1 Peter 3:18).
Eternal Life
The definition of life for a Christian is Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Romans 14:7–9). Once we receive new life in Him, our “real life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1–3). Paul said, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (Philippians 1:21, NLT). Dying is “even better” for those who receive spiritual life through Jesus Christ because they have the ultimate gift of eternal life (John 6:63; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:45; Ephesians 2:8–10). Fullness of life is found in being a child of God and in right relationship with Him. Jesus said, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3, ESV).
Scripture reveals that all people will experience an endless duration of life after their physical existence on earth ends. Either they will live for all eternity in the blessing of God’s presence or endure eternal damnation separated from God’s presence (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:31–46; John 5:28–29). Eternal life in fellowship with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ is the definition of true life. The apostle John writes, “And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life” (1 John 5:11–12, NLT).
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.
For Further Study
1, 2 & 3 John: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary by Gary Derickson
‘Moshiach Is Here!’
In Hebrew, "Messiah" is מָשִׁיחַ (pronounced mah-shee-akh or ma-shí-ah), which literally translates to "the anointed one". The term originates from the root meaning to anoint, reflecting the ancient tradition of pouring sacred oil over the heads of kings, priests, and prophets to consecrate them for their roles. [1, 2, 3]
Related Hebrew Terms
- מלך המשיח (Melekh HaMashiach): "The Anointed King," often used in Jewish tradition to refer to the future redeemer descended from King David.
- משיח בן דוד (Mashiach ben David): "Messiah, son of David."
- ישוע המשיח (Yeshua HaMashiach): "Jesus the Messiah" (or Jesus Christ) in Christian theology. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Historical and Religious Context
- Judaism: The Mashiach is understood to be a mortal, human king from the line of King David who will bring about an era of global peace, gather the Jewish exiles to the land of Israel, and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. [1, 2]
- Christianity: The term evolved to define Jesus as the ultimate savior, lord, and anointed king whose life and sacrifice fulfilled the prophecies found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). The English word "Christ" comes directly from Christos, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Mashiach. [1, 2, 3]
Psalm 19:1 states, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork” (ESV). This is one of the clearest biblical statements that nature itself is meant to show the greatness of God. These words are in the present tense. That is, the heavens “are declaring,” and the sky “is proclaiming” the creative work of God. It’s a continual display. What we see in nature is meant to constantly show us that God exists and tell us how amazing a Creator He truly is.
One of the strongest arguments in favor of the existence of God is the teleological argument, or the “argument from design.” This approach claims that observations of design in nature are best explained by a deliberate, intelligent act of creation rather than by randomness or luck. The conveyance of information is a key aspect of this. Information is always seen as the product of intelligence. Some patterns are complex but random. Others may be well-defined but carry no information. But whenever we see a specific, complex arrangement that displays information, we recognize that it was the work of a mind, not mere chance.
Psalm 19:1 connects this idea to Scripture. The more we learn about the universe, the more clearly we can see the work of God. A perfect example of this is modern “Big Bang” cosmology. Prior to this theory, scientists and atheists assumed that the universe was eternal. The combination of Einstein’s theories and advances in physics made it clear that, in fact, the universe did have a “beginning.” At first, this idea was rejected by scientists as being theology, not science. Over time, however, it became impossible to deny. The fact that the universe “began” is something we can see purely by observing the heavens and the sky—just as Psalm 19:1 says.
Romans 1 also ties into this idea. God has revealed enough of Himself in nature that nobody has an excuse for rejecting Him or for doing what is wrong. “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities . . . have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made” (Romans 1:20). The heavens declare the glory of God.
Because “the heavens declare the glory of God,” we can be confident in using science to explore. The more we know about the world around us, the more glory we give to God. The more we discover, the more evidence we have that He is the One responsible for nature and its laws. A person needs the Bible and personal faith in Christ in order to have a proper relationship with God. However, a person needs only to look honestly at the world around him in order to realize that God exists.
The phrase King of glory is found in a series of verses in Psalm 24:
“Lift up your heads, you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
the Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord Almighty--
he is the King of glory” (Psalm 24:7–10).
The Hebrew word translated “glory” in Psalm 24 is kabod, which means “weight,” but it is used figuratively, as in “his argument carries weight” or “the content of that book is weighty.” Kabad carries a connotation of solemnity and power. Calling God the “King of Glory” means He is the most awesome, most powerful king and should be taken seriously.
Using a type of personification known as apostrophe, the psalmist speaks to the “gates” and the “ancient doors,” calling them to attention and commanding them to “be lifted up” or raised to admit the King of glory. However lofty these ancient doors are, they must be loftier still to admit such an august presence as the Lord Himself.
There is a connection to be made between the King of glory in Psalm 24 and the Shekinah glory in Exodus 33. When God gave Moses instructions for building the Ark of the Covenant, He said, “I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover [mercy seat]” (Leviticus 16:2). The mercy seat was to be seen as God’s glorious “throne” on earth (see 2 Samuel 6:2; Psalm 80:1; 99:1). And it was from the mercy seat that God spoke to Moses: “There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites” (Exodus 25:22).
Psalm 24 pictures the coming of the King of glory in a time of celebration. Given the Hebrew association of the cloud of glory with the Ark of the Covenant, it is quite possible that Psalm 24 was written to commemorate the entrance of the Ark into Jerusalem during David’s time (2 Samuel 6:12–17) or into the temple during Solomon’s time (2 Chronicles 5:7). The King of glory came through the gates of Jerusalem and through the doors of the temple with a great procession as the Ark of the Covenant was brought to its permanent home on Mt. Zion.
Jesus is called “the Lord of glory” in 1 Corinthians 2:8. His entrance into Jerusalem amid the shouts of a jubilant crowd (Matthew 21) could be seen as another fulfillment of Psalm 24. Jesus is the One with “clean hands and a pure heart” who can “ascend the mountain of the Lord” (Psalm 24:3–4). Jesus “will receive blessing from the Lord” (verse 5). Jesus is the “King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle” (verse 8).
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Jesus spoke this during His famous Sermon the Mount. So what did He mean by “pure in heart?”
The Greek word for “pure” in Matthew 5:8 is katharos. It means to be “clean, blameless, unstained from guilt.” Interestingly, the word can refer specifically to that which is purified by fire or by pruning. John the Baptist told people that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). Malachi speaks of the Messiah as being like a “refiner’s fire” (Malachi 3:2). Jesus refers to believers as being the branches and to Himself as being the vine (John 15:1-17). For a vine to produce fruit, it must be pruned. Those who are truly “pure,” then, are those who have been declared innocent because of the work of Jesus and who are being sanctified by His refining fire and His pruning.
The Greek word for “heart” in Matthew 5:8 is kardeeah. This can be applied to the physical heart. But it also refers to the spiritual center of life. It is where thoughts, desires, sense of purpose, will, understanding, and character reside. So, to be pure in heart means to be blameless in who we actually are.
Being pure in heart involves having a singleness of heart toward God. A pure heart has no hypocrisy, no guile, no hidden motives. The pure heart is marked by transparency and an uncompromising desire to please God in all things. It is more than an external purity of behavior; it is an internal purity of soul.
The only way we can be truly pure in heart is to give our lives to Jesus and ask Him to do the cleansing work. Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” God is the one who makes our hearts pure – by the sacrifice of His Son and through His sanctifying work in our lives (see also 1 John 3:1-3).
When David prays, “Create in me a clean heart,” he is asking God for forgiveness. The subtitle to Psalm 51 clarifies the situation: “A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.”
Second Samuel 11 tells the sordid tale. King David saw Bathsheba, a married woman, and lusted after her. He summoned her to fulfill his desires. Some time later, she notified him that she was pregnant with his child. David first tried a cover up, and, when that did not work, he arranged for the murder of Bathsheba’s husband. David then married her.
Obviously, David did not have a clean heart after this. He had committed adultery and possibly rape, as the language used in this case is also used of rape; his summoning of and sleeping with Bathsheba was certainly an abuse of royal authority. He then engaged in deception and finally in murder, corrupting others in the process. When it was all done, he thought he had succeeded in covering it up and destroying all the evidence. The last sentence of 2 Samuel 11 tells us, “But the thing David had done displeased the Lord” (verse 27).
In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan confronts David. He does so using a parable that David could relate to. He told of a rich man who took advantage of a poor man by stealing his only lamb, a pet, which he killed to feed to his guests. David was overcome with anger and exclaimed, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity” (2 Samuel 12:5–6).
Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7). Although David had tried to hide his sin, it was eating away at him inside, as he records in Psalm 32:3–4: “When I kept silent [about my sin], my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” David admitted to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13). He knew he needed a clean heart.
The Hebrew word for Messiah is Mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ), which translates to "the anointed one". In Judaism, it refers to a future human leader who will redeem Israel and bring world peace. Claims that the Messiah is "here" vary greatly by belief system and tradition.
Beliefs About the Messiah
- In Judaism: The concept of Mashiach involves a descendant of King David who will rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and gather the Jewish people. Traditional Judaism does not recognize the Messiah as having arrived yet.
- In Chabad-Lubavitch: Some followers believe that the late Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson is the Messiah. This is why signs reading "Mashiach is here!" appear in some communities.
- In Christianity: Christians believe the Messiah has already come in the form of Jesus of Nazareth. In Hebrew, this is Yeshua HaMashiach (ישוע המשיח).
When David was through trying to hide his sin, he confessed it freely. Psalm 51 is that confession and plea for forgiveness. His request “create in me a clean heart” is simply another way of asking for forgiveness and spiritual cleansing. Psalm 51:1–10 is filled with poetic descriptions of forgiveness and cleansing, identified in italics below:
“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
“For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Even though David suffered consequences for his sin, which are outlined in 2 Samuel 12, he was forgiven and restored to spiritual fellowship with God. Psalm 32 tells of the great relief that David felt when he confessed, and in this psalm he encourages others to confess their sins as well:
“Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
“When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
“Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, ‘I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.’
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
“Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
“Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!”
Paul uses Psalm 32 as an example of salvation apart from works (Romans 4:6–8). David was forgiven not because of any works he did to earn forgiveness, but simply because he asked in faith. Because of the sacrifice of Christ, any sinner can ask God for forgiveness, that is, for a clean heart, and he will receive it. The apostle John also tells us, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1: 8–9). In spite of all that David did, and all that we do, God is willing to forgive because Jesus paid the penalty that we deserve. No matter how dirty we are, God can create in us a clean heart.
There are several references to the throne of God in the Bible. Jesus calls heaven “God’s throne” in Matthew 5:34, recalling God’s statement in Isaiah 66:1, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” Other references to God’s throne are found in 2 Chronicles 18:18; Psalm 11:4; Hebrews 8:1; 12:2; Revelation 1:4; 3:21; 4:2; and many other verses.
A throne is a special seat reserved for a monarch. When the Bible speaks of God’s “throne,” the emphasis is on God’s transcendence, dignity, and sovereign rule. The fact that His throne is in heaven further underscores the transcendent nature of God’s existence.
The throne of God need not be thought of as a literal throne. God the Father is incorporeal (John 4:24). Not having a physical body, God does not literally “sit.” References to a divine throne are akin to biblical allusions to God’s “hand” or “mouth” or “eyes”—they are anthropomorphisms, descriptions of God couched in human terms out of deference to our limited knowledge. God has to describe Himself in ways we can understand.
Isaiah sees the Lord “high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1). At that time, the prophet was having an inspired vision. God’s throne (and His robe) are not to be taken as literal, physical objects. Rather, God was communicating to Isaiah the magnificence, splendor, and exaltation of His Being. Other descriptions of the throne of God are found in other prophetic visions, e.g., in those of Ezekiel and John.
God’s throne is a place of power and authority. In 2 Chronicles 18:18, the prophet Micaiah relates his vision of God’s throne room, in which spirit beings stand in attendance. Compare this to Job 1:6, where God demands answers from the angelic beings summoned there.
God’s throne is a place of majesty and honor. The Bible says that, when Jesus ascended to heaven, He “sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). There is no higher place than heaven. God is the King of heaven, and Jesus holds the place of honor at God’s right hand.
God’s throne is a place of perfect justice. “He has prepared His throne for judgment” (Psalm 9:7; cf. 89:14). The final judgment, described in Revelation 20, is held before “a great white throne” (verse 11).
God’s throne is a place of sovereignty and holiness. “God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne” (Psalm 47:8; cf. 103:19). He does whatever He pleases, and all He does is good.
God’s throne is a place of praise. John’s vision of heaven includes a scene in which a “new song” is sung in praise to the One who occupies the throne (Revelation 14:3). Around the throne, the praise of God is surely “glorious” (Psalm 66:2).
God’s throne is a place of purity. Only the redeemed, those who have been granted the righteousness of Christ, will have the right to stand before His throne (Revelation 14:5).
God’s throne is a place of eternal life. God is the Source of life. In heaven, John sees “the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1).
God’s throne is a place of grace. Not only does the throne of God represent judgment for the unbeliever, but it also represents mercy and grace for His children. “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Inside the Jewish temple was the Ark of the Covenant, which was a “copy of the true” (Hebrews 9:24), and it had a “mercy seat” where God’s presence would appear (Leviticus 16:2, ESV).
One day, all creation will bow to the majesty of God’s throne (Philippians 2:9–11). The regal beings surrounding the throne of God will “lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power’” (Revelation 4:10–11).
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” (NASB). 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.
The precise phrase river of life does not appear in the Bible. However, Revelation 22:1–2 does refer to “the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” 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 does not have to be considered physical water as we know it. Rather, the water flowing from the throne is probably 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.
The power of the Holy Spirit
is
the power of God.
The Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, has appeared throughout Scripture as a Being through and by whom great works of power are made manifest. His power was first seen in the act of creation, for it was by His power the world came into being (Genesis 1:1–2; Job 26:13). The Holy Spirit also empowered men in the Old Testament to bring about God’s will: “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power” (1 Samuel 16:13; see also Exodus 31:2–5; Numbers 27:18). Although the Spirit did not permanently indwell God’s people in the Old Testament, He worked through them and gave them power to achieve things they would not have been able to accomplish on their own. All of Samson’s feats of strength are directly attributed to the Spirit coming upon him (Judges 14:6, 19; 15:14).
Jesus promised the Spirit as a permanent guide, teacher, seal of salvation, and comforter for believers (John 14:16-18). He also promised that the Holy Spirit’s power would help His followers to spread the message of the gospel around the world: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The salvation of souls is a supernatural work only made possible by the Holy Spirit’s power at work in the world.
When the Holy Spirit descended upon believers at Pentecost, it was not a quiet event, but a powerful one. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:1–4). Immediately afterward, the disciples spoke to the crowds gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost. These people hailed from a variety of nations and therefore spoke many different languages. Imagine their surprise and wonder when the disciples spoke to them in their own tongues (verses 5–12)! Clearly, this was not something the disciples could have accomplished on their own without many months—or even years—of study. The Holy Spirit’s power was made manifest to a great number of people that day, resulting in the conversion of about 3,000 (verse 41).
During His earthly ministry, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1), led by the Spirit (Luke 4:14), and empowered by the Spirit to perform miracles (Matthew 12:28). After Jesus had ascended to heaven, the Spirit equipped the apostles to perform miracles, too (2 Corinthians 2:12; Acts 2:43; 3:1–7; 9:39–41). The power of the Holy Spirit was manifest among all the believers of the early church through the dispensation of spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophesying, teaching, wisdom, and more.
All those who put their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately and permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11). The Holy Spirit still works in and through believers to accomplish His will. His power leads us, convicts us, teaches us, and equips us to do His work and spread the gospel. The Holy Spirit’s powerful indwelling is an amazing gift we should never take lightly.
"Now when Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him; for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze. King David also dedicated these to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued" (2 Sam 8:9-11).
Immediately after God's covenantal promises to David (2 Samuel 7), David initiates a successful military campaign against Israel's enemies and subdues their lands to the "River" (vv. 1-3). Although this river is not explicitly identified, the repeated allusions to the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant in chapters 6-7 strongly suggest this is "River" is the Euphrates since this is the most distant boundary marker of the land God promised to Abraham (Gen 15:18; see also Gen 2:14). The author, moreover, intentionally chooses the same verb used in the creation mandate ("to subdue/conquer") to describe David's "subduing" of the nations (compare 2 Sam 8:11; Gen 1:28). David's military success is not only a partial fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant but also a partial fulfillment of the creation mandate (Gen 1:28). In short, David is typified as the promised seed of Abraham and second Adam ruling over God's creation (Psa 8:4-8 [5-9]; Dan 7:13-14).
Under King David's rule, the world was as it was supposed to be for a brief moment. However, David's "messianic rule" was very short-lived because David was not the Messiah. He was just a man with a very flawed character. And such is the case with every ruler after David. No political leader, no matter how much we may like him or her, can make our broken world great again. There is only one ruler who can fix this terrible mess. Let us not let ourselves become so fixated with the short-lived and ever-changing world of politics and political solutions that we forget to pray, "Thy kingdom come!"
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First the Natural, Then the Spiritual – Part 2Posted on 08/08/2011 by goodnewsfromadistantland -- Leave a commentHere are pictured two oxen, yoked together. They are partners together within the yoke, serving their master.
The yoke is the wooden frame that is constructed for connecting two animals. Yoked together their labor is very productive as they walk together and work together. If one of them tries to go its own way, it is very painful for both of them!
An ox is a powerful animal and can do a great deal of profitable labour! Yet what good is an ox that is not trained to yield to the master, nor trained to yield to his partner within the yoke?
The picture of the ox working side-by-side with his partner demonstrates the necessity of humility, brokenness, and submission. An ox must first learn humility, brokenness, submission, before he is fit for working for the master. The ox has to endure the pain of a hurting, aching neck, even a wounded, raw neck. He has to learn to submit to the immovable nature of the yoke.
Once the ox is broken of his willfulness and stubbornness, he is then a mature and useful animal. The same is true for you and me! The oxen illustration offers a good representation of a spiritual principle: First the Natural, Then the Spiritual (see 1Corinthians 15).
Messiah Has A Yoke For UsJesus Christ (Yahushua Messiah) tells us:
Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)
Jesus (Yahushua) tells His disciples: “Come to Me; Take My yoke upon you.” When we come to Messiah for salvation and forgiveness, we enter into the eternal realm of His Kingdom and begin a life-long journey of walking with Him. If we truly desire to walk with Him, then we must make the choice to surrender to Him, our loving Master. Choosing Him as Master means we willingly “take His yoke” upon us, enter into partnership with Him, and begin learning of Him.
[If you have never taken the initial step of “Coming” to Jesus for forgiveness and salvation, then please see the brief article: Good News.]
In the illustration of the oxen, we see that the two oxen are harnessed together, working together as one, side-by-side, within the yoke. As the ox learns humility, brokenness, and submission, then he becomes fit for reaping the consequences of knowing the loving master’s guidance, attention, and concern for him. This natural example illustrates the spiritual principle: First the Natural, Then the Spiritual:
Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural (is first); and afterward that which is spiritual. (1Corinthians 15:46)
The above Scripture teaches the principle: the natural realm is first, and as a result, it has a profound effect in the spiritual realm.
The oxen illustration is a good example for us! We too must learn to be broken of our willfulness, stubbornness, and resistance. This is how we begin to mature! We must learn to endure natural circumstances that can sometimes be painful. But eventually, we learn the spiritual benefits and blessings of submitting to Messiah’s yoke.
Just as the ox must learn to endure the natural pain of the confines of the yoke, so it is with us in our walk with our Saviour. As a fellow yoke-mate with Messiah, much of what we learn is worked out within the confines of our natural, earthly circumstances. Everything in our natural circumstances, God uses to shape, refine, and mold our lives so that we can be fruitful within the spiritual realm! We are in partnership with our Saviour. He desires our cooperation as we walk with Him in our journey of life, yoked together with Him.
As a yoke-mate with Messiah, we must choose to surrender to Him, walking according to His ways and His Word. Partnered within Messiah’s yoke means yielding to and obeying His Word and guidance. Little by little, we begin to learn that — His yoke is easy.
Let’s look more closely at what it means to be Messiah’s partner, walking and working together, within His yoke.
The Nature of The YokeA yoke is a solid, immovable, steady boundary. Our natural circumstances are a picture of a yoke. Our natural circumstances are also a good example of Messiah’s yoke.
The natural realm of our unique circumstances is a complete environment that we cannot change. We are in situations and relationships that are unchanging, immovable — this is the nature of a yoke!
The unique, natural realm where you and I are placed by our loving Maker, the LORD God, (Yahuwah Elohim), is the place where we are to learn spiritual lessons that make us fit for service for the Master. Our natural circumstances provide the arena for learning how to yield within our Saviour’s yoke. Therefore, what we do in the natural has a profound effect in the spiritual! The natural realm provides the classroom for learning lessons necessary for spiritual growth and maturity.
When we enter into partnership with Messiah, we become a yoke-mate with Him. Our Saviour’s example of humility, yieldedness, faithfulness, and servanthood are eternal, spiritual qualities for us to learn. Our natural circumstances offer us countless opportunities to learn spiritual lessons, as we follow our Yoke-Mate’s example.
Our Unique, Natural CircumstancesOur LORD (Yahuwah) has placed each one of us in our unique, natural situations for working out our obedience to Him. He has placed us in our particular setting, in our unique circumstances, for His purposes. Our unique, particular natural circumstances have definite, rigid, immovable boundaries, just as a yoke does! God uses the unique, natural realm of our day-to-day circumstances (which is as a yoke), to refine us, mold us, and make us spiritually suitable for walking with our loving Master.
We may not like our natural, earthly situation, but we cannot change it!
We cannot change who our parents are. We cannot change who our brothers, sisters, and other relatives are. We cannot change who our spouse is. We cannot change who our children are. We cannot easily change who our boss is, or who our fellow-workers are. We cannot easily change who our teachers or pastors or elders are. We cannot easily change where we live or who our neighbors are. We cannot easily change what city or country we live in.
If we desire to change some of these situations, we would first need to earnestly inquire of the LORD (Yahuwah), seeking His guidance and direction! As the LORD’s children, we should pursue His direction in every area of life. We should earnestly seek to discern God’s desire for us concerning our decisions!
A Spiritually Sore Neck?However, if, in our own strength and understanding, we seek to change, or free ourselves from our natural, earthly circumstances, without God’s clear direction — well, that would certainly be disastrous and heartbreaking! That would be as though we were pulling and tugging to release our neck from His yoke!
It is to our benefit that we yield to our loving Master, within the confines of our natural circumstances. Each day, the Master presents us with opportunities to learn to yield, learn to obey, and learn to cooperate with Him, all within the setting of our natural circumstances. This is how we begin to learn our spiritual lessons.
When, and if, the time comes for a major change within our natural circumstances, the LORD will give us a leading regarding this. Plus, little by little, God will arrange and set up the circumstances, without us having a spiritually sore, aching neck!
What are some steps that would help us in learning our spiritual lessons? What steps would help us learn to yield?
We looked at a few steps in this process in Tips For Being A Yoke-Mate. For now, we will look at only one specific, very important, step — learning Messiah’s character.
Learning Messiah’s CharacterLearning the characteristics of our fellow Yoke-Mate is the very first step! We are to learn Messiah’s character, and then, begin to behave with His meekness and lowliness of heart:
“…I am among you as He that serves.” (Luke 22:27)
“…learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.” (Matthew 11:29)
“…leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: …when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not.” (1Peter 2:21-23)
As these Scriptures teach, Jesus Christ (Yahushua Messiah) came to serve. He is our example for servanthood! We are to BE as a servant among the particular people in our lives — the people that are in the midst of our natural circumstances! This is ‘following in His steps!’ Our natural realm of circumstances is the place where we are to learn to BE a servant, just like our fellow Yoke-Mate did, who said, “I Am Among You As He That Serves.”
Learning to behave as a servant with meekness and lowliness of heart will make our walk with our fellow Yoke-Mate much more rewarding, restful, and easy. Having a servant’s heart is the KEY to learning from our fellow Yoke-Mate. Messiah had a servant’s heart!! He served those among Him — serving those who were inferior, lowly, needy, afflicted, and ignorant.
Our Saviour emptied Himself, took the form of a servant and humbled Himself, in order to serve us and love us (see Philippians 2:5-8)! He is our example of serving those in our midst.
- Our behaviour is to also include guarding our tongue, just as Messiah did! Let NO corrupt communication come out of our mouth (Ephesians 4:29)! We are to be on our guard to avoid dishonesty, unforgiveness, faultfinding, complaining, and condemnation!
“Blessed is every one who fears the LORD (Yahuwah); who walk in His ways” (Psalms 128:1).
But we must begin with our behaviour in the natural realm first, and behave as a servant, before the spiritual benefits become evident.
- More insights to our well-being: That It May Be Well With You – Part 1 & Part 2.
Every DetailNotice this passage in Proverbs:
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of His correction: For whom the LORD loves He corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11-12)
As these verses teach, it is in our natural, everyday unique circumstances and situations where Father God chastens, corrects, and transforms us. That is where we are being trained to yield to the LORD’s yoke — training to yield to the Spirit of Messiah living within us. Our training occurs in the day-to-day natural settings of our life! The details within our natural, earthly circumstances are not minor nor insignificant, but rather, they are very significant.
God lovingly uses each circumstance and relationship within the natural realm to instruct us and teach us eternal, spiritual lessons. If we are cooperating and yielding to the directions of God’s Word, then in the spiritual realm, we are maturing, becoming more acceptable to the Master.
However, none of us can do this on our own! We need His help to daily study and learn His Word, and learn how to cooperate and yield to His leading. Often it is very difficult and painful to yield to our Yoke-Mate’s direction. Many times we agonize over the confines of His yoke. Yet we must never give up seeking to learn of Him, seeking to obey His Word because He loves us abundantly and has our best interests in mind!
Asking Father For His GraceHow can we learn the spiritual lessons Father God wants to teach us? We must begin to do what we can, in the natural realm! We begin by learning His Word, hiding His Word in our heart:
Your Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against You. (Psalms 119:11)
God’s Word in our heart helps us to not sin, as this verse teaches.
We can also begin to pray regularly, asking for God’s enabling grace to help us — asking His help to be of a meek, gentle, and teachable spirit. We can pray for His strength and humility, to be a “DO-er” of His Word, and learn to be a servant among those within our natural setting. Being a servant is how we show honour for our loving Master.
Let us earnestly seek the LORD’s grace to learn to be as Messiah — yielded, meek, and lowly of heart. It takes great courage and strength of character to be a servant among those in our midst! Being a servant is not for wimps!
We can ask for the courage to be sensitive and tender-hearted to God’s correction. If we are sincere, then little by little, we will begin to see progress in our spiritual growth and maturity.
“Perhaps the greatest hindrance to our work is our own imagined strength. The Father taught me in my helplessness to pray, even about little things, in which another might have felt able to handle himself.” — J. Hudson Taylor
SummaryBeing yoked together with Messiah means we have chosen to learn of Him. By faith, we have entered into partnership with our Saviour, to follow His example. His example of humility, yieldedness, faithfulness, and servanthood are eternal, yoke-mate qualities. These spiritual, eternal characteristics of the Kingdom of Heaven are built into our lives within the unique, natural realm of our own life — the arena where God is training us for His service.
Let us remember: our Yoke-Mate, the Messiah, is the greatest example of servanthood -- humility, brokenness, and obedience! Jesus (Yahushua) courageously endured agony, pain, and injustice!!! He successfully completed all the work that His Father sent Him to do — in the natural, earthly realm!! The awesome spiritual benefits for His work in the natural, earthly realm are abundantly available for all who come to Him!
Yielding, though painful and agonizing at times, results in a most precious fragrance – a broken and contrite spirit! The LORD is near to such precious servants! (see Psalms 34:18 and 51:17)
Our yielded, teachable, obedient heart to Father’s WORD in the natural realm produces spiritual growth and benefits. Let us ever seek for humility and servanthood among those within our natural realm! Thus we will begin to reap the spiritual blessings of peace, contentment, and maturity.
May we all be quick to remember the profound implications of this most important spiritual principle: FIRST the Natural, and Then the Spiritual!
--
- Please see the companion post: Tips For Being A Yoke-Mate
Anatomy of a
queen
honey bee!
We all know about
queen bees,
but what sets
her apart
from the others?
🐝 Queens are the largest in a colony, with a long and tapered abdomen and shorter wings. Her stinger is smooth (unlike a worker bee’s, which is barbed), allowing her to sting multiple times and survive.
🐝 She is one of the most crucial members of the hive! A queen is the only member of the colony that can lay eggs and is responsible for the colony's growth, laying thousands of eggs throughout her life. A healthy queen can lay up to 1,500 eggs per day and over 200,000 eggs in a year!
🐝 She only mates once in her lifetime and saves the sperm in a bag called the spermatheca. When mating, queen bees can fly between 15 ft to 100 ft above the ground!
🐝 Queens also direct the colony's behaviour, work tasks, and overall population. She uses various pheromones, which dictate the behaviour of specific bees, causing some members to become workers, drones, or potential queens.
#BeeFacts #QueenBees #QueenHoneyBee #BeeAnatomy #BeeLovers #NatureNerds #HoneyOnyx #ApiaryAdventures
There’s finally an Update
on the release
of
Season 6 of The Chosen,
the next chapter of the popular faith-based series created by Dallas Jenkins. This time, viewers won’t need to head to theaters to watch the first episodes. Instead, most of the new season will debut directly on streaming.
Prime Video and 5&2 Studios announced on Friday, April 3, that The Chosen Season 6 will premiere on Nov. 15, 2026, in the U.S. and internationally. The first three episodes will drop on Prime Video, followed by weekly releases through Dec. 6. The supersized season finale is set for a theatrical release in spring 2027.
The rollout marks a shift from prior seasons, which debuted in theaters first before arriving on streaming months later. The change comes after Amazon MGM Studios struck a deal with 5&2 Studios in 2025, securing the streaming rights to the series, including the upcoming and final two seasons.
The apostle Matthew applies a prophecy from Isaiah to introduce
readers to Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist: “For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight”’” (Matthew 3:3, ESV).
Matthew’s Jewish audience was well acquainted with the scroll of Isaiah and this passage extracted from an extended prophecy about the end-times restoration of Israel (Isaiah 40:1—45:25). Matthew confirms that John the Baptist is “the voice” ushering in the beginning of God’s glorious future kingdom with the arrival of the King. John’s role was to prepare the way for the King’s advent.
Before John the Baptist was born, an angel of the Lord visited his father, Zechariah, explaining, “Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. . . . He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord” (Luke 1:13–17, NLT). After the baby was born, Zechariah prophesied, “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord” (Luke 1:76, NLT). Later, John the Baptist connected the dots between his mission and Isaiah’s prophecy, testifying, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord,—just as Isaiah the prophet said” (John 1:23, CSB). John declares that Israel’s long-anticipated Savior is about to step onto the world stage.
Through the testimony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Zechariah, and John the Baptist himself, God makes it clear that this rugged wilderness preacher is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. But how did John prepare the way of the Lord and make His paths straight? His nickname—“John the Baptist”—gives us a clue.
John the Baptist beckoned the Jewish people to repent of their sins and be baptized—an act that outwardly demonstrated the inward dedication of their lives to God through immersion in water. Repentance is the inescapable beginning of faith, and baptism represented a new way of doing things for the Jews. As a religious practice, baptism was generally only observed by outsiders (Gentiles) converting to Judaism. To prepare the way of the Lord and make His paths straight, John needed the Jews to understand that their ancestral heritage would not save them. Faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior would require a personal commitment—a turning away from sin and a new life of devotion to God. John’s baptism “called for repentance from sin,” meaning real-life change as well as belief in Jesus Christ (see Acts 19:1–7, NLT).
As John encountered Jesus face to face, he understood that his life mission was to reveal to Israel that Christ was the Son of God and their long-awaited Messiah. He prepared the way of the Lord by introducing Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” and “the Chosen One of God” (John 1:29–34, NLT). Because of John’s ministry, multitudes of sinners put their faith in Jesus Christ (John 10:39–42).
Highways in the ancient world were built for kings to travel. When a king planned to visit a city, it was the custom to build or prepare a road for him and his entourage to use as they approached the city. The path would be made as straight and level as possible (see Isaiah 40:3–4). Isaiah 35:8–10 speaks of “a highway” called “the Way of Holiness” leading to the city of Zion. Holiness is often referred to in the Bible as a straight path (Hebrews 12:13; Psalm 5:8; Proverbs 3:6; Jeremiah 31:9; Isaiah 26:7).
John was God’s messenger chosen to proclaim the coming of Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah, who is King of kings and Lord of lords. John preached a game-changing baptism of repentance that leads to a life of holiness found only in surrendering to Jesus Christ (John 14:6; 2 Timothy 1:9). As Christians, we prepare the way for the Lord to enter our hearts by repenting of our sins so that Christ can come in and make straight paths and holy temples of our lives (Deuteronomy 26:18–19; Ephesians 1:4; 2:19–22; 1 Peter 1:15–16; 1 Corinthians 3:16–17; 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1).
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Psalm 119 is a long acrostic poem dedicated singularly to honoring and proclaiming the value of God’s Word. In verse 105, the psalmist declares to the Lord, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (ESV). Just as a lamp brightens a path for our feet to walk, God’s Word provides the illumination and guidance we need to walk in this world.
The word translated “lamp” in this passage is ner in the original Hebrew. It refers to a small clay lantern with a solitary wick. The psalmist describes the Word of God as a lamp carried on his journey to distinguish the way and keep him from stumbling off course and going astray. The light of God’s Word allows us to see the right direction. It is God’s guidance for our travels through life on earth.
Proverbs 6:23 offers a companion thought: “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.” The guidance referred to by the biblical writers is not the advice of career counselors or pop magazines but rock-solid truth for navigating difficult moral choices in a dark and fallen world.
Ideas like moral relativism, situational ethics, and subjectivism make staying on the right path all the more challenging and perplexing. Worldly voices claim, “There are many paths to God,” “There’s no such thing as absolute truth,” and “Just do what feels right to you.” If we aren’t careful about the choices we make, if we listen to these voices rather than rely on God’s illuminating truth to guide us on the right roads, we will quickly encounter grief and ruin.
Only God’s Word provides the direction we need. Second Peter 1:19 describes it as a reliable lamp shining in a dark place: “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
The apostle Paul told his young protégé, Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NLT). If we study God’s Word frequently and diligently, if we give it our full attention, it will provide us with the direction, correction, and wisdom we need to succeed in life and do the Lord’s work.
Obeying God’s Word brings blessings and rewards: “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (Psalm 1:1–3, NLT; see also Exodus 15:26; Psalm 128:1; James 1:22–25). On his deathbed, King David told his son Solomon, “Keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn” (1 Kings 2:3, ESV).
God’s Word has extraordinary power, says Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The Word of God is alive because He is a living God (Hebrews 3:12; 2 Corinthians 6:16). His words are full of energy, life, power, and productivity—they cause things to happen (Psalm 33:9). If we allow it to, if we don’t ignore it, God’s Word will take an active presence in our lives. We can trust the Word of God to accomplish whatever purpose God intends for it and to prosper wherever He sends it (Isaiah 55:11). For this reason, we ought to study it (2 Timothy 2:15), meditate on it (Psalm 119:97), hold firmly to it (Philippians 2:16), and hide it in our hearts (Psalm 119:11).
Christians can say to God, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” because the Word of God is the living energy that actively provides illumination, insight, direction, and guidance for our pilgrimage through a dark and sinful world.
After Jesus announced to His disciples that He would be leaving them soon, He gave them a statement of great encouragement: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth” (John 14:16–17).
The Greek word translated “Comforter” or “Counselor” (as found in John 14:16, 26; 15:26; and 16:7) is parakletos. This form of the word is unquestionably passive and properly means “one called to the side of another”; the word carries a secondary notion concerning the purpose of the calling alongside: to counsel or support the one who needs it. This Counselor, or Paraclete, is God the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity who has been “called to our side.” He is a personal being, and He indwells every believer.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus had guided, guarded, and taught His disciples; but now, in John 14—16, He is preparing to leave them. He promises that the Spirit of God would come to the disciples and dwell in them, taking the place of their Master’s physical presence. Jesus called the Spirit “another Comforter”—another of the same kind. The Spirit of God is not different from the Son of God in essence, for both are God.
During the Old Testament age, the Spirit of God would come on people and then leave them. God’s Spirit departed from King Saul (1 Samuel 16:14; 18:12). David, when confessing his sin, asked that the Spirit not be taken from him (Psalm 51:11). But when the Spirit was given at Pentecost, He came to God’s people to remain with them forever. We may grieve the Holy Spirit, but He will not leave us. As Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” How is He with us when He is in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father? He is with us by His Spirit (the Helper—the Parakletos).
To have the Holy Spirit as our Paraclete is to have God Himself indwelling us as believers. The Spirit teaches us the Word and guides us into truth. He reminds us of what Jesus has taught so that we can depend on His Word in the difficult times of life. The Spirit works in us to give us His peace (John 14:27), His love (John 15:9–10), and His joy (John 15:11). He comforts our hearts and minds in a troubled world. The power of the indwelling Paraclete gives us the ability to live by the Spirit and “not gratify the desires of the sinful flesh” (Galatians 5:16). The Spirit can then produce His fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22–23) to the glory of God the Father. What a blessing to have the Holy Spirit in our lives as our Paraclete—our Comforter, our Encourager, our Counselor, and our Advocate!
“I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11) is the fourth of seven “I am” declarations of Jesus recorded only in John’s Gospel. These “I am” proclamations point to His unique, divine identity and purpose. Immediately after declaring that He is “the door” in John 10:7, Jesus declares “I am the good shepherd.” He describes Himself as not only “the shepherd” but the “good shepherd.” What does this mean?
It should be understood that Jesus is “the” good shepherd, not simply “a” good shepherd, as others may be, but He is unique in character (Psalm 23; Zechariah 13:7; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 1 Peter 5:4). The Greek word kalos, translated “good,” describes that which is noble, wholesome, good, and beautiful, in contrast to that which is wicked, mean, foul, and unlovely. It signifies not only that which is good inwardly—character—but also that which is attractive outwardly. It is an innate goodness. Therefore, in using the phrase “the good shepherd,” Jesus is referencing His inherent goodness, His righteousness, and His beauty. As shepherd of the sheep, He is the one who protects, guides, and nurtures His flock.
As He did in declaring that He is “the door of the sheep” in John 10:7, Jesus is making a contrast between Himself and the religious leaders, the Pharisees (John 10:12–13). He compares them to a “hireling” or “hired hand” who doesn’t really care about the sheep. In John 10:9, Jesus speaks of thieves and robbers who sought to enter the sheepfold stealthily. In that passage the Jewish leaders (Pharisees) are contrasted with Christ, who is the Door. Here, in John 10:12, the hireling is contrasted with the true or faithful shepherd who willingly gives up his life for the sheep. He who is a “hireling” works for wages, which are his main consideration. His concern is not for the sheep but for himself. Interestingly enough, the shepherds of ancient times were not usually the owners of the flock. Nevertheless, they were expected to exercise the same care and concern the owners would. This was characteristic of a true shepherd. However, some of the hirelings thought only of themselves. As a result, when a wolf appeared—the most common threat to sheep in that day—the hireling abandoned the flock and fled, leaving the sheep to be scattered or killed (John 10:12–13).
First, to better understand the purpose of a shepherd during the times of Jesus, it is helpful to realize that sheep are utterly defenseless and totally dependent upon the shepherd. Sheep are always subject to danger and must always be under the watchful eye of the shepherd as they graze. Rushing walls of water down the valleys from sudden, heavy rainfalls may sweep them away, robbers may steal them, and wolves may attack the flock. David tells how he killed a lion and a bear while defending his father’s flock as a shepherd boy (1 Samuel 17:36). Driving snow in winter, blinding dust and burning sands in summer, long, lonely hours each day—all these the shepherd patiently endures for the welfare of the flock. In fact, shepherds were frequently subjected to grave danger, sometimes even giving their lives to protect their sheep.
Likewise, Jesus gave His life on the cross as “the Good Shepherd” for his own. He who would save others, though He had the power, did not choose to save Himself. “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. In proclaiming that He is the Good Shepherd, Jesus speaks of “laying down” His life for His sheep (John 10:15, 17–18).
Jesus’ death was divinely appointed. It is only through Him that we receive salvation. “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own” (John 10:14). Furthermore, Jesus makes it clear that it wasn’t just for the Jews that he laid down His life, but also for the “other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16). The “other sheep” clearly refers to the Gentiles. As a result, Jesus is the Good Shepherd over all, both Jew and Gentile, who come to believe upon Him (John 3:16).
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).
“God is light,” says 1 John 1:5. Light is a common metaphor in the Bible. Proverbs 4:18 symbolizes righteousness as the “morning sun.” Philippians 2:15 likens God’s children who are “blameless and pure” to shining stars in the sky. Jesus used light as a picture of good works: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds” (Matthew 5:16). Psalm 76:4 says of God, “You are radiant with light.”
The fact that God is light sets up a natural contrast with darkness. If light is a metaphor for righteousness and goodness, then darkness signifies evil and sin. First John 1:6 says that “if we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.” Verse 5 says, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” Note that we are not told that God is a light but that He is light. Light is part of His essence, as is love (1 John 4:8).The message is that God is completely, unreservedly, absolutely holy, with no admixture of sin, no taint of iniquity, and no hint of injustice.
If we do not have the light, we do not know God. Those who know God, who walk with Him, are of the light and walk in the light. They are made partakers of God’s divine nature, “having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4).
God is light, and so is His Son. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). To “walk” is to make progress. Therefore, we can infer from this verse that Christians are meant to grow in holiness and to mature in faith as they follow Jesus (see 2 Peter 3:18).
God is light, and it is His plan that believers shine forth His light, becoming more like Christ every day. “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:5). God is the Creator of physical light as well as the Giver of spiritual light by which we can see the truth. Light exposes that which is hidden in darkness; it shows things as they really are. To walk in the light means to know God, understand the truth, and live in righteousness.
Believers in Christ must confess any darkness within themselves – their sins and transgressions – and allow God to shine His light through them.
Christians cannot sit idly by and watch others continue in the darkness of sin, knowing that those in darkness are destined for eternal separation from God. The Light of the World desires to banish the darkness and bestow His wisdom everywhere (Isaiah 9:2; Habakkuk 2:14; John 1:9). In taking the light of the gospel to the world, we must by necessity reveal things about people that they would rather leave hidden. Light is uncomfortable to those accustomed to the dark (John 3:20).
Jesus, the sinless Son of God, is the “true light” (John 1:9). As adopted sons of God, we are to reflect His light into a world darkened by sin. Our goal in witnessing to the unsaved is “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18).
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.”
Reverence is honor and respect that is deeply felt and outwardly demonstrated. Because of the Lord God’s awesome power and majesty, He is deserving of the highest level of reverence (Leviticus 19:30). The Bible records reverence as the automatic response of everyone who encounters the awesome grandeur of the Lord God Almighty (Numbers 20:6; Judges 13:20; 1 Chronicles 21:16).
The idea of reverence for God started with God. In the Old Testament, God taught the Israelites how to show proper reverence by giving them hundreds of laws related to purity, holiness, and worship (Deuteronomy 5). Sinful humanity does not know how to worship a holy God with reverence and awe, so He spelled it out for us. His presence dwelt with Israel in the Ark of the Covenant, and they were not to touch it as a matter of reverence. The Holy of Holies inside the tabernacle also required the highest level of reverence (Leviticus 16:2). Whoever disobeyed God’s command about entering the Holy of Holies died instantly (Leviticus 22:9; Numbers 4:20; 1 Chronicles 13:9–10). The purpose of such strict rules was to define holiness and impress upon mankind the necessity for reverence in the presence the Lord. God is not to be trifled with.
In New Testament Christianity, reverence for God is demonstrated by our willingness to voluntarily die to self and obey His commands (Galatians 2:20; 5:13; James 2:12). Jesus reminded us that we must properly reverence God. He taught the disciples to begin their prayers with “Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9–13). Hallowed means “set apart as holy.” We are to treat the name of God with reverence. It is common to hear people, even professing Christians, use God’s name as an exclamation. OMG is tossed about as though it was of no more significance than the word wow. We may not intend to be irreverent, but when we invoke His name in casual chatter, we are being just that.
Another way we demonstrate reverence for God is by the way we live. Those with a right understanding of God’s nature also understand His wrath. We show reverence by taking seriously His hatred of sin and the coming judgment on those who refuse to repent (Colossians 3:6; Romans 1:18). We pursue holiness because He is holy (1 Peter 1:15–16). Reverent people desire “to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:12).
We show reverence for God by learning how to truly worship Him. Jesus said that the Father is seeking people who will learn to worship Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). True worship is not about our favorite song. It is not confined to an emotional experience and is not synonymous with tingly feelings. True worship is a lifestyle. We worship in spirit when our hearts are abandoned before Lord, willing to obey everything He has said. We worship in truth when our minds are engaged and filled with the biblical understanding of God’s nature. To worship God is to know Him and to serve Him. To worship Him the way He deserves to be worshiped, we must align our hearts with His and seek to obey Him (see Luke 6:46).
Reverence for God is a quality missing in much of what masquerades as Christianity today. Instead of the kind of reverence we see demonstrated throughout the Bible, modern Christianity has adopted a “Jesus-is-my-buddy” attitude that grossly downplays the holiness, power, and righteous wrath of the Sovereign Creator. Reverence does not refer to God as “The Big Guy in the Sky” or “The Man Upstairs.” Once we truly know who God is, we reverence Him in our hearts. Even the thief on the cross, after he realized who Jesus was, rebuked the other thief for his irreverence: “Don’t you fear God?” he said to the other thief; then he turned to Jesus and honored Him as the King (Luke 23:40–42).
Human beings were created to worship God, so reverence is the natural response of a heart that has been transformed by the Holy Spirit. The more we grow in knowledge and understanding, the more reverence we feel toward Him. Proper reverence is not the same as stiff, religious formality. The gift of Jesus to us was God’s invitation to draw near (James 4:8; John 14:9). However, familiarity with God should not breed contempt, but greater reverence.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (NASB). Other Bible versions use words such as masterpiece or handiwork instead of workmanship. In other words, we are wholly the result of God’s creative, redemptive, and sanctifying work, and we belong to Him.
Workmanship refers to more than the product of creation; it also refers to the degree of skill with which the product is made. That degree of skill imparts value to the thing made. For example, we could say, “That vase is of excellent workmanship.” The vase itself is lovely, but its value is derived from the talents of the one who designed and produced it. With that definition in mind, workmanship may be a more fitting term than either masterpiece or handiwork because of the emphasis it places on the Creator rather than the creation.
We are God’s workmanship in that He created us. Everything God creates is of value, yet nothing in creation compares to His work in creating mankind (Genesis 2:7). From the sky to rivers to frogs, God merely spoke and they were (Genesis 1). For six days, God said, “Let there be,” and it was so. But on the sixth day, He did something different. God reached down into the mud and formed a man. He then breathed “into man’s nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). That breath brought God’s own life into His workmanship. The human being now possessed a spirit unlike the life of animals and plants. Psalm 139:13–16 gives us a peek into God’s workshop, showing us that He is intimately involved in the creation of every human being.
We are God’s workmanship in that He redeemed us. As God knew they would, mankind rebelled against His authority. They defiled God’s workmanship and introduced sin into His perfect world (Genesis 3:11; Romans 5:12). From that very hour, God put into motion His plan to redeem them and restore them to their original design (Genesis 3:21–23). Before the foundation of the world, God had planned this redemption, which would ultimately result in the crucifixion of His Son as a final sacrifice for sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8). His workmanship was costly, as we are redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18–19).
We are God’s workmanship in that He sanctifies us and fits us for service. He forms us the way He wants for His own pleasure and purposes (Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:16). Despite the imperfections we find in ourselves and those we love, the clay cannot say to the potter, “Why did you make me like this?” (Romans 9:20; Jeremiah 18:5). God knows what He’s doing. He uses the sculpting tools of adversity, relationships, challenges, and miraculous interventions to mold us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:28). And He promises to finish what He began (Philippians 1:6). The goal is “good works” (Ephesians 2:10).
The truth that we are God’s workmanship is expressed in the context of our salvation: “By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship” (Ephesians 2:8–10, NASB). The emphasis is on the grace and gift of God. We are not saved by our own works for the simple fact that we ourselves are God’s work. God is the Designer and Builder of our faith; we cannot save ourselves.
The Church as a whole is also God’s workmanship. He has given us gifts, Scripture, and His Holy Spirit to enable us to carry out His work in the world. (Romans 12:4–7; 1 Corinthians 12:4). As a lantern exists to shed light, so the Church exists to spread the light of the gospel to the lost and dying (Matthew 5:14; Acts 13:47). To the degree that we allow His light to shine through us, we display His workmanship.
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, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).
The Bible teaches that all Christians receive new life in Jesus Christ (see Galatians 2:20). Christ lives in us, and we are alive in Him. Jesus is the center of our existence. We already share in His resurrection life because believers are “in Christ” spiritually. We died with Him when He died and are raised with Christ through His resurrection: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. . . . For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1–3). Knowing we are raised with Christ should give us a heavenly perspective.
In Colossians 3:1, the apostle Paul states that believers “have been raised with Christ” as part of his argument against false teachers’ claims that salvation was based on following rules and regulations. In the previous chapter, Paul urged the Colossians not to let anyone condemn them for what they ate or drank or for not honoring legalistic religious observances (see Colossians 2:16–23). As Christians, our union with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection frees us from the formalities of outward rituals and religious formalities. The believer does not tap into the life and the power of Jesus through external rule-following but through a spiritual union with Christ. We come into an intimate, living relationship with Jesus that radically transforms our outlook, motivation, and entire being from the inside out (John 1:12; 7:38; 15:1–8; Romans 6:4; 7:6; 1 Corinthians 6:17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:4–5; 4:20–24).
Paul speaks of Christians being raised with Christ as a past, present, and future certainty: “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was” (Romans 6:4–5, NLT; see also 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). Earlier, Paul told the Colossians, “For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead” (Colossians 2:12, NLT).
Being raised with Christ is the believer’s past reality. Through believer’s baptism, we were raised (past tense) with Christ. We were identified with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. In a spiritual sense, we were positioned or placed “in Christ” when He resurrected from the dead.
Being raised with Christ is the believer’s present truth. Now, because we are raised (present tense) with Christ, we are alive to God and filled with His power to live in ways that are pleasing to the Lord (Romans 12:1–2; 14:17–18; Colossians 1:10; 1 Timothy 2:1–3). In Colossians 3, Paul stresses the importance of our relationship with Jesus. We can better live godly lives when we understand our identity in Christ. Our new life in Jesus empowers us to live each day with our eyes on the realities of heaven where Christ is seated with the Father (see Colossians 3:1–4). We seek His kingdom and righteousness first and set our hearts and minds on things above (Colossians 3:2; Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:8–9).
Because we are raised with Christ, everything that happens to us here on earth is framed within the context of eternity. Our new life in Christ impacts our perspective and invades every experience of our earthly journey, which is only temporary (Acts 14:22; Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17–18; 5:4–7).
Being raised with Christ is the believer’s future hope. When Christ returns, every believer will be raised (future tense) from the dead and will receive a glorious new heavenly body that is imperishable and immortal (John 11:25–26; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23, 51–53; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Colossians 3:4).
In Ephesians 2:1–10, Paul expounds on the extraordinary goodness of God toward those He has saved and raised with Christ. In His rich love and mercy, God transformed our dead and disobedient hearts and gave us new life when He raised Christ from the dead (verses 1–5). “For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. . . . For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (verses 6–10, NLT).
In 1 Peter 1:13-16, Peter writes to believers, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" Peter is quoting from Leviticus 11:44 and Leviticus 19:2.
First, let’s look at God’s holiness. What does it mean that God is holy? Passages like 1 Samuel 2:2 and Isaiah 6:3 are just two of many examples of passages about God’s holiness. Another way to say it is absolute perfection. God is unlike any other (see Hosea 11:9), and His holiness is the essence of that “otherness.” His very being is completely absent of even a trace of sin (James 1:13; Hebrews 6:18). He is high above any other, and no one can compare to Him (Psalm 40:5). God’s holiness pervades His entire being and shapes all His attributes. His love is a holy love, His mercy is holy mercy, and even His anger and wrath are holy anger and holy wrath. These concepts are difficult for humans to grasp, just as God is difficult for us to understand in His entirety.
Next, what does it mean for us to be holy? When God told Israel to be holy in Leviticus 11 and 19, He was instructing them to be distinct from the other nations by giving them specific regulations to govern their lives. Israel is God’s chosen nation and God has set them apart from all other people groups. They are His special people, and consequently they were given standards that God wanted them to live by so the world would know they belonged to Him. When Peter repeats the Lord’s words in 1 Peter 1:16, he is talking specifically to believers. As believers, we need to be "set apart" from the world unto the Lord. We need to be living by God’s standards, not the world’s. God isn’t calling us to be perfect, but to be distinct from the world. First Peter 2:9 describes believers as "a holy nation." It is a fact! We are separated from the world; we need to live out that reality in our day-to-day lives, which Peter tells us how to do in 1 Peter 1:13-16.
Finally, how can we become holy? Holiness only results from a right relationship with God by believing in Jesus Christ as Savior (accepting His gift of eternal life). If we have not placed our faith in God’s Son alone to save us from our sins, then our pursuit of holiness is in vain. So, we must first make sure we are born-again believers (see John 3). If we truly are believers, then we recognize that our position in Christ automatically sets us apart from the world (1 Peter 2:9). After all, we have a relationship with the living God! Then we must daily live a set-apart life, not trying to "blend in" with the world, but instead living according to God’s Word as we study the Bible and grow in it.
The term “cheap grace” can be traced back to a book written by German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, called The Cost of Discipleship, published in 1937. In that book, Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace” as “the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.” Notice what is emphasized in Bonhoeffer’s definition of cheap grace and what is de-emphasized. The emphasis is on the benefits of Christianity without the costs involved; hence, the adjective cheap to describe it.
A similar debate regarding cheap grace erupted in the 1980s and 1990s in the Lordship Salvation controversy. The controversy began when pastor and theologian John MacArthur objected to a teaching that was becoming popular in evangelical circles called “carnal Christianity.” The reference is to a statement that the apostle Paul made in his first letter to the church at Corinth: “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1). The phrase “of the flesh” is the Greek word sarkinos, meaning “flesh.” The word carnal comes from the Latin word for “flesh.” In the New Testament, flesh can simply mean “skin, flesh, body.” However, Paul often uses it to speak of our sinful nature—that unredeemed part of man with whom the new man in Christ must battle daily (Romans 7; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; 2 Corinthians 10:2; Galatians 5:16-19).
The idea of carnal Christianity essentially teaches that as long as one makes a profession of faith in Christ, he or she is saved (Romans 10:9), even if there is no immediate obedience to the commands of Jesus and the apostles to live a life of holiness. It is the idea that we can have Jesus as Savior, but not necessarily as Lord. People who advocate for carnal Christianity, or “free grace” as it’s often called, do not deny the necessity of good works (i.e., holy living) for sanctification, but they distinguish the call for salvation from the call to sanctification (or discipleship).
There are many Scripture passages that free grace advocates use to support their position. It is not necessary to cite them all, but two of the most popular and forceful passages are John 3:16 and Romans 10:9.
• For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
• Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
Clearly, these passages, and others, teach that the one who believes in Jesus Christ “has eternal life” and “will be saved.” There is no disputing this. However, what people like John MacArthur and others were objecting to is not that salvation and eternal life are free gifts of God’s grace, but rather the teaching that the call to salvation does not also include a call to repentance and holy living. In other words, they were objecting that the doctrine of free grace was becoming a doctrine of cheap grace. What the proponents of Lordship Salvation assert is that salvation is a call to discipleship, that one cannot have Jesus as Savior without also acknowledging Him as Lord.
The New Testament uses the word for “Lord” (kurios) 748 times, and 667 of those times it is used in reference to God or Jesus (e.g., “Jesus Christ our Lord,” Romans 1:4). In contrast, the New Testament uses the word for “savior” (soter) only 24 times. It seems clear that the emphasis in the New Testament is on Jesus Christ as Lord, not as Savior. Now in saying that, it is not meant to downplay or denigrate the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross. What a glorious and gracious provision God has made for His people in providing Jesus Christ as our atoning sacrifice who thereby guarantees salvation and eternal life for those who believe in Him. Jesus Christ is most certainly our Savior, but this cannot be separated from the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord, and as Lord, He commands and we obey.
Jesus, in His Great Commission to the 11 remaining disciples, commanded them to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that He had commanded them (Matthew 28:19-20). Evangelism and discipleship go hand in hand. A disciple is one who observes (keeps, obeys) all that Jesus has commanded. There is no two-stage process in Christianity—first, be saved; then become a disciple. This arbitrary distinction is foreign to the New Testament and therefore foreign to Christianity.
To play off the title of Bonhoeffer’s book, let’s look at what Jesus said to His disciples about discipleship in Luke 14:25-33. In that passage, Jesus says to the crowds that no one can be His disciple unless they first hate their family (v. 26). Furthermore, the one who cannot bear his own cross cannot be His disciple (v. 27). Two conditions are given by Jesus in order to be His disciple. The first is to be willing to renounce family in order to follow Jesus. The second is to be willing to die, both literally and metaphorically (“die to self”) in order to follow Jesus. Jesus then gives two examples of “counting the cost.” The first is an example of a man who desires to build a tower without first counting the cost of building the tower. After realizing he cannot complete it, he gives up in shame and embarrassment. The second is that of a king preparing to go to battle and making sure he can defend against the superior foe. The point Jesus is making is that discipleship has a cost.
Furthermore, discipleship requires repentance and obedience. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, the message He preached was a message of repentance (Matthew 4:17). The message of the apostles after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension was also one of repentance (Acts 2:38). Along with repentance comes obedience. Jesus told a crowd of listeners that salvation and obedience go hand in hand: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). Jesus then goes on to differentiate the one who builds his house on the sand from the one who builds his house on the rock, that is, the man who not only hears the words of Jesus, but does them, too.
Cheap grace seeks to hide the cost of discipleship from people. It seeks to claim that as long as we make a profession of faith, we are saved. God’s grace covers all our sins. Again, that is a wonderful truth! The apostle Paul says as much when he writes, “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20-21). Yet, right after writing that, Paul follows it with this: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). Salvation by grace alone through faith alone is so much more than simply mouthing the words “Jesus is Lord.” We are not saved by a profession of faith. We are not saved by praying the Sinner’s Prayer. We are not saved by signing a card or walking an aisle. We are saved by a living and active faith (James 2:14-26), a faith that manifests itself in repentance, obedience and love of God and our neighbor. Salvation is not a transaction; it’s a transformation. Paul says it best when he says we are “new creations” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). There is nothing “cheap” about grace!
Second Peter 3:18 tells us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” To grow in grace is to mature as a Christian. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), and we mature and are sanctified by grace alone. We know that grace is a blessing that we don’t deserve. It is God’s grace that justifies us, sanctifies us, and eventually glorifies us in heaven. The sanctification process, becoming more like Christ, is synonymous with growing in grace.
We grow in grace by reading God’s Word and letting it “dwell in us richly” (Colossians 3:16) and by praying. Those actions by themselves don’t mature us, but God uses these spiritual disciplines to help us grow. Therefore, maturing in our Christian life is not about what we do, but about what God does in us, by His grace. Understanding and applying God’s grace in our lives is important. We are not to impair it by being proud, because God says that He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Grace is that attribute of God that enables us to break free of our sinful nature and follow Him. It gives us strength and protects us. Without God’s grace, His favor, we would be hopelessly lost in this world. The more grace we have and ask God for, the more mature as Christians we will be.
To grow in grace does not mean gaining more grace from God. God’s grace never increases; it is infinite, it cannot be more, and according to the nature of God, it could never be less. He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him should be saved (John 3:16). How much more grace could there possibly be than that? But to grow in grace is to grow in our understanding of what Jesus did and to grow in our appreciation of the grace we have been given. The more we learn about Jesus, the more we will appreciate all He has done, and the more we appreciate His love and sacrifice for us, the more we will perceive the never-ending grace of God.
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. The way to do this is by meditating on the Scriptures and applying their principles to our lives as we yield to the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Then we will prove 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.”
Paul, in his prayers “for saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1, ESV), asks that God “may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (verse 17).
Prior to his prayer for the spirit of wisdom and revelation, Paul reminds the Ephesian believers of the blessings God has bestowed upon them (Ephesians 1:3), their adoption as children through Christ (verse 4), the wisdom and insight they have been given (verse 8), and “the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ” (verse 9). He also reminds them that they have been “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (verses 13–14). Now he desires for them to be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
Since Christians receive the promised Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation (John 14:17), the spirit of wisdom and revelation that Paul prays for cannot refer to the initial gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s reference could easily be to an attitude or frame of mind (although the NIV and ESV capitalize Spirit, other translations such as the NASB and BSB translate it as “a spirit,” and the NLT simply has “spiritual wisdom and insight”). If not the Holy Spirit, then what does Paul ask for in his request for “the spirit of wisdom and revelation”? The key is in the phrase that follows, “in the knowledge of him” (ESV), or “so that you may know him better” (NIV).
Paul had commended the Ephesians for their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love toward all the saints (Ephesians 1:15), but now he is asking God to give them a deeper and greater understanding of the mysteries of His character and will, to know Him more thoroughly and intimately. Now that they have the Holy Spirit in their hearts, Paul desires Him to grant them more understanding and greater insight. The “wisdom” is a better understanding of the doctrines of God, and the “revelation” is a clearer picture of the divine character and will. In the NLT, the prayer is that believers would have “spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.” The AMP translation has Paul asking that God “may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him.”
God is infinite, and He can never be fully known by finite creatures. We all need wisdom from above. No matter how far we may advance in our understanding of God, there is an unfathomed depth of knowledge that remains to be explored. Scripture is full of admonitions to grow in our knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:15).
Paul outlines some of the mysteries he wants the Ephesians to understand through this spirit of wisdom and revelation. He desires them to grasp “the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18). This is the hope of eternal life, which Paul refers to as the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14, ESV). We inherit the riches of eternal life through Him who saved us and called us to holiness in Christ before time began (2 Timothy 1:9). Paul also prays the Spirit will reveal God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19)—power so great it raised Jesus from the dead. It’s a power that we can only comprehend as we possess the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
The spirit of wisdom and revelation is not some mysterious blessing given to a special few, and it is not the ability to speak as a prophet. Rather, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to help the people of God understand the things of God more fully and completely.
The “seven spirits of God” are mentioned several times in the book of Revelation:
• Revelation 1:4–5, “John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ . . .”
• Revelation 3:1, “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God . . .”
• Revelation 4:5, “From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.”
• Revelation 5:6, “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”
The identity of “the seven spirits” is not explicit in these passages, but arriving at the proper interpretation is fairly straightforward. The “seven spirits” cannot be seven angelic beings such as seraphim or cherubim because of the context of Revelation 1:4. John says that “grace and peace” are coming to the churches from three sources: “him who is, and who was, and who is to come” (verse 4), “the seven spirits before the throne” (verse 4), and “Jesus Christ” (verse 5). This is a depiction of the Trinity: grace and peace are given by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the three co-equal Persons of the Godhead.
In Revelation 3:1 Jesus “holds” the seven spirits of God. In John 15:26, Jesus “sends” the Holy Spirit from the Father. Both passages suggest the superordinate role of the Son and the subordinate role of the Spirit.
In Revelation 4:5 the seven spirits of God are symbolized as seven burning lamps that are before God’s throne. This picture agrees with Zechariah’s vision in which he sees the Holy Spirit symbolized as “a solid gold lampstand . . . with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it” (Zechariah 4:2).
In Revelation 5:6 the seven spirits are the “seven eyes” of the Lamb, and they are “sent out into all the earth.” The seven eyes speak of the Spirit’s (and the Lamb’s) omniscience, and the fact that He is sent into all the earth speaks of His omnipresence.
Once we identify the “seven spirits” as the Holy Spirit, the question remains, why are there “seven” of Him? The Bible, and especially the book of Revelation, uses the number seven to refer to perfection and completion. John’s vision includes a picture of the perfect and complete Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 11:2 also references the Holy Spirit using a seven-fold description: “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” The prophecy is that the Messiah would be empowered not by seven individual spirits but by the One Spirit, described seven ways:
1) The Spirit of the LORD
2) The Spirit of wisdom
3) The Spirit of understanding
4) The Spirit of counsel
5) The Spirit of power
6) The Spirit of knowledge
7) The Spirit of the fear of the Lord
The “seven spirits of God” in the book of Revelation are thus a reference to the Holy Spirit in the perfection of His manifold ministry.
Many times in Scripture, God’s people are encouraged to seek the face of God. A familiar verse declares, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). If we can’t see God’s face, how do we seek God’s face?
The Hebrew word for “face” in the Old Testament is often translated “presence.” When we seek the face of God, we are seeking His presence. The call to seek God’s face was issued to His people because they had abandoned Him and needed to return to Him.
A person’s face reveals much about his or her character and personality. We see the inward emotions of a person expressed outwardly on the face. We recognize a person by looking at his or her face. In a sense, one’s face represents the whole person. For the writers of the Bible, the human face could represent the entire person.
In Psalm 105:4, God’s faithful ones were called to “seek his face always.” Even if we have not abandoned God, there are times when we neglect to pursue Him. God’s face, His holy character, is often obscured by our human condition and fleshly desires. That is why the Lord urges us to seek His face continually. The Lord desires to be our constant companion in every experience of life. He wants us to know Him through and through. If we draw close to Him, God will draw close to us: “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world” (James 4:8, NLT).
When we approach God in prayer, we are seeking His face: “Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob” (Psalm 24:3–6).
The true nature of worship is to seek God’s face. The Christian walk is a life devoted to seeking God’s presence and favor. The Lord wants us to humbly and trustingly seek His face in our prayers and in our times in His Word. It requires intimacy to look intently into someone’s face. Pursuing God’s face is equivalent to developing an intimate relationship with Him: “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!” (Psalm 63:1–3, NLT).
Having God’s face smile on us is an expression of His blessing, love, and favor: “May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:25, NLT; see also Psalm 80:3, 7, 19). When we draw close to God, we are blessed with His shining favor. We do not pursue Him only to give Him a list of wants and needs because we know God is already aware of what we need (Matthew 6:7–8, 32–33). We trust that He will take care of us.
Seeking God’s face means desiring to know His character and wanting Him—His presence—more than any other thing He can give us.
This question has been asked by countless people throughout the ages. Samuel heard the voice of God, but did not recognize it until he was instructed by Eli (1 Samuel 3:1–10). Gideon had a physical revelation from God, and he still doubted what he had heard to the point of asking for a sign, not once, but three times (Judges 6:17–22,36–40). When we are listening for God’s voice, how can we know that He is the one speaking? First of all, we have something that Gideon and Samuel did not. We have the complete Bible, the inspired Word of God, to read, study, and meditate on. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). When we have a question about a certain topic or decision in our lives, we should see what the Bible has to say about it. God will never lead us contrary to what He has taught in His Word (Titus 1:2).
To hear God’s voice we must belong to God. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Those who hear God’s voice are those who belong to Him—those who have been saved by His grace through faith in the Lord Jesus. These are the sheep who hear and recognize His voice, because they know Him as their Shepherd. If we are to recognize God’s voice, we must belong to Him.
We hear His voice when we spend time in Bible study and quiet contemplation of His Word. The more time we spend intimately with God and His Word, the easier it is to recognize His voice and His leading in our lives. Employees at a bank are trained to recognize counterfeits by studying genuine money so closely that it is easy to spot a fake. We should be so familiar with God’s Word that when someone speaks error to us, it is clear that it is not of God.
While God could speak audibly to people today, He speaks primarily through His written Word. Sometimes God’s leading can come through the Holy Spirit, through our consciences, through circumstances, and through the exhortations of other people. By comparing what we hear to the truth of Scripture, we can learn to recognize God’s voice.
Life is full of decisions that do not have absolute, specific-by-name, how-to directions in the Bible. How many hours a day should my kids spend on screens? Is it okay to play certain video games? Am I allowed to go on a date with a coworker ? Is it okay to miss work because I stayed up too late the night before? We all have notions about the truth, but how do we know for sure that these ideas are coming from God? Am I hearing God? Or am I only hearing myself? Worse yet, am I hearing the temptations of Satan disguised as the leading of the Holy Spirit? Sometimes distinguishing our own ideas from God’s leading is difficult. And what if our urges are actually coming from the enemy of our souls and not from God? How do we “take every thought captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5) when we aren’t sure where the thoughts are coming from?
Most commonly, God communicates through the Bible, His inspired Word, preserved through the centuries for us today. It is through the Word that we are sanctified (John 17:17), and the Word is the light for our path (Psalm 119:105). God can also guide us through circumstances (2 Corinthians 2:12), the promptings of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), and godly mentors providing wise counsel (Proverbs 12:15). If God wants to speak to us, nothing can stop Him. Here are some ways to discern the source of our thoughts:
Pray
If we are confused about whether or not we are hearing God, it is good to pray for wisdom (James 1:5). (It’s good to pray for wisdom even when we don’t think we’re confused!) We should ask God to make His will known to us clearly. When we pray, we “must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6). If we have no faith, we “should not expect to receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:7).
Talk to God in prayer and earnestly wait for His answer. However, keep in mind that God doesn’t give us everything we desire, and sometimes His answer is, “No.” He knows what we need at any given time, and He will show us what is best. If God says, “No,” then we can thank Him for the clarity of His direction and move on from there.
Study the Word
The Bible is called “God’s Word” for a reason—it is the primary way God speaks to us. It is also the way we learn about God’s character and His dealings with people throughout history. All Scripture is “breathed out by God” and is the guide for a righteous life (2 Timothy 3:16–17). While we speak to God in prayer, He speaks to us through His Word. As we read, we must consider the words of the Bible to be the very words of God.
Any thought, desire, inclination, or urge we may have must be brought to the Word of God for comparison and approval. Let the Bible be the judge of every thought. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). No matter how urgent the urge, if it goes against what Scripture says, then it is not of God and must be rejected.
Follow the Holy Spirit’s Leading
The Holy Spirit is God—a divine Being with a mind, emotions, and will. He is always with us (Psalm 139:7–8). His purposes include interceding for us (Romans 8:26–27) and giving gifts to benefit the church (1 Corinthians 12:7–11).
The Holy Spirit wills to fill us (Ephesians 5:18) and produce in us His fruit (Galatians 5:22–25). No matter what decisions we’re making day to day, we can’t go wrong when we exhibit love, joy, peace, etc., to the glory of God. When we have a random thought pop into our heads, we must learn to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1). Will following this inclination lead to more Christlikeness? Will dwelling on this thought produce more of the fruit of the Spirit in me? The Holy Spirit will never lead us to gratify the sinful desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16); He will always lead us toward sanctification (1 Peter 1:2). Life on earth is a spiritual battle. The enemy is eager to supply diversions to distract us from God’s will (1 Peter 5:8). We must be vigilant to ensure that what we heed is more than a feeling but is truly from God Himself.
Remember, God wants to show us the right path to take. He’s not in the business of hiding His will from those who seek Him.
Here are some good questions to ask as we examine whether or not we are hearing God: Are the promptings confusing or vague? God is not the author of confusion; He is the bringer of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). Do the thoughts go against God’s Word? God will not contradict Himself. Will following these promptings lead to sin? Those who “keep in step with the Spirit” have “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24–25).
In addition, it is good to seek counsel from a Christian friend, family member, or pastor (Proverbs 15:22). Our pastors are there to help shepherd us: “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account” (Hebrews 13:17).
God does not want us to fail. The more we listen to God, the better we will be at distinguishing His voice from the other noises in our heads. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, gives His promise: “He goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:4). Others may speak, “but the sheep [do] not listen to them” (verse 8). The better we know our Shepherd, the less we have to worry about heeding the wrong voice.
About a week after Jesus plainly told His disciples that He would suffer, be killed, and be raised to life (Luke 9:22), He took Peter, James, and John up a mountain to pray. While praying, His personal appearance was changed into a glorified form, and His clothing became dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus about His death that would soon take place. Peter, not knowing what he was saying and being very fearful, offered to put up three shelters for them. This is undoubtedly a reference to the booths that were used to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, when the Israelites dwelt in booths for seven days (Leviticus 23:34–42). Peter was expressing a wish to stay in that place. Then a cloud enveloped them, and a voice spoke from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5).
The cloud lifted, Moses and Elijah had disappeared, and Jesus was alone with His disciples, who were still very much afraid. Jesus warned them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after His resurrection. The three accounts of this event are found in Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, and Luke 9:28–36.
Undoubtedly, the purpose of the transfiguration of Christ into at least a part of His heavenly glory was so that the “inner circle” of His disciples could gain a greater understanding of who Jesus was. Christ underwent a dramatic change in appearance in order that the disciples could behold Him in His glory. The disciples, who had only known Him in His human body, now had a greater realization of the deity of Christ, though they could not fully comprehend it. That gave them the reassurance they needed after hearing the shocking news of His coming death.
Symbolically, the appearance of Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets. But God’s voice from heaven – “Listen to Him!” - clearly showed that the Law and the Prophets must give way to Jesus. The One who is the new and living way is replacing the old – He is the fulfillment of the Law and the countless prophecies in the Old Testament. Also, in His glorified form they saw a preview of His coming glorification and enthronement as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The disciples never forgot what happened that day on the mountain and no doubt this was intended. John wrote in his gospel, “We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only” (John 1:14). Peter also wrote of it, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain” (2 Peter 1:16-18). Those who witnessed the transfiguration bore witness to it to the other disciples and to countless millions down through the centuries.
In Matthew 12:43–45,
Jesus
uses a parable to speak
about spiritual
emptiness and the consequences
of
rejecting God’s message:
“When an impure spirit
comes out of a person,
it goes through
arid
places seeking
rest
and does not find it.
Then it says,
‘I will return to the house I left.’
When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.
That is how it will be with this wicked generation”
(Matthew 12:43–45).
Jesus is responding to the Pharisees and teachers of the law who demanded signs from Him yet remained unrepentant, faithless, and spiritually closed (see Matthew 12:38–41; 16:4). He applies an analogy, comparing “this wicked generation” to a person with an unclean spirit. After the spirit is temporarily expelled and then returns, it brings back with it seven other spirits even more evil than itself, worsening the person’s condition. Jesus warns the Pharisees that, without genuine spiritual renewal, they would suffer further deterioration of their spiritual state.
The primary application of “this wicked generation” in Matthew 12:45 was to the current generation of Israel’s leaders at the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry. With their privileged knowledge of Old Testament prophecy and the fulfilled Scriptures, they should have recognized Jesus for who He was—their Messiah and King. Instead, they were an evil generation of blind and hypocritical leaders. They were supposed to be spiritual guardians of God’s people, but, through their own stubborn unbelief, they were setting themselves up for greater spiritual destruction by rejecting God Himself.
“This wicked generation” can also be applied generally to the nation of Israel in Jesus’ time, or at least the rebellious segment represented by the Pharisees, who refused God’s gracious gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. By rejecting their Savior, they sided with the forces of darkness and became even more vulnerable to spiritual attack. The impending dire condition Jesus warned of was a possible allusion to the fall of Jerusalem, which occurred in AD 70.
Another, more personal application can be extracted from the text. Today, we should ask ourselves, are we a wicked generation? Jesus showed that it is not enough to sweep a house clean; we must fill our spiritual home with the right person—Christ Himself. Jesus stands at the door of our hearts, knocking, and we must let Him in (see Revelation 3:20). Only He can bring restoration and total transformation. Only He can save us.
The Pharisees’ houses looked clean and “beautiful on the outside.” Still, the insides were “full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27). We can attempt to clean up our lives superficially through self-righteousness and religious activity. But without genuine submission to the Lord, we only invite greater spiritual vulnerability.
Matthew 12:45 warns against spiritual complacency and the dangers of rejecting or ignoring the truth of the gospel. Every era since the fall of humanity has seen a portion of its society given over to wickedness and sin. Yet there has always been at least a remnant of people with hearts of compassion, justice, and mercy, who desire to serve and glorify God.
The core message of Matthew 12:45 encourages self-examination rather than condemnation of others. It is an invitation to seek genuine spiritual renewal by examining our own hearts and actions to know if we are staying receptive to God’s guidance or turning away from it.
Whether we are a “wicked generation” depends on our response to the spiritual truth presented to us. The Bible calls us to hear God’s voice (John 8:47; 10:27–28; Hebrews 3:7–8), turn from wickedness (Acts 3:19), and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9–10). Instead of remaining empty, we daily seek the Holy Spirit to fill our spiritual houses with faith, love, joy, peace, and other fruits of righteousness (see Philippians 1:11; Galatians 5:22–23).
This quote of Jesus in regards to the end times is found in Matthew 24:34; Mark 13:30; and Luke 21:32. Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” The things that Jesus had been speaking of—the rise of the Antichrist, the desolation of the Holy Place, and the darkening of the sun—did not happen during the lifespan of people alive in Jesus’ day. Obviously, Jesus meant something different when He spoke of “this generation.”
The key to understanding what Jesus meant by “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” is the context; that is, we must understand the verses that are surrounding Matthew 24:34, especially the verses prior to it. In Matthew 24:4–31, Jesus is clearly giving a prophecy; He is speaking of future events. Jesus had already told those living during His earthly ministry that the kingdom had been taken from them (Matthew 21:43). Therefore, it is imperative that Matthew 24–25 be seen as dealing with a future time. The generation that Jesus speaks of “not passing” until He returns is a future generation, namely, the people living when the predicted events occur. The word generation refers to the people alive in the future when the events of Matthew 24–25 take place.
Jesus’ point in His statement, “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place,” is that the events of the end times will happen quickly. Once the signs of the end begin to be observed, the end is well on the way—the second coming and the judgment will occur within that last generation. Jesus reinforced this meaning with a parable in Matthew 24:32–33: “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.” A sure sign of summer is the leafing of the fig tree; a sure sign of the end of the world is that “all these things” (of Matthew 24) are taking place. Those who are on the earth then will have only a short time left.
Another interpretation is that Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24 has a “double fulfillment.” In this view, “this generation” is the people Jesus was speaking to at that moment—some of what He predicted was going to occur during their lifetimes. So, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70, Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled in part; the fall of Jerusalem provided a foretaste of worse things to come. However, many aspects of Jesus’ prophecy did not occur in AD 70; for example, the celestial signs of Matthew 24:29–31. The main problem with the “dual-fulfillment” interpretation is that it does not harmonize with Jesus’ statement that “all” these things will take place in “this generation.” Therefore, it is better to understand “this generation” as referring to the generation alive when the end times events are actually occurring.
Essentially, Jesus is saying that, once the events of the end times begin, they will happen quickly. The age of grace has continued for a very long time. But when the time for judgment finally arrives, things will be wrapped up posthaste. This concept of God’s drawing things to a rapid close is echoed in many other passages of Scripture (Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:20; Revelation 3:11; 22:7, 12, 20).
The final verses of Matthew 28 contain what we refer to as the Great Commission. Jesus gave believers their mission—to make disciples—as they live under His authority and as His representatives on earth. This mission will continue to the end of the age. Christians have the assurance that God is with us, no matter what happens, even “to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
As Jesus’ time on earth neared its end, He often told His disciples of what was to come, including what would happen at the end of the age. The “end of the age” or “the end of the world” (KJV) means the end of this present era and the commencement of the next dispensation. At the end of the church age, the end-times events will occur, God will judge the wicked, and Christ will return again to establish His kingdom (Matthew 24).
Jesus had told His disciples that He would be killed but would rise again (Matthew 16:21). He intentionally gave them specific ways to recognize that the end was near (Matthew 24:4–14). Although Jesus did not give the disciples all the details of the end of the age, knowing they would not fully understand, His warnings came with assurances that would sustain them. Each time He warned them or gave them a command, He also gave them hope. For example, when He forewarned His followers that they would have trouble in this world, He also assured them, saying, “‘Take heart. I have overcome the world’” (John 16:33). Jesus’ warnings and commands to His own are never found apart from His assurances.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He instructed His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20). This promise that He would be with His disciples even to the end of the age still holds true for believers today. We are not yet to the end of the age.
In His promise to be with His disciples always, even to the end of the age, Jesus did not mean He would physically be with them. God is with us always through His Spirit. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised His disciples that He would send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to them (John 14:26). Since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit indwells all believers from the moment they are saved. He guards and guarantees our salvation (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30), leads us into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18), reminds us of what is true (John 14:26), and gives us godly wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). Through the Holy Spirit, we have assurance that God is in control and that He is with us always, even to the end of the age.
Just as God promised Joshua that He would never leave him or forsake him (Deuteronomy 31:6), so Jesus told His disciples, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (NKJV). This promise sustains us as we seek to make disciples and live as God’s representatives on earth, no matter what trials or difficulties come our way.
Several places in Scripture refer to believers being “in Christ” (1 Peter 5:14; Philippians 1:1; Romans 8:1). Colossians 3:3 gives a little more insight: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” When we come to Christ as broken sinners, He exchanges our sin for His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Through repentance and acceptance of Jesus’ death on our behalf, we are even called His children (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26). God no longer sees our imperfections; He sees the righteousness of His own Son instead (Ephesians 2:13; Hebrews 8:12). Because we are in Christ, God sees Christ’s righteousness covering us. Only “in Christ” is our sin debt cancelled, our relationship with God restored, and our eternity secured (John 3:16–18; 20:31). In Christ, God sees me as a new creation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We have peace with God and are counted as righteous before Him (verses 17–21). Rather than seeing my sin, God sees the righteousness of His Son. He sees me as justified, redeemed, sanctified, even glorified (see Romans 8:30).
In Ephesians 1:3–14 we learn some of the ways God sees us in Christ. God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (verse 3). We are equipped with all we need. We are chosen to “be holy and blameless before [God]” (verse 4). We are seen as holy and blameless because we are in Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:18).
Ephesians 1:5 tells us that, in Christ, we have been predestined “for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.” This means God sees me as His child (cf. John 1:12–13). This is “to the praise of [God’s] glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). In Christ God sees me in love, and He lavishes upon me His abundant gifts and the “riches of his grace” (verses 7–8).
God sees me in Christ as an inheritor of heavenly riches (Ephesians 1:11; cf. Romans 8:17). God sees me as His own, forever. He has sealed me with the Holy Spirit as a “guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13–14).
God sees me as His handiwork (Psalm 139:13–16; cf. Ephesians 2:10); as His friend (James 2:23); and as a chosen one, “holy and beloved” (Colossians 3:12). He sees me as “dead to sin” (Romans 6:11) but “raised with Christ” (Colossians 3:1); as a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16); as a living stone placed by a Master Builder (1 Peter 2:5); as part of “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (verse 9); and as one of the “foreigners and exiles” in this world (verse 11). God sees me as part of His flock: “He is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care” (Psalm 95:7).
After Paul explains to the Colossians their new position in Christ, he exhorts them to keep seeking the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God the Father (Colossians 3:1). This means that believers should value what Christ values, and one of those things that believers should highly value is to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16, ESV). Believers should be setting their minds on things above, not on the things of earth because of where Christ is and because our lives are hidden in Him (Colossians 3:2–3). One day we will be revealed with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4), but in the meantime we ought to consider the members of our bodies as dead to sinful things (Colossians 3:5–9). We ought to put on the new self—to actually walk according to our new natures—and be renewed according to the true knowledge of Christ (Colossians 3:10).
The lives of believers ought to reflect newness of life in every area of our lives (Colossians 3:10–13), and we especially ought to be exhibiting Christlike love (Colossians 3:14). We ought to be filled with His peace, which is part of our calling, and we ought to be filled with thankfulness (Colossians 3:15). Paul urges his readers to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” God’s Word—His message about Christ—should be at home in us. It should be overflowing in us.
To let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, we must spend a great deal of time in the Bible learning about Him. We must cherish His Word in our hearts, as the psalmist put it in Psalm 119:11. Paul adds that there are some ways that we ought to express the word of Christ dwelling richly in us. We ought to be teaching and challenging each other with thanksgiving and songs (Colossians 3:16). Ultimately, letting the word of Christ dwell richly in us should help us to do everything in the name of Jesus, that is, according to what He has communicated that He desires (Colossians 3:17). Paul explains in the context what it looks like to let the word of Christ dwell richly in us.
In the exhortation to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” Paul provides a vital way to assess whether we are walking according to God’s design. Recall that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10). God has a design for our lives, and He has revealed that design in His Word. If we aren’t spending time in the Bible, listening to what God has said there, then we are missing out on the riches of walking according to our calling (see Ephesians 4:1). We ought to be known as people in whom God’s Word dwells richly.
One of the foundational truths of the Bible is that God is the Creator of all that is. One of the many passages to proclaim God as Creator is Isaiah 40:28, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” All three Persons of the Trinity were involved in the creation of the universe (Genesis 1:2; Acts 17:24; Hebrews 1:2).
A creator is one who makes something new. People can “create” art projects, musical compositions, and physical structures; however, they always have something to work with. They begin with preexisting matter and form it in new ways. Even music and other intellectual creations have rhythms, rhymes, notes, instruments, and artistic mediums that provide structure and offer possibilities. What is commonly called “creativity” is more akin to synthesis. God had no such raw materials to work with. When we say that God is the Creator, we mean that He is truly creative, in a category all by Himself, because He started with nothing (Colossians 1:16).
Genesis 1:1 says that “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” That means that, before Genesis 1:1, there existed no heavens and no earth. God spoke them into being (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9). “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11; cf. Revelation 10:6). He is God. He is not limited by our understanding, nor by time, space, or matter. As the Creator, God is the all-wise originator and designer of all things: “How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all” (Psalm 104:24).
When God created the heavens and the earth, He did so by speaking it into existence. When He created the things that filled the earth and the sky, He spoke them into being (Genesis 1:11–16). But when He created human beings, He did something different. He took some dust of the ground that He had already made and formed a man. Then He breathed His own life into that man, and “man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). When He created the first woman, Eve, He also used that which He had already made. He caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and took a rib from his side and formed a woman (Genesis 2:21).
God is the Designer and Craftsman of everything in the universe, and He created human beings a step above all the rest. By breathing His own life into that man, He created the man and woman “in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). That means that human beings are more like God than any other created thing. We have an eternal spirit, just as God has. We can reason, choose good or evil, and love. We have emotions, intellect, and the power and desire to create things ourselves. God desires to have fellowship with us (Genesis 3:8–9; Jeremiah 29:12). He does not seek fellowship with dogs, dolphins, or trees—only humans. And when He came to earth to save us, He came in the form of a man (Philippians 2:5–8; Luke 1:35).
When we say that God is the Creator, we mean that no one created Him and that God alone is THE Creator. Satan cannot create; he can only pervert what God creates. People cannot truly create, because we must start with something that has already been created. Everything originated from God (Jeremiah 10:16; James 1:17; Revelation 10:6). Because He created everything, everything is His (Exodus 19:5; Psalm 50:12). As human beings, we are also His, and He has the right to rule over us. He gives us freedom to choose Him or reject Him, but consequences come with either choice. The wise person bows before the Creator and willingly submits himself or herself to the only One who truly knows how we are made (Psalm 78:39; 103:14; Romans 9:20).
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 supremacy of Christ is a doctrine surrounding the authority of Jesus and His God-nature. In the simplest of terms, to affirm the supremacy of Christ is to affirm that Jesus is God.
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines supreme as “highest in rank or authority” or “highest in degree or quality.” In essence, there is none better. The supreme of something is its ultimate. Jesus is the ultimate in power, glory, authority, and importance. Jesus’ supremacy over all is developed biblically primarily in Hebrews and Colossians.
A main theme of the book of Hebrews is explaining the work of Jesus in the context of the Old Testament system. Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament Jewish traditions and roles. Another main theme of Hebrews is that Jesus does not simply represent a new way of doing things. Rather, He is supreme. He is the actual fulfillment of the old way of doing things and is therefore greater than those ways. Concerning the temple system under the Mosaic Law, the author of Hebrews writes, “But 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). In essence, Jesus is greater than the Old Testament system. He both encompasses and supersedes the old way of doing things. This is evident in the many comparisons of Jesus to Old Testament roles and rituals. For instance, we are told that “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” (Hebrews 7:24–25). Jesus, therefore, encompasses the Old Testament priesthood and is supreme over it (see here for more on this).
Hebrews explains that Christ is supreme over more than just roles and systems. Hebrews 1:3a says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” Similarly, Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” Essentially, Jesus is God.
Colossians 1:15–23 is labeled “The Supremacy of Christ” in some Bibles. In this passage, Paul makes it plain that Jesus is over all things. Christ is called “the image of the invisible God” and “the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15). The word firstborn may seem confusing. It does not imply that Christ was created (as in the doctrine of the Jehovah’s Witnesses). Instead, the term firstborn refers to a position of authority. To be “firstborn” was to hold an honored position. Paul immediately goes on to explain Jesus’ role in 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” (Colossians 1:16). This means that Jesus is not created but is Creator. He is God.
Paul goes on to say, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy” (Colossians 1:17–18). Paul highlights multiple areas in which Christ has authority—over creation, over the Church, over death, and finally “in everything.” Christ is both before all things and encompasses all things (“in Him all things hold together”). Therefore, Christ is supreme.
This doctrine is essential to our view of and worship of Christ. The supremacy of Christ affirms that Jesus is fully God. He is not simply a man greater than the rest but is truly above all creation, as only God can be. This truth is essential for our salvation. God is infinite and, therefore, our sin against Him is an infinite offense. In order to atone for this offense, the sacrifice must be infinite. Jesus, as God, is infinite and thus an able sacrifice.
That Jesus is supreme excludes us from saying that He is only one of many ways to God. He is not just a good moral teacher whom we may choose to follow; rather, He is God, and He is over all. Jesus’ supremacy also makes it evident that we cannot atone for our own sins. In fact, “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). Jesus both fulfilled and replaced that system. Salvation is not based on works (see Ephesians 2:1–10). And, once we are saved, Jesus’ supremacy shows us that we cannot aspire to be like Him of our own strength. Jesus is unlike any other, supreme over all. Christians are called to be like Jesus, but this is through the work of the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:12–13; Romans 8).
The supremacy of Jesus teaches us that He is not simply a spiritual being above the rest. Paul tells us that through Him all things visible and invisible, in heaven and on earth, i.e., spiritual and physical, were created (see Colossians 1:16). Hebrews 1:4 calls Jesus superior to the angels. This truth negates any tendencies toward angel worship. Jesus created the angels and is above them. We are explicitly told He is greater than they. Therefore, we need only worship Jesus. Similarly, that Jesus created the things of earth means that creation is not worthy of our worship. Jesus is supreme over both the physical and spiritual realms, thus giving both arenas importance while still remaining sovereign over them.
When we understand the supremacy of Christ, we have a more accurate view of Him. We more fully understand the depth of His love; we are more able to receive and to respond to His love. Theologians believe that Colossians was written, in part, to combat heresies rising in Colossae. It seemed fitting to Paul to affirm the supremacy of Christ in order to quash these misled beliefs. He affirmed Christ’s supremacy, His lordship, and His sufficiency for us. Hebrews explains the link between the Old Testament covenant and the new covenant of Jesus. It reveals the old system as a shadow of the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The supremacy of Christ is central to an accurate view of His Person, His work, our status as believers, and the Kingdom.
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.
The Age of Grace, also called the Dispensation of Grace or the Church Age, is the sixth divinely apportioned dispensation of world history, according to dispensationalism. Dispensationalism is a system theologians use to divide and categorize historical events in the Bible. Most agree that there are seven dispensations, though some believe there are nine or three. The Age of Grace is the dispensation that is occurring right now in history. It began with the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and is made possible by Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, His resurrection, and His ascension: “The grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11).
Salvation has always been by the grace of God, received by faith (Genesis 15:6). In the Dispensation of Law, God required His people to follow the Law of Moses and offer sacrifices for their sin—sacrifices that pointed forward to the gracious provision of the Lamb of God (John 1:29). “The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Now, during the Age of Grace, “we are not under the law but under grace” (Romans 6:15). The Law has been fulfilled (Matthew 5:17), and God’s grace in Christ is plain for all to see. All that is required for salvation is to trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31). He has done all that is necessary for salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9).
The term “Age of Grace” could be misleading to some—it is not meant to imply that the people in the Old Testament, before Jesus’ death and resurrection, were denied God’s grace. They still had to trust in the Lord—a trust they showed in offering the sacrifices. The Old Testament worshiper, by sacrificing an animal, was saying, “I trust God will save me despite the fact that I am sinful.” Christians take the same approach today, spiritually, but the practice is different. Instead of offering repeated sacrifices for sins, we trust in the one-time sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 10:1–10).
The grace of God has been available throughout all the dispensations (Psalm 116:5). In this present day, this Age of Grace, our Lord has commanded the gospel to be taken to every corner of the globe, because He “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4; cf. 2 Peter 3:9). His grace is offered to all.
The Davidic Covenant refers to God’s promises to David through Nathan the prophet and is found in 2 Samuel 7 and later summarized in 1 Chronicles 17:11–14 and 2 Chronicles 6:16. This is an unconditional covenant made between God and David through which God promises David and Israel that the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would come from the lineage of David and the tribe of Judah and would establish a kingdom that would endure forever. The Davidic Covenant is unconditional because God does not place any conditions of obedience upon its fulfillment. The surety of the promises made rests solely on God’s faithfulness and does not depend at all on David or Israel’s obedience.
The Davidic Covenant centers on several key promises that are made to David. First, God reaffirms the promise of the land that He made in the first two covenants with Israel (the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants). This promise is seen in 2 Samuel 7:10, “I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore.” God then promises that David’s son will succeed him as king of Israel and that this son (Solomon) would build the temple. This promise is seen in 2 Samuel 7:12–13, " 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.”
But then the promise continues and expands: “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (verse 13), and “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (verse 16). What began as a promise that David’s son Solomon would be blessed and build the temple turns into something different—the promise of an everlasting kingdom. Another Son of David would rule forever and build a lasting House. This is a reference to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, called the Son of David in Matthew 21:9.
The promise that David’s “house,” “kingdom,” and “throne” will be established forever is significant because it shows that the Messiah will come from the lineage of David and that He will establish a kingdom from which He will reign. The covenant is summarized by the words “house,” promising a dynasty in the lineage of David; “kingdom,” referring to a people who are governed by a king; “throne,” emphasizing the authority of the king’s rule; and “forever,” emphasizing the eternal and unconditional nature of this promise to David and Israel.
Other references to the Davidic Covenant are found in Jeremiah 23:5; 30:9; Isaiah 9:7; 11:1; Luke 1:32, 69; Acts 13:34; and Revelation 3:7.
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.
The phrase “dead to sin” comes from Romans 6:11: “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Here, the contrast is made that to be “dead to sin” is to be “alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Those who have come to faith in Jesus are no longer to allow sin to control their lives. Instead, we offer ourselves to God to serve His purposes.
Paul expands on this concept in Romans 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 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.” The phrase “living sacrifice” is a paradox—sacrifices do not “live”; they die. But it’s a good summation of the Christian life, as we are dead to sin and alive to God. The emphasis here is on living a different life as a result of God’s salvation. We no longer follow the pattern of the world but live according to God’s will.
To be dead to sin does not mean we are sinless. Paul made clear that he continued to struggle with temptation and sin: “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it” (Romans 7:19-20). If Paul could call himself the “worst of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:16), then we should certainly expect to continue our conflict with sin until we reach heaven.
To be dead to sin means we no longer need to be controlled by our sin nature. Romans 6:17 teaches that “though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.” Before Christ, we are “slaves” to sin. Now we have a new Master. Sin continues to exist, but we are no longer dominated by it.
As Christians, we have God’s Spirit within us to empower us. However, we still face temptation and must strive to stand against sin. We can live “dead to sin” as we follow Christ, knowing that our Lord will one day remove the curse of sin altogether (Revelation 22:3).
“I am the Light of the world” (John 8:12) is the second of seven “I AM” declarations of Jesus, recorded only in John’s gospel, that point to His unique divine identity and purpose. In declaring Himself to be the Light of the world, Jesus was claiming that He is the exclusive source of spiritual light. No other source of spiritual truth is available to mankind.
There are two types of light in the world. We can perceive one, or both, or neither! When we are born into this world, we perceive physical light, and by it we learn of our Creator’s handiwork in the things we see. However, although that light is good, there is another Light, a Light so important that the Son of God had to come in order to both declare and impart it to men. John 8:12 records, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but have the light of life.’” The metaphor used by the Lord in this verse speaks of the light of His Truth, the light of His Word, the light of eternal Life. Those who perceive the true Light will never walk in spiritual darkness.
We take a candle into a room to dispel the darkness. Likewise, the Light of Jesus Christ has to be taken into the darkness of sin that engulfs the hearts and lives of those who are not following Him. That’s the condition behind having this Light—that we follow Him. If we do not follow Him, we will not have this light, this truth, this eternal life.
Physical light is necessary for physical life. The earth would certainly change very rapidly if there were no longer any sunlight. A forest full of trees with very thick canopies of foliage high above has very little plant life on the ground except for moss or lichen, which needs little sunlight. Plants will never move away from the light—they are said to be positively phototropic, drawn to the light. In the same way, spiritual light is necessary for spiritual life, and this can be a good test of our standing in Christ. The believer will always tend toward spiritual things; he will always tend toward fellowship, prayer, the Word of God, and so on. The unbeliever always does the opposite (John 1:5; 3:19–20) because light exposes his evil, and he hates the light. Indeed, no man can come into the true spiritual light of Jesus Christ, unless he is enabled (John 6:37).
Following Jesus is the condition of two promises in John 8:12. First, His followers will never walk in darkness, which is a reference to the assurance of salvation we enjoy. As true followers of the Light, we will never follow the ways of sin, never live in a state of continually sinning (1 John 1:5–7). Rather, we repent of our sin in order to stay close to the Light of the world. The second promise is that we will reflect the Light of Life. Just as He came as the Light of the world, He commands us to be “lights,” too. In Matthew 5:14–16 we see believers depicted as the light of the world. Just as the moon has no light of its own, reflecting the light of the sun, so are believers to reflect the Light of Christ so that all can see it in us. The Light is evident to others by the good deeds we do in faith and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The emphasis here is maintaining a credible and obvious witness in the world, a witness that shows us to be faithful, God-honoring, trustworthy, sincere, earnest, and honest in all that we do. Also, we should always be ready to give an account of the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15), for the gospel Light we have is not to be covered, but made obvious for all to see and benefit from, that they, too, may leave the darkness and come into the Light.
“God is light,” says 1 John 1:5. Light is a common metaphor in the Bible. Proverbs 4:18 symbolizes righteousness as the “morning sun.” Philippians 2:15 likens God’s children who are “blameless and pure” to shining stars in the sky. Jesus used light as a picture of good works: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds” (Matthew 5:16). Psalm 76:4 says of God, “You are radiant with light.”
The fact that God is light sets up a natural contrast with darkness. If light is a metaphor for righteousness and goodness, then darkness signifies evil and sin. First John 1:6 says that “if we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.” Verse 5 says, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” Note that we are not told that God is a light but that He is light. Light is part of His essence, as is love (1 John 4:8).The message is that God is completely, unreservedly, absolutely holy, with no admixture of sin, no taint of iniquity, and no hint of injustice.
If we do not have the light, we do not know God. Those who know God, who walk with Him, are of the light and walk in the light. They are made partakers of God’s divine nature, “having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4).
God is light, and so is His Son. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). To “walk” is to make progress. Therefore, we can infer from this verse that Christians are meant to grow in holiness and to mature in faith as they follow Jesus (see 2 Peter 3:18).
God is light, and it is His plan that believers shine forth His light, becoming more like Christ every day. “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:5). God is the Creator of physical light as well as the Giver of spiritual light by which we can see the truth. Light exposes that which is hidden in darkness; it shows things as they really are. To walk in the light means to know God, understand the truth, and live in righteousness.
Believers in Christ must confess any darkness within themselves – their sins and transgressions – and allow God to shine His light through them.
Christians cannot sit idly by and watch others continue in the darkness of sin, knowing that those in darkness are destined for eternal separation from God. The Light of the World desires to banish the darkness and bestow His wisdom everywhere (Isaiah 9:2; Habakkuk 2:14; John 1:9). In taking the light of the gospel to the world, we must by necessity reveal things about people that they would rather leave hidden. Light is uncomfortable to those accustomed to the dark (John 3:20).
Jesus, the sinless Son of God, is the “true light” (John 1:9). As adopted sons of God, we are to reflect His light into a world darkened by sin. Our goal in witnessing to the unsaved is “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18).
Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Here the writer to the Hebrews exhorts all who profess faith in Jesus Christ, the “author and perfecter of our faith” (v. 2), to do two things. First, we are to remove or put off any burden that keeps us from Christ-likeness, especially sin because sin ensnares us and keeps us in bondage to itself. Second, we are to persevere, patiently enduring all things until we grow and mature in the faith. James reminds us that trials serve to strengthen our faith and bring us to maturity (James 1:2-3). Hebrews 12:1 is reminding us to persevere through those trials, knowing that, by God’s faithfulness, we won’t be overwhelmed by them (1 Corinthians 10:13).
So who are the “cloud of witnesses,” and how is it they “surround” us? To understand this, we need to look at the previous chapter, as evidenced by the word therefore beginning chapter 12. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the rest of the Old Testament believers looked forward with faith to the coming of the Messiah. The author of Hebrews illustrates this eloquently in chapter 11 and then ends the chapter by telling us that the forefathers had faith to guide and direct them, but God had something better planned. Then he begins chapter 12 with a reference to these faithful men and women who paved the way for us. What the Old Testament believers looked forward to in faith—the Messiah—we look back to, having seen the fulfillment of all the prophecies concerning His first coming.
We are surrounded by the saints of the past in a unique way. It’s not that the faithful who have gone before us are spectators to the race we run. Rather, it is a figurative representation and means that we ought to act as if they were in sight and cheering us on to the same victory in the life of faith that they obtained. We are to be inspired by the godly examples these saints set during their lives. These are those whose past lives of faith encourage others to live that way, too. That the cloud is referred to as “great” indicates that millions of believers have gone before us, each bearing witness to the life of faith we now live.
Perhaps the greatest of all Messianic prophecies in the Tanakh (the Hebrew Scriptures / the Old Testament) concerning the advent of the Jewish Messiah is found in the 53rd chapter of the prophet Isaiah. This section of the Prophets, also known as the “Suffering Servant,” has been long understood by the historical Rabbis of Judaism to speak of the Redeemer who will one day come to Zion. Here is a sampling of what Judaism has traditionally believed about the identity of the “Suffering Servant" of Isaiah 53:
The Babylonian Talmud says: “The Messiah, what is his name? The Rabbis say, The Leper Scholar, as it is said, ‘surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God and afflicted...’” (Sanhedrin 98b).
Midrash Ruth Rabbah says: “Another explanation (of Ruth 2:14): He is speaking of king Messiah; ‘Come hither,’ draw near to the throne; ‘and eat of the bread,’ that is, the bread of the kingdom; ‘and dip thy morsel in the vinegar,’ this refers to his chastisements, as it is said, ‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities.’”
The Targum Jonathan says: “Behold my servant Messiah shall prosper; he shall be high and increase and be exceedingly strong."
The Zohar says: “‘He was wounded for our transgressions,’ etc....There is in the Garden of Eden a palace called the Palace of the Sons of Sickness; this palace the Messiah then enters, and summons every sickness, every pain, and every chastisement of Israel; they all come and rest upon him. And were it not that he had thus lightened them off Israel and taken them upon himself, there had been no man able to bear Israel’s chastisements for the transgression of the law: and this is that which is written, ‘Surely our sicknesses he hath carried.’”
The great (Rambam) Rabbi Moses Maimonides says: “What is the manner of Messiah’s advent....there shall rise up one of whom none have known before, and signs and wonders which they shall see performed by him will be the proofs of his true origin; for the Almighty, where he declares to us his mind upon this matter, says, `Behold a man whose name is the Branch, and he shall branch forth out of his place’ (Zechariah 6:12). And Isaiah speaks similarly of the time when he shall appear, without father or mother or family being known, He came up as a sucker before him, and as a root out of dry earth, etc....in the words of Isaiah, when describing the manner in which kings will harken to him, At him kings will shut their mouth; for that which had not been told them have they seen, and that which they had not heard they have perceived.”
Unfortunately, modern Rabbis of Judaism believe that the “Suffering Servant” of Isaiah 53 refers perhaps to Israel, or to Isaiah himself, or even Moses or another of the Jewish prophets. But Isaiah is clear - he speaks of the Messiah, as many ancient rabbis concluded.
The second verse of Isaiah 53 confirms this clarity. The figure grows up as “a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground.” The shoot springing up is beyond reasonable doubt a reference to the Messiah, and, in fact, it is a common Messianic reference in Isaiah and elsewhere. The Davidic dynasty was to be cut down in judgment like a felled tree, but it was promised to Israel that a new sprout would shoot up from the stump. King Messiah was to be that sprout.
Beyond doubt, the “Suffering Servant” of Isaiah 53 refers to Messiah. He is the one highly exalted before whom kings shut their mouths. Messiah is the shoot who sprung up from the fallen Davidic dynasty. He became the King of Kings. He provided the ultimate atonement.
Isaiah 53 must be understood as referring to the coming Davidic King, the Messiah. King Messiah was prophesied to suffer and die to pay for our sins and then rise again. He would serve as a priest to the nations of the world and apply the blood of atonement to cleanse those who believe. There is One alone to whom this can refer, Jesus Christ!
Those who confess him are his children, his promised offspring, and the spoils of his victory. According to the testimony of the Jewish Apostles, Jesus died for our sins, rose again, ascended to the right hand of God, and He now serves as our great High Priest who cleanses us of sin (Hebrew 2:17; 8:1). Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, is the one Isaiah foresaw.
Rabbi Moshe Kohen Ibn Crispin said, “This rabbi described those who interpret Isaiah 53 as referring to Israel as those ‘having forsaken the knowledge of our Teachers, and inclined after the stubbornness of their own hearts, and of their own opinion, I am pleased to interpret it, in accordance with the teaching of our Rabbis, of the King Messiah.’” This prophecy was delivered by Isaiah at the divine command for the purpose of making known to us something about the nature of the future Messiah, who is to come and deliver Israel, and his life from the day when he arrives at discretion until his advent as a redeemer, in order that if anyone should arise claiming to be himself the Messiah, we may reflect, and look to see whether we can observe in him any resemblance to the traits described here; if there is any such resemblance, then we may believe that he is the Messiah our righteousness; but if not, we cannot do so.
Dictionaries define righteousness as “behavior that is morally justifiable or right.” Such behavior is characterized by accepted standards of morality, justice, virtue, or uprightness. The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word. Thus, God’s laws, as given in the Bible, both describe His own character and constitute the plumb line by which He measures human righteousness.
The Greek New Testament word for “righteousness” primarily describes conduct in relation to others, especially with regards to the rights of others in business, in legal matters, and beginning with relationship to God. It is contrasted with wickedness, the conduct of the one who, out of gross self-centeredness, neither reveres God nor respects man. The Bible describes the righteous person as just or right, holding to God and trusting in Him (Psalm 33:18–22).
The bad news is that true and perfect righteousness is not possible for man to attain on his own; the standard is simply too high. The good news is that true righteousness is possible for mankind, but only through the cleansing of sin by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have no ability to achieve righteousness in and of ourselves. But Christians possess the righteousness of Christ, because “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is an amazing truth. On the cross, Jesus exchanged our sin for His perfect righteousness so that we can one day stand before God and He will see not our sin, but the holy righteousness of the Lord Jesus.
This means that we are made righteous in the sight of God; that is, that we are accepted as righteous and treated as righteous by God on account of what the Lord Jesus has done. He was made sin; we are made righteousness. On the cross, Jesus was treated as if He were a sinner, though He was perfectly holy and pure, and we are treated as if we were righteous, though we are defiled and depraved. On account of what the Lord Jesus has endured on our behalf, we are treated as if we had entirely fulfilled the Law of God and had never become exposed to its penalty. We have received this precious gift of righteousness from the God of all mercy and grace. To Him be the glory!
The pages of the Bible reveal a detailed portrait of the character of God. Perhaps the most outstanding feature of God’s character is that He is a loving Father to all believers (Ephesians 1:2; Galatians 1:1; Colossians 1:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:3).
God, by His nature, is wholly good (Mark 10:18; 1 Timothy 4:4). His goodness is unmatched, and because of it, we can trust in Him: “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7; see also Exodus 33:19; Psalm 25:8; 34:8; Matthew 19:17; 2 Peter 1:3). In His goodness, God always has our best interests at heart: “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, CSB; see also Genesis 50:20; Jeremiah 29:11; Lamentations 3:25). Everything God does is an expression of His goodness and designed to benefit His people.
God’s holiness is unequaled: “There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God” (1 Samuel 2:2; see also Leviticus 11:44–45; 19:2; Isaiah 6:3; 43:15; 1 Peter 1:15–16; Revelation 4:8). There is no stain of evil or impurity in God: “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5; see also Psalm 12:6; 19:8).
Another defining characteristic of God is His righteousness, meaning He exists in a state of moral perfection: “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:25–26; see also 2 Chronicles 12:6; Psalm 33:5; Isaiah 45:21).
God is also just; He is perfectly upright and fair in how he treats His creation: “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:18; see also Deuteronomy 32:4; Zephaniah 3:5; Acts 17:31; Revelation 16:5–6).
Loving, compassionate, gracious, kind, and merciful are all central descriptions of the character of God (Nehemiah 9:31). So kindhearted and caring is He that Scripture says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). The psalmist describes God as “compassionate and gracious” and “abounding in love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15). So great is God’s love for us “that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16; see also 1 John 4:9–10). Because of His great love, Christ died for us, even while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8; see also Titus 3:4–5). God’s mercy and compassion never fail; they are renewed continuously toward us day in and day out (Lamentations 3:22–23).
Part of God’s character is faithfulness: “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9; see also Isaiah 49:7 1 Thessalonians 5:24). In our struggles and failures, God is faithful to forgive us when we confess our sin and return to Him: “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). In times when we stumble and fall, it is immensely encouraging to know that God will never abandon us. Even when we are utterly unfaithful, God remains faithful and true because that is who He is; it is God’s character to be faithful (2 Timothy 2:13; see also Revelation 19:11).
God is truthful, and His Word is true: “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20; see also John 17:17). God and His Word form a trustworthy foundation for life (Psalm 12:6; 26:3; 33:4; 43:3; 86:11). In Him is no falsehood, lies, or deception (Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 45:19; Romans 1:25; Hebrews 6:18). What God says is absolutely reliable (Jeremiah 10:10). His Word is consistent with His character and His revelation of Himself (John 7:28; 8:26). Because of God’s character, we can count on Him to fulfill His promises (Psalm 31:5).
Patience and longsuffering are attributes of God’s character. He is “slow to anger,” dealing patiently with rebellious sinners (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:15;). God was patient in delaying the flood in Noah’s time while the ark was under construction, giving sinners plenty of time for repentance (1 Peter 3:20). Likewise, the prolonging of Christ’s return is not an indication of slowness or hesitation on God’s part, but of His longsuffering, as He does not want anyone to die without the opportunity to repent, be saved, and enter into His family (2 Peter 3:9–10). At the heart of God’s character is His desire to be a Father to all who draw near to Him (Psalm 68:5; 103:13; Isaiah 63:16; 64:8; Ephesians 4:6; 1 John 3:1).
The more deeply we dig into the Scriptures, the more we will uncover new and beautiful facets to the character of God. And the longer we spend time with Him and in His Word, the better we will know and understand His nature. We will discover that God never changes (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17), that He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and always present everywhere (Psalm 139:7–10; Hebrews 4:13). He is perfect (Matthew 5:48), and He is three in one. We can spend a lifetime seeking after Him and still only scratch the surface of comprehending the depth of our heavenly Father’s character.
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).
False apostles are people who masquerade as Christian leaders, get other people to follow them, and then lead them astray. A true apostle is one who is “sent” by God as an ambassador of Jesus Christ with a divine message. A false apostle is a pretender who does not truly represent Christ and whose message is false.
In 2 Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul addresses the problem of false apostles invading the Corinthian church. He describes the false apostles as “those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about” (verse 12). The book of 2 Corinthians is one of Paul’s more “sarcastic” letters, as he contends with the church to recognize the error that had crept into their midst. He contrasts his selfless service with that of the “super-apostles” (verse 5) who were seducing the church with their smooth speech and apparent wisdom. These impostors were pretending to be true servants of Christ, but they did not know the Lord. They were deceivers, preying on gullible Christians in Corinth to profit themselves and boost their ego. Paul chides the church that they “even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face” (verse 20). He even compares these impostors to Satan himself, who also “masquerades as an angel of light” (verse 14).
Paul warned the Ephesian elders about false apostles as well: “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:29). They must have heeded his words, because in Revelation 2:2, Jesus commends the church at Ephesus for spotting the false apostles in their midst and rejecting them.
False teachers and false apostles have been plentiful throughout the history of the church. They still infiltrate unsuspecting churches and have even led whole denominations into heresy and apostasy (see 1 Timothy 4:1–4). Scripture gives us clear warning if we will pay attention. First John 4:1 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
The following are some ways we can identify false apostles:
1. False apostles deny any or all truths about the identity and deity of Jesus Christ. In 1 John 4:3–4, John warns his readers against Gnostic teaching; the test, he says, is Christological: “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.” There are many ways a spirit may deny that Jesus is the Christ. From demonic cults to denominations that have veered away from the gospel, evil spirits are always behind the slander of Jesus. Any teacher who attempts to take away from or add to Jesus’ finished work on the cross for our salvation is a false prophet (John 19:30; Acts 4:12).
2. False apostles are motivated by their greed, lust, or power. Second Timothy 3:1–8 describes such teachers in more detail: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
“They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.” Jesus said that an identifying mark of a false apostle/prophet is sinful behavior: “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16, 20; cf. Jude 1:4).
3. False apostles distort or deny the Bible as God’s infallible, inspired Word (2 Timothy 3:16). In Galatians 1:8–9 Paul counters legalism with these strong words: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (KJV). The inspired writings of the apostles are part of the Word of God, and no one has a right to change their message.
4. False apostles refuse to make themselves subject to spiritual authorities, but consider themselves the final authority (Hebrews 13:7; 2 Corinthians 10:12). They will often adopt lofty-sounding titles for themselves, such as “Bishop,” “Apostle,” “Reverend,” or “Father.” This does not mean that every person carrying such titles is a false prophet, only that evil impostors love lofty titles and will self-title to gain a hearing.
False apostles can arise anywhere the Word of God does not reign supreme. From organized churches to home Bible studies, we must always be on guard against “new teachings” or “revelations” that are not subject to the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).
In Matthew 24:24, Jesus warns, “For false christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.” Similarly, 2 Thessalonians 2:9 says, “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders.”
When God sent Moses to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He performed miraculous signs through Moses to prove that Moses was indeed His messenger. However, Exodus 7:22 states, “But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses…” (see also Exodus 7:11 and 8:7). God later demonstrated His superiority by performing miracles the magicians, or more accurately, the demons who were empowering the magicians, were not able to replicate (Exodus 8:18; 9:11). But the fact remains that Pharaoh’s magicians were able to perform miracles. So, if miracles can be from either God or the demonic world, how are we to discern the difference?
The Bible does not give specific instructions on how to recognize counterfeit miracles. The Bible does, however, give specific instructions on how to recognize counterfeit messengers. “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16, 20). First John 4:2-6 elaborates, “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist … They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.”
These two passages present two methods for recognizing a false teacher. First, examine his/her fruit. Does he/she display the Christlikeness that is a qualification for a messenger from God (1 Timothy 3:1-13)? Second, examine his/her teaching. Is what he/she teaches in agreement with God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17; 4:2; Hebrews 4:12)? If the teacher fails either of these tests, he/she is not from God. It does not matter how many miracles are present. If a person does not walk the truth or teach the truth, we can discount any miracles he/she performs. Miracles performed by a false teacher are not from God.
In the New Testament, miracles were performed almost exclusively by the apostles and their close associates. The miracles served to validate the gospel message and the ministry of the apostles (Acts 2:43; 5:12; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:4). While we should never doubt God’s ability to perform miracles, the biblical purpose of miracles should give us a degree of skepticism concerning reports of modern-day miracles. While it is not biblical to say that God never performs miracles, the Bible is clear that we are to seek after truth, not miracles (Matthew 12:39).
It is an interesting conundrum that miracles in the Bible validated the messenger, and yet today, miracles are not necessarily an indicator for a true messenger of God. The difference is God’s Word. Today we have the complete canon of Scripture, and it is an infallible guide. We have a more sure Word (2 Peter 1:19) we can use to discern whether a messenger and a message is from God. Miracles can be counterfeited. That is why God points us to His Word. Signs and wonders can lead us astray. God’s Word will always light the true path (Psalm 119:105).
Jesus stated plainly that the mark of a true disciple of Christ is that he remains faithful to His teachings. He told the Jews who believed in Him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32, ESV).
The word know in John 8:32 is translated from a Greek verb that means “to know experientially.” Understanding something with the mind or intellect, often called “head knowledge,” is different than knowing something experientially. We can know that something is bad for us yet still do it. But when we take Jesus at His word and practice “the truth that comes from him,” then we will “throw off [our] old sinful nature and [our] former way of life” and “let the Spirit renew [our] thoughts and attitudes” so that the truth we live by sets us free “to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:20–24).
We shall know the truth in a way that sets us free from our old sinful way of life when we know Jesus experientially, in word, deed, and truth (see Colossians 3:17; 1 John 3:18). “Our actions will show that we belong to the truth” (1 John 3:19, NLT).
Knowing the truth means experiencing Jesus Christ by accepting His teachings as absolute truth and then living in faithful obedience to them. We receive the message of the gospel and the teachings of Christ, and then we abide by them. The apostle John often framed the concept of true discipleship as knowing the truth of Christ experientially: “And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments” (1 John 2:3, NLT; see also 1 John 2:29; 3:16, 24).
Knowing the truth is a rock-steady way of life. John 8:32 upholds the biblical concept that truth is the only dependable foundation for constructing one’s life (see also Psalm 26:3). Jesus taught, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matthew 7:24–27, NLT). If we plant our feet firmly on Christ’s truth and follow the path of His teachings, nothing can shake, derail, or destroy us.
Jesus is the personification of truth (John 14:6). Only He embodies the truth that sets us free (Galatians 5:1; Romans 6:18; John 8:36). Those who know the truth are born-again believers who live in fellowship with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ: “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life” (1 John 5:20, NLT).
You will know the truth also expresses the moral commitment of genuine disciples to do the will of God (John 7:17; 14:21, 23; James 1:25). We know the truth in the person of Jesus Christ, who prayed to the Father for us to be “made holy” by His truth and gave His own life as the sacrifice that made it possible for us to live out that truth (see John 17:14–19). Moreover, Jesus asked the Father to send us “the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth” (John 14:16–17, NLT; see also Ephesians 1:13).
When Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth shall make you free,” He was telling His followers that obedience to God is the only way to experience true liberation—spiritual freedom from sin. The freedom Jesus offers is restored fellowship with the Father, who is the source of all true life. And the mark of one who has received this life is to remain faithful to His teachings.
“The truth will set you free” is a common saying in academic circles that want to promote academic freedom and the power of learning. Many universities have this statement emblazoned on a sign near the entrance of a building. But “the truth will set you free” did not originate in academia; Jesus said it in John 8:32. In context, Jesus’ statement has nothing to do with classroom learning. In fact, John 8:32 speaks of a higher form of knowledge than is capable of being learned in a classroom.
Jesus had just finished a speech at the temple where He delineated differences between Himself and His listeners. “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:23–24). The result of Jesus’ message was that “even as he spoke, many believed in him” (verse 30). Then, in verse 31, Jesus begins to speak just to those who had believed.
“Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” (John 8:31). True discipleship is more than intellectual assent; those who are “really” followers of Christ will “hold to” His Word. That means they will not only accept His teachings as truth, but they will also obey His teachings. Action is proof of faith (cf. James 2:17).
True disciples of Jesus believe that He speaks the truth about God and the Scriptures. They also know that He is who He claims to be. Back in verse 25, the people asked Jesus who He was, and He responded, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.” There may be a tinge of exasperation in His response; He had repeatedly made known that He was the Messiah, the one they had anticipated for many years.
Verse 32 begins with, “Then you will know the truth.” “You” refers to those who are true disciples of Jesus. True disciples will know the truth. More than that, their eyes are opened to a greater understanding of the truth (cf. 1 John 5:20).
The truth Jesus’ disciples receive brings with it freedom. Jesus continues, “And the truth will set you free” (verse 32). At that point in history, the Jews were under the rule of the Roman government. Even though Rome gave them an exceptional amount of autonomy, they were keenly aware of the Roman presence around them in the form of soldiers, governors, and empirically appointed kings. When Jesus said the truth would set them free, however, He was not talking about political freedom (though the following verses indicate that’s how the Jews took it). Jesus provides the best commentary for His own statement in verse 34. Jesus explains, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Being a slave to sin is the ultimate bondage.
The freedom Jesus offers is a spiritual freedom from the bondage of sin—that is, release from the lifestyle of habitual lawlessness. He continues with an analogy: “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever” (verse 35). The people would have understood Jesus to mean that they were not members of God’s family, despite their biological relationship to Abraham (verse 37), because they were slaves to sin. If they were to become disciples of Jesus, they would know the truth of their condition and the truth about Christ, and Jesus would set them free. Believers would be freed from their bondage and brought into the family of God.
Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). Knowing the Truth will set one at liberty—free from sin, free from condemnation, and free from death (Romans 6:22; 8:1–2). Jesus came to proclaim liberty to the captives (Luke 4:18). “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16, ESV).
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.
In Isaiah 5:8–30,
The prophet
pronounces “woes” or judgments
on Judah
for
their wicked behavior.
Judah had produced
the
“bad fruit” of unrighteousness,
as illustrated in
the song of the vineyard
(verses 4–7)
Their wickedness even led them to proclaim sinful things as good, which is why Isaiah exclaims, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (verse 20). Light and darkness are opposites, which adds to the gravity of the men of Judah calling evil “good.”
A major problem in Judah during Isaiah’s time was widespread drunkenness. People would wake up early in the morning to drink alcohol and continue long into the night (Isaiah 5:11). Instead of respecting “the deeds of the Lord,” they reveled in their sin and drunkenness (verses 11–12). They did not see their sin as wickedness; rather, they called their evil “good.”
A world in rebellion against God will have a skewed perspective and embrace a topsy-turvy morality. There are many people today who still call evil “good” and good “evil,” as they promote behaviors that the Bible specifically calls sinful. The celebration of homosexuality and the defense of abortion on demand are usually accompanied by a mockery of those who value life and promote traditional marriage. Evil is being called “good,” and good is slandered as “evil.”
Apart from God, our value system will always become jumbled. We will begin to confuse sweetness and bitterness, light and darkness, and good and evil. We will label biblical morality as “intolerant” and “oppressive.” We will take offense at the truth that Jesus is the only way to salvation (John 14:6). “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:20).
Calling good “evil” and evil “good” is a sure sign of spiritual wickedness at work: “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” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Paul warns that the intensity of the spiritual battle will increase: “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:1–5).
Cutting through the confusion over right and wrong and enlightening spiritually darkened minds is the Bible: “I gain understanding from your precepts. . . . Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:104–105). In their fallen condition, humans cannot accurately determine what is right and wrong. Only God can give definitive answers on good and evil. The Bible is “God-breathed,” the only certain source in providing guidance to mankind (2 Timothy 3:16).
The phrase “only begotten Son” occurs in John 3:16, which reads in the King James Version as, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The phrase "only begotten" translates the Greek word monogenes. This word is variously translated into English as "only," "one and only," and "only begotten."
It’s this last phrase ("only begotten" used in the KJV, NASB and the NKJV) that causes problems. False teachers have latched onto this phrase to try to prove their false teaching that Jesus Christ isn’t God; i.e., that Jesus isn’t equal in essence to God as the Second Person of the Trinity. They see the word "begotten" and say that Jesus is a created being because only someone who had a beginning in time can be "begotten." What this fails to note is that "begotten" is an English translation of a Greek word. As such, we have to look at the original meaning of the Greek word, not transfer English meanings into the text.
So what does monogenes mean? According to the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG, 3rd Edition), monogenes has two primary definitions. The first definition is "pertaining to being the only one of its kind within a specific relationship." This is its meaning in Hebrews 11:17 when the writer refers to Isaac as Abraham’s "only begotten son" (KJV). Abraham had more than one son, but Isaac was the only son he had by Sarah and the only son of the covenant. Therefore, it is the uniqueness of Isaac among the other sons that allows for the use of monogenes in that context.
The second definition is "pertaining to being the only one of its kind or class, unique in kind." This is the meaning that is implied in John 3:16 (see also John 1:14, 18; 3:18; 1 John 4:9). John was primarily concerned with demonstrating that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31), and he uses monogenes to highlight Jesus as uniquely God’s Son—sharing the same divine nature as God—as opposed to believers who are God’s sons and daughters by adoption (Ephesians 1:5). Jesus is God’s “one and only” Son.
The bottom line is that terms such as "Father" and "Son," descriptive of God and Jesus, are human terms that help us understand the relationship between the different Persons of the Trinity. If you can understand the relationship between a human father and a human son, then you can understand, in part, the relationship between the First and Second Persons of the Trinity. The analogy breaks down if you try to take it too far and teach, as some pseudo-Christian cults (such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses), that Jesus was literally "begotten" as in “produced” or “created” by God the Father.
The title “son of perdition” is used twice in the New Testament, first in John 17:12 and again in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The phrase simply means “man doomed to destruction” and is not reserved for any one individual. In fact, there are two people to which the title “son of perdition” is applied. In context, John 17:12 is referring to Judas Iscariot, while 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is referring to the “man of lawlessness”—the Antichrist—who will appear in the end times before Christ’s return.
The word perdition means “eternal damnation” or “utter destruction.” It can also be used as a synonym for hell. When a person is called “son of perdition,” the connotation is that of a person in an unredeemable state, someone who is already damned while he is still alive. Jesus mentions the “son of perdition” in His high priestly prayer in John 17. While praying to the Father for His disciples, Jesus mentions that He “protected them and kept them safe” and that none of them were lost except the “son of perdition,” that is, the one who was already in a damned state. The fact that the phrase is used again to describe the Antichrist shows us that forgiveness was not planned for Judas. God could have saved Judas—moved his heart to repentance—but He chose not to. He was indeed “doomed to destruction.”
A good picture of a person who is a “son of perdition” appears in Hebrews 6:4–8, which describes a person who, like Judas, has experienced a certain closeness to God and has a good understanding of salvation, but then denies it. Instead of bearing good fruit, he bears “thorns and thistles.” This is a person who sees the path to salvation, which is trusting in God’s grace to cover sin (Ephesians 2:8–9), and instead either flatly denies the existence of God or denies God’s gift of salvation, preferring to pay his own debt. Judas chose the second path, punishing himself by suicide instead of accepting grace.
However, Judas and the Antichrist are extreme cases. It is never right for a human being to label another person a “son of perdition” because only God knows the ultimate future of each human soul. Only with these two individuals did God choose to reveal His plan for their eternal damnation. With every other person, no matter how lost or evil he may seem, we are to hope and pray for his redemption (1 Timothy 2:1).
Romans 9:33 says, “As it is written: ‘See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.’” In this passage, the apostle Paul begins by expressing his anguish over the Jews who reject Christ. In verses 30–33, he shows us why. Instead of accepting God’s righteousness by faith, they attempt to earn righteousness through their own works, causing them to stumble over the stumbling stone, which is Christ (verse 33).
In contrast, Paul declares that those who believe in Christ will not be put to shame. The statement is presented as a matter of fact and can be seen as a promise. It signifies that those who trust in Christ for eternal life and are declared righteous by faith will never experience disappointment or disgrace at the end. They will not be ashamed. This assurance in Christ motivates us to remain in Him, unlike pursuing a works-based righteousness, where our confidence relies on our own abilities.
Scripture gives us certainty that whoever believes in Jesus will not be put to shame, and it points to the monumental event of the resurrection. In another of his letters, Paul argues that Christianity would be false if Christ’s resurrection never occurred, and our hope would be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:12–20). Evidence for the resurrection abounds, including the conversion of Paul, the radical transformation of the disciples, their willingness to suffer for what they claimed to have seen, and their credible eyewitness testimony.
Our faith in Christ is never misplaced. Those who trust in Him will not be put to shame, for He has won the victory over death and the grave (Revelation 1:18). But various factors can sometimes shake our confidence. These include our own sins and even our lack of spiritual growth. It is easy to lose assurance of salvation after a major failure, and sometimes we make the mistake of the unbelieving Jews in Romans 9, placing hope in our good deeds rather than Christ’s perfect work.
Christians at all stages of spiritual development must be reminded that our hope is firmly anchored in Christ:
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
(Townend, S., and Getty, K. Thankyou Music, adm. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com, 2001).
In John 13:27, the apostle writes, “Then after [Judas] had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly’” (ESV). The one who accepted the morsel of bread at the Last Supper was Judas Iscariot, who had already planned to betray Jesus (verse 2). Despite Judas’ treachery, Jesus continued to extend love and friendship to Judas by washing his feet and sharing a meal with him (verses 1–30). It is deeply distressing, then, that Judas would still give himself over to the power of darkness and allow Satan to enter him.
In the broader biblical context, Judas’ betrayal fulfills Old Testament prophecy: “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me” (Psalm 41:9; cf. John 13:18). Although God sovereignly orchestrated the events leading to Judas’ betrayal, Judas remains morally responsible for his vile and horrifying actions: “Satan could not have entered into him had he not granted him admission. Had he been willing to say ‘No’ to the adversary, all of his Master’s intercessory power was available to him there and then to strengthen him” (Bruce, F. F., Gospel of John, Eerdmans, 1983, p. 290).
Previously, Satan had put it into Judas’ mind to betray the Lord (John 13:2). But now there is a climax of evil in that disciple’s heart: he is possessed by Satan, who has filled his mind to perform this evil act and to eagerly see it through to completion. What had started as a suggestion in the mind has now become a full possession of mind, body, and will.
After Satan entered Judas, Jesus responds with a sense of urgency: “What you are about to do, do quickly” (John 13:27). Aware that Judas had moved beyond any appeal to conscience or heart, Jesus recognized the inevitability of Judas’ decision. In his misguided belief that he now held the upper hand, Judas presumed that Jesus would be left to grapple with the ensuing consequences. So, Jesus deemed it preferable for this delusion to reach its conclusion sooner rather than later—it was time to lay down His life.
Matthew 26 reveals something else Jesus said to Judas. When Jesus said, “One of you will betray me” (Matthew 26:21), the disciples became sorrowful and asked, “Is it I, Lord?” (verse 22, ESV). Judas, however, privately asked if it was he: “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus then told him, “You have said so” (verse 25). At that point, Judas knew that Jesus was aware of his impending betrayal.
There are two things of note here: First, the other disciples address Jesus as “Lord” (Matthew 26:22), but Judas addresses him as “Rabbi” or “Teacher” (verse 25). In fact, there is no biblical record of Judas ever addressing Jesus as “Lord.” For Judas, Jesus was never his Lord; Satan was—a fact that would eventually become apparent to the other disciples.
Second, the words you have said so (Matthew 26:25) deflect responsibility to the one asking the question. In verse 64, when the high priest asks if He is the Christ, Jesus says, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (ESV, emphasis added). Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, but Judas “loved the darkness rather than the light because [his] works were evil” (John 3:19, ESV).
After receiving the morsel of bread, symbolic of Jesus’ love and favor, Judas “immediately went out. And it was night” (John 13:30, ESV). This proves to us that sinful humanity requires more than good teaching to be saved. Judas had the greatest Rabbi and Teacher, yet he was still lost. He had the greatest Light, yet he was still in darkness.
Remorseful for what he had done, Judas later attempted to reverse course, but it was too late (Matthew 27:3–5). The Jewish leaders proceeded with their plan to execute an innocent man. Consequently, Judas went away to hang himself, a tragic conclusion to an even more tragic betrayal.
Our response to having a secure foundation in Christ should be one of gratitude. Knowing that we will not be put to shame provides motivation to live for God every day in every circumstance. This security doesn’t give us a license to sin but rather empowers us to freely obey God without fear of condemnation from the law.
This security should also motivate us to evangelize the lost. Christ is not just our hope; He is the hope of everyone else as well. It is our responsibility to point others to Christ through our words and actions. Our prayer is that they may not stumble over the Stumbling Stone but instead discover true, life-giving hope.
In Lamentations 3, the prophet Jeremiah is at one of the lowest points in his lifetime. His personal condition parallels that of the nation of Judah. As he witnesses the destruction of his beloved Jerusalem, Jeremiah simultaneously suffers through an excruciatingly painful ordeal. Yet, amid his sorrow and pain, Jeremiah’s hope is renewed as he remembers the faithfulness of the Lord: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23).
Despite experiencing outward affliction and deep inner turmoil, Jeremiah can say of the Lord, “Great is your faithfulness,” because he places his hope and trust in God. This moment is a turning point in Lamentations as Jeremiah begins to declare God’s promises: “‘The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him” (Lamentations 3:24–25).
“Great is your faithfulness” is Jeremiah’s confession of trust in God. Although cast down for a season, Judah is not utterly cast out. God is disciplining the nation and bringing punishment for her sins but not rejecting her as His covenant people. “For no one is cast off by the Lord forever,” observes the prophet. “Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone” (Lamentations 3:31–33). God’s punishment is inspired by His compassion, love, and great faithfulness. The Lord’s mercy would keep the nation from total obliteration (see Deuteronomy 7:8–9). God is bringing grief so that He can restore the people to a right relationship with Him. He will eventually deliver a remnant of Judah who will acknowledge their sins, repent, and trust in Him.
Another scriptural example of a determined, perspective-altering confession of faith is Job’s statement, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15). Circumstances had grown terribly grim for Job. Still, he trusted in the faithfulness of God (see also Job 1:21). Habakkuk makes a similarly stunning declaration: “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” (Habakkuk 3:17–18, NLT). When we experience hardship, discipline, and suffering, we ought to joyfully remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness in our lives.
Indeed, the only alternative for believers in desperate times is to trust in God’s great faithfulness. He is our “rock of protection,” “refuge in times of trouble,” “tower of safety,” “shelter for the oppressed,” “helper,” “shield,” “loving ally,” and “savior” (2 Samuel 22:1–3; Psalm 9:9–10; 144:1–2, NLT). We can rejoice in suffering and hold on to hope through discipline because God uses these moments to grow and mature us in the faith (Romans 5:3; James 1:2–4; 1 Peter 4:12–13; Hebrews 12:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:4–5).
No matter how bad things become, we can thank God that they are not worse, for they very well could be. If God dealt with us as our sins deserved, we would be consumed (Psalm 78:38). Instead, He shows us mercy. When God disciplines and corrects us, we can change our outlook by praising Him for the work He is doing in us (see Philippians 1:6). We can put our “hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption” (Psalm 130:7).
One commentator explains that the “greatness” of God’s faithfulness refers less to magnitude than to multitude: “God’s loyalty far surpasses the multitude of sufferings or sins. His acts of faithfulness abound more than his work of judgment. He will keep his promises to the end, no matter what might occur. . . . This is a God whose covenant love will make all things new; his plentiful faithfulness will accomplish that reality” (Chou, A., Evangelical Exegetical Commentary: Lamentations, Lexham Press, 2014].
The undeniable truth of God’s loyal, abounding, trustworthy, and constant love will transform our perspective and renew our hope, just as it did for Jeremiah and countless other believers. We may endure hardship and discipline for a season, but we can be sure that fresh mercies are available every morning. We can stand on God’s promise that “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). We can fix our eyes on the ultimate source of inspiration—Jesus Christ. He is “the pioneer and perfecter of faith,” who “endured the cross” and “opposition from sinners,” as our example so that we “will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2–3). Like Jeremiah and so many others before us, let us say of the Lord, “Great is your faithfulness!”
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).
The kinsman-redeemer is a male relative who, according to various laws of the Pentateuch, had the privilege or responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need. The Hebrew term (go el) for kinsman-redeemer designates one who delivers or rescues (Genesis 48:16; Exodus 6:6) or redeems property or person (Leviticus 27:9–25, 25:47–55). The kinsman who redeems or vindicates a relative is illustrated most clearly in the book of Ruth, where the kinsman-redeemer is Boaz.
The story of Ruth and Boaz begins when Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, return to Bethlehem from Moab where they had been living. Naomi’s husband and both sons, one the husband of Ruth, had died, leaving the women penniless and without a male protector. Upon arriving in Bethlehem, Naomi sends Ruth to glean in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Naomi’s. Through a series of divinely appointed circumstances, Ruth appeals to Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer—her go el. Boaz agrees to the redemption and willingly buys the property left behind by Naomi’s and Ruth’s deceased husbands. He also takes Ruth as his wife, and together they have a son named Obed who became the grandfather of David, the forefather of Jesus.
Yahweh is Israel’s Redeemer, the one who promises to defend and vindicate them. He is both Father and Deliverer (Exodus 20:2). There are numerous Old Testament appeals to God as rescuer of the weak and needy (Psalm 82:4; Daniel 6:27; Jeremiah 20:13) and preserver of the sheep of Israel (Ezekiel 34:10–12, 22).
In the New Testament, Christ is often regarded as an example of a kinsman-redeemer because, as our brother (Hebrews 2:11), He also redeems us because of our great need, one that only He can satisfy. In Ruth 3:9, we see a beautiful and poignant picture of the needy supplicant, unable to rescue herself, requesting of the kinsman-redeemer that he cover her with his protection, redeem her, and make her his wife. In the same way, the Lord Jesus Christ bought us for Himself, out of the curse, out of our destitution; made us His own beloved bride; and blessed us for all generations. He is the true kinsman-redeemer of all who call on Him in faith.
The idea that Christians are overcomers is a theme throughout the apostle John’s writings. He mentions believers overcoming the devil or the “the evil one” in 1 John 2:13–14. In the book of Revelation, John refers to believers as victorious conquerors multiple times (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). The apostle is not implying that only certain “super-Christians” are overcomers; rather, every true believer is an overcomer because he has been born of God: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4–5, ESV).
John states that “our faith” is the victory that overcomes the world. The original Greek terms translated as “our faith” in 1 John 5:4 refer to putting our trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ or believing in the gospel’s message. Anyone who believes in Jesus for salvation and trusts in Christ’s atoning work on the cross—His death and resurrection—shares in His victory over sin (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15), death (Acts 2:24), and the forces of evil at work in the world (1 John 3:8; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14). Through faith, we believe in Jesus Christ and are born of God (Galatians 2:16). Through faith, we surrender our wills to His. Our faith is the key to victory. The only way to overcome the world is through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
At salvation, Christians are “hidden with Christ in God” through the work of the Holy Spirit, who baptizes all believers into one body—the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12–13). We are “in Christ,” and He is “in us” (Colossians 1:27). John explains that we are overcomers because, as children of God, His Spirit lives in us: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We Christians will still battle with sin and darkness because we live in a fallen world. John makes it clear that life here on earth can be challenging: “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:16–17, ESV).
Jesus assures us that our salvation is secure (John 3:15–16; 10:28). The Holy Spirit guarantees that we belong to God and seals us for the “day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). But in the meantime, we must “live by faith in the Son of God” who loves us and gave His life for us (Galatians 2:20). Only then can we exclaim, like Paul, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
We can draw strength and encouragement from Scripture, knowing that the ultimate, eternal victory has already been accomplished in Jesus. The victory is won—past tense—through our union with Christ and our identification with Him. But we continue to overcome this world in our daily life experiences by walking in faith in Jesus Christ, trusting in “the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” to be with us and carry us through all “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” (Romans 8:35–37). We triumph in any and every situation, “facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need,” through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:12, ESV).
Our faith, explains Paul, is a protective piece of spiritual armor in this life: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16, ESV). No force of evil, no weapon of darkness can overcome the person who trusts in Christ. On the contrary, our faith in Jesus is the victory that overcomes the world.
While God can do anything He wishes to do, God will not do things that would be against His holy will or contradictory to His purposes. He can commit no sinful act, for example, for He is completely holy, and sinning is not in His character.
Some will still ask, shouldn’t anything be possible for an omnipotent deity? An example may help: “Can God make a stone so heavy He can’t lift it?” This question contains a paradox: if the Lord is so powerful He can make a stone of infinite weight, how would it not be possible, given His mighty power, for Him to lift it? Yet, since the stone is of infinite weight, how would it be possible for Him to lift it? The answer is that God will not deny Himself, which is the case here. It seems He would not even consider such an idea, for He would be pitting Himself against Himself, a foolish act having no value in His kingdom purposes.
It is worth noting that we see throughout the Bible that God is omnipotent—all-powerful—not equaled or surpassed by anyone or anything. In discussing God’s making a dry path in the mighty Jordan River to allow the safe passage of His people, Joshua 4:24 says, “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.” Similarly, Jeremiah 32:26-27 relates, “Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ‘I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?’” Continuing, in Hebrews 1:3, we see, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” These verses and others show that all things within God’s will are possible for Him.
The angel in Luke 1:36-37 said to Mary, “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” Some ask that, if "nothing is impossible with God," does that mean I can run faster than a car or leap a tall building in a single bound? It is perfectly within God’s power to make those things possible, but there is nothing in Scripture that indicates it is God’s desire to make them possible. Something being possible for God does not obligate Him to actually do it. We must be thoroughly familiar with Scripture so that we can know what is God’s desire and what He has promised, and thereby know what God will make possible in our lives.
When we consider all of our heavenly Father’s mighty supernatural works throughout the Bible, we see that He indeed is capable of moving human events along the continuum of time, in spite of things seemingly impossible, all for His glThe Bible has a lot to say about perseverance in several different contexts. Clearly, the Scriptures teach that those who “overcome” and persevere in the faith will inherit eternal life (Revelation 2:7). This truth is also expressed in Colossians 1:23 where we see that people will be holy, blameless, and above reproach “if they continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel.” So all Christians should be in agreement that those who are ultimately saved are those who do persevere and continue to believe the gospel.
There are two very distinct views on the issue of perseverance of the saints among Christians. The first is the Arminian view that it is possible for true Christians to turn away from God and not persevere. This is consistent with the concept of salvation which has man’s “free will” at the center of it. It is logically consistent that, if man’s “free will” choice is the determining factor of his salvation, then it would also be possible for that man to later choose to reject God and thereby lose his salvation.
However, the Bible clearly teaches that we are “born again” by the Holy Spirit, which results in our coming to faith in Christ. All who have been “born again” do have eternal security and will persevere. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is founded in the promise that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6) and Jesus’ declaration that “all that the Father gives me will come to me” and “I shall lose none of them that he has given me” (John 6:37, 39).
Beyond the concept of perseverance in regard to salvation, there are biblical exhortations to persevere in the Christian life. In his pastoral epistles to Timothy, the apostle Paul reminds the young pastor to “watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). Timothy’s character was that of a godly man, and his doctrine was sound and scriptural. Paul warned him to watch them both closely and persevere in them because—and this is a warning to all Christians—perseverance in godly living and believing the truth always accompany genuine conversion (John 8:31; Romans 2:7).
Further exhortations to persevere in the Christian life come from James, who warns us to be “doers of the word and not hearers only” because those who hear but do not do are “deceiving themselves.” “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it [perseveres]…this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25). The sense here is that the Christian who perseveres in godliness and the spiritual disciplines will be blessed in the very act of persevering. The more we persevere in the Christian life, the more God grants His blessings upon us, thereby enabling us to continue to persevere. The psalmist reminds us that there is great reward in persevering in the Christian life. In keeping God’s commandments, there is “great reward” for our souls (Psalm 19:11), peace of mind, a clear conscience, and a witness to the world more eloquent than many words.
James also exhorts us to persevere “under trials” because those who do will be blessed and will receive the “crown of life” which God has promised (James 1:12). Just as the true believer will be eternally secure in his salvation, his faith will also persevere in affliction, sickness, persecution, and the other trials of life that befall all believers. If we desire to live godly lives in Christ, we will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), but the faithful will persevere, kept by the power of the Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our salvation and who will keep us “strong to the end,” persevering so we will be “blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8).
orious purposes.
“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.
In writing to his “dear children” in the Lord, the apostle John tells them that “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The contrast here is between the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of antichrist; in short, God is greater than Satan.
First John 4 begins with an exhortation for believers to test the spirits of prophets or teachers: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). What a prophet or teacher proclaims reveals whether he is of God or a false prophet of the world. John tells us how to recognize a false prophet: “Every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist” (verse 3). Anyone who teaches or proclaims falsehood about Jesus, such as denying His divinity, is a false prophet. These false prophets are actually speaking in the spirit of the antichrist on behalf of “the one who is in the world,” Satan.
The word antichrist means “against Christ.” Satan is the ultimate spirit against Christ. He is the father of lies and is against truth (John 8:44). He is called “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) and “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). He is “the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2). Satan uses false prophets to lead people away from Christ by deceiving them with a false view of Jesus. Twisting who Jesus is perverts the gospel. It keeps people in the bondage of sin and in darkness. Yet Satan is not as powerful as God, and John reminds the believers in 1 John 4:4 that greater is He that is in believers than he that is in the world.
The bodies of believers are the temples of the Holy Spirit who dwells within them (1 Corinthians 6:19). John encourages those in whom God lives: “You are from God” (1 John 4:4, ESV). They are not of the world. John reassures them that they have “overcome” those who teach false doctrine and who can rightly be called “antichrists.”
John uses the concept of “overcoming” five other times in 1 John: believers have overcome the evil one (1 John 2:13, 14) and have overcome the world (three times in 1 John 5:4–5). The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now indwells believers in Christ (Romans 8:11). The Holy Spirit is far stronger than Satan or any of his minions, the Spirit’s wisdom is greater than any of Satan’s schemes, and the Spirit’s protection is more than enough to thwart any of Satan’s attacks. Because he who is in us is greater than he who is in the world, we have confidence in God and at the same time put no confidence in the flesh. The power is not ours but the Holy Spirit’s.
By these encouragements believers can have peace and rejoice because Jesus has “overcome the world” (John 16:33). Believers need not fear Satan; rather, they trust in the Lord and obey Him. By the living Spirit of God within them, believers can overcome the lies and temptations of the powers of darkness. Those who are of God can boldly say, “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.”
Romans 8:31 says, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” The “things” are the dozens of amazing proofs of God’s unfailing love listed in the preceding verses. Romans 8 contains many of the cherished verses that comfort us, such as “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (verse 1). And the one that gets us through difficult times: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (verse 28). Verse 31 of Romans 8 is a culmination of all those wonderful promises. It reminds us who God is and how He helps us. When we grasp the truth that God is for us, we have nothing to fear.
God is “for” us in the sense that He is on our side; He is working on our behalf and for our good. He has proved His benevolence in that He has adopted us (Romans 8:15), He has given us His Spirit (verses 16–17, 26–27), and He has determined to save us (verses 29–30).
The follow-up question, “who can be against us?” is rhetorical. It’s another way of saying, “There is no one who could possibly be more powerful than God” or “No one can destroy us.” The idea is not that we will never face opposition; it’s simply that our opposition is doomed to failure. They may be against us, but not successfully against us. Since God is on our side, we have nothing to worry about.
Romans 8:31 is an echo of other passages that say something similar:
• Psalm 118:6 says, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
• 2 Kings 6:16: “‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet [Elisha] answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’”
• Psalm 56:9: “My enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.”
• Hebrews 13:6: “So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?’”
• Psalm 27:1: “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?”
Sometimes our hearts respond to verses like this with consternation: “I’ll tell you who can be against me! The IRS, my in-laws, terrorists, corrupt politicians—” and the list goes on. Our real-life enemies seem to overshadow the ideas conveyed in Romans 8. Despite spiritual promises, we still have to endure physical, mental, and emotional struggles—so much so that we may wonder if God is truly for us.
The man who penned Romans 8:31 (Paul) faced the same struggles we face and many more. He lists some of his sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11:22–28 as proof that he did not write from a plastic bubble of ethereal peace. However, his intimate relationship with the risen Christ had become his all-consuming passion. He said he considered everything else “garbage” compared to knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7–9). He had learned the secret of contentment, whether he was celebrated or imprisoned, and he stated that secret: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13, BSB).
So, when Paul writes, “If God is for us, who can be against us,” he is comparing earthly opposition to the eternal power and presence of Almighty God—and he declares the winner. No one can overcome God’s love for us.
Jesus taught the same thing. In Luke 12:4–5, Jesus said, “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” His point, as was Paul’s, is that, no matter what may happen to us here on earth, there is a higher reality. There is a bigger war than the one we think we face, and God is the ultimate winner (Ephesians 6:12). If we are on His side, then we will win, too (Revelation 21:7–8, 27).
What does 1 JoOmniscience is defined as “the state of having total knowledge, the quality of knowing everything.” For God to be sovereign over His creation of all things, whether visible or invisible, He has to be all-knowing. His omniscience is not restricted to any one person in the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all by nature omniscient.
God knows everything (1 John 3:20). He knows not only the minutest details of our lives but those of everything around us, for He mentions even knowing when a sparrow falls or when we lose a single hair (Matthew 10:29-30). Not only does God know everything that will occur until the end of history itself (Isaiah 46:9-10), but He also knows our very thoughts, even before we speak forth (Psalm 139:4). He knows our hearts from afar; He even saw us in the womb (Psalm 139:1-3, 15-16). Solomon expresses this truth perfectly when he says, “For you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind” (1 Kings 8:39).
Despite the condescension of the Son of God to empty Himself and make Himself nothing (Philippians 2:7), His omniscience is clearly seen in the New Testament writings. The first prayer of the apostles in Acts 1:24, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart,” implies Jesus’ omniscience, which is necessary if He is to be able to receive petitions and intercede at God’s right hand. On earth, Jesus’ omniscience is just as clear. In many Gospel accounts, He knew the thoughts of his audience (Matthew 9:4; 12:25; Mark 2:6-8; Luke 6:8). He knew about people’s lives before He had even met them. When He met the woman collecting water at the well at Sychar, He said to her, “The fact is you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband” (John 4:18). He also tells His disciples that their friend Lazarus was dead, although He was over 25 miles away from Lazarus’s home (John 11:11-15). He advised the disciples to go and make preparation for the Lord’s Supper, describing the person they were to meet and follow (Mark 14:13-15). Perhaps best of all, He knew Nathanael before ever meeting him, for He knew his heart (John 1:47-48).
Clearly, we observe Jesus’ omniscience on earth, but this is where the paradox begins as well. Jesus asks questions, which imply the absence of knowledge, although the Lord asks questions more for the benefit of His audience than for Himself. However, there is another facet regarding His omniscience that comes from the limitations of the human nature which He, as Son of God, assumed. We read that as a man He “grew in wisdom and stature” (Luke 2:52) and that He learned “obedience through suffering” (Hebrews 5:8). We also read that He did not know when the world would be brought to an end (Matthew 24:34-36). We, therefore, have to ask, why would the Son not know this, if He knew everything else? Rather than regarding this as just a human limitation, we should regard it as a controlled lack of knowledge. This was a self-willed act of humility in order to share fully in our nature (Philippians 2:6-11; Hebrews 2:17) and to be the Second Adam.
Finally, there is nothing too hard for an omniscient God, and it is on the basis of our faith in such a God that we can rest secure in Him, knowing that He promises never to fail us as long as we continue in Him. He has known us from eternity, even before creation. God knew you and me, where we would appear in the course of time, and whom we would interact with. He even foresaw our sin in all its ugliness and depravity, yet, in love, He set his seal upon us and drew us to that love in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3-6). We shall see Him face to face, but our knowledge of Him will never be complete. Our wonder, love and praise of Him shall go on for all millennia as we bask in the rays of His heavenly love, learning and appreciating more and more of our omniscient God.
hn 3:20 mean?This verse provides the second half of John's statement, which began in verse 19. Here, the focus is on conviction of sin. The believer will be convicted when he or she does something wrong. Why? God lives in us through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is "greater than our heart" and "knows everything." When we sin, the Spirit convicts us of the wrong and causes us to desire to change to live for God.
Further, this verse reminds us that God knows our motives, since He "knows everything." There is no hiding our feelings or sins from Him. Rather than this being a danger, the believer can take comfort that God lovingly understands our heart, good and bad. Yet, we also experience an uncomfortable self-judgment when we sin. In fact, true salvation results in a person being more sensitive to sin than they were before, since they experience conviction through the Holy Spirit.
What does "All things are possible with God" mean?I. Introduction to the Phrase
“All things are possible with God” appears most notably in Mark 10:27, where it is written: “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.’” This statement encapsulates a fundamental teaching: there is no limit to the power of the Creator. Human limitations do not constrain the Author of life and salvation.
This theme also resonates in other passages. Luke 1:37 declares, “For nothing will be impossible with God,” and Genesis 18:14 poses the rhetorical question: “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” Such verses underscore a truth about divine omnipotence: when God intends to act, nothing prevents Him from accomplishing His purposes.
II. Biblical Context of the Assertion
The words of Mark 10:27 come in a conversation Jesus has regarding salvation. The disciples marvel at the challenge of a “rich man entering the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:24-26), and Jesus notes the difficulty people face when trusting in their own resources. He then directs their attention to God’s power-what is impossible for humans is entirely feasible for God.
Throughout Scripture, the notion that God’s power transcends human weakness appears in numerous examples. In the Old Testament, a foundational illustration is the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), where God made a way through a seemingly impassable body of water. In the New Testament, the ultimate demonstration is the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20), showing that God’s power overcomes even death. These historical events further illustrate that no circumstance is beyond God’s ability to intervene miraculously.
III. Understanding Divine Omnipotence
1. Nature of God’s Power
Scripture repeatedly describes God as the omnipotent Creator. Psalm 33:9 says, “For He spoke, and it came into being; He commanded, and it stood firm.” This creative power lies at the heart of the phrase “all things are possible.” God, who centuries ago called the universe into existence, likewise continues to govern and uphold all things.
2. Consistency with God’s Character and Will
“All things are possible with God” does not imply contradiction to His nature. God’s omnipotence is not about logical absurdities (e.g., self-contradictory acts) but rather the capacity to do all that accords with His holy will. He does not violate His righteous character; rather, He accomplishes every purpose He sets out to fulfill.
3. Miraculous Works through History
Beyond the biblical accounts themselves, many historical claims of miraculous events have been documented-both in Scripture and in Christian testimony throughout the centuries. Archaeological and textual evidence, such as references to the House of David in the Tel Dan Stele or the Dead Sea Scrolls’ remarkable preservation of biblical texts, point to a consistent narrative where God breaks into human history for His redemptive purposes.
IV. Theological Significance
1. Salvation as the Greatest “Possibility”
In context, Jesus’ statement in Mark 10:27 addresses salvation. Human beings cannot achieve salvation through their own merit or power, yet God graciously makes it possible through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ. As Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “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.” By resting in God’s power rather than human achievement, believers encounter the ultimate fulfillment of “all things are possible with God.”
2. God’s Involvement in Creation and Providence
From the perspective of creation, the universe itself testifies to divine power and intention. Advocates of intelligent design reference the intricate complexity observed in living organisms and cosmological parameters, all of which indicate purposeful origination by an omnipotent Creator. The more one explores the natural world, the more one sees the “fingerprints” of a God who can accomplish what is impossible for humankind.
3. Revelation, Resurrection, and Hope
The resurrection of Jesus is a direct demonstration of God’s ability to perform the seemingly impossible-to conquer death. Documented within the earliest Christian writings, the resurrection stands at the heart of the Christian faith. Early creedal statements (e.g., 1 Corinthians 15) were preserved and transmitted with remarkable fidelity, undergirding the confidence that God truly did raise Jesus from the dead. This act confirms that God can-and does-accomplish what defies human comprehension, thereby grounding believers in hope.
V. Practical Implications
1. Trust in God’s Sovereignty
Realizing that “all things are possible with God” invites believers to place full confidence in His wisdom, timing, and provision. Prayer becomes a natural response. Philippians 4:6-7 commands, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Acknowledging divine sovereignty sustains believers through life’s uncertainties.
2. Boldness in Witness and Service
Awareness of God’s unlimited power encourages boldness in sharing faith and serving others. Since no heart is beyond the reach of divine grace, believers can lovingly proclaim the message of the Gospel without despair. Furthermore, historical records and modern eyewitness accounts of transformative miracles-ranging from personal healings to remarkable provisions-reinforce the position that one should never underestimate divine intervention.
3. Hope in Trials and Temptations
When facing trials, setbacks, and apparent impossibilities, believers find solace in the knowledge that God is able to bring good out of even the most dire circumstances (Romans 8:28). This perspective transforms despair into steadfast hope, reminding individuals that God’s capacity far exceeds any human limitation.
VI. Common Misinterpretations
1. Misuse as an Invincibility Claim
Some might misunderstand “all things are possible with God” to mean humans can overlook all natural or moral constraints. Yet Scripture teaches that God’s purposes are majestic, and while He can do anything within His perfect will, He does not promise a universally trouble-free life. Jesus states in John 16:33, “In this world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” Difficulty remains a reality, yet God’s power operates both beyond and within those difficulties.
2. Confusion with Mere Positive Thinking
While optimism is healthy, biblical teaching does not reduce God’s power to a formula for personal success. Instead, the phrase points to a deep reliance on God’s nature and holiness. Genuine faith trusts that God can accomplish His purposes, even when answers do not match human preferences.
VII. Conclusion
“All things are possible with God” stands as a powerful biblical promise and a cornerstone of faith. It reminds believers that the Lord who created the heavens and the earth, who raised Christ from the dead, and who guides lives today is neither bound by natural laws nor limited by human weaknesses. The phrase challenges individuals to shift reliance from human endeavor to divine omnipotence.
Such trust yields hope amid adversity, boldness in sharing truth, humility in worship, and ultimate assurance in the redeeming work of Christ. Aligning with the overarching biblical narrative-from creation to resurrection-this statement assures us that wherever God works, no task is insurmountable and no promise is empty. By leaning on Scripture’s testimony and observing the countless ways He has demonstrated His power through history, one can embrace the conviction that nothing indeed is too hard for Him.
The word omnipotent comes from omni- meaning “all” and potent meaning “power.” As with the attributes of omniscience and omnipresence, it follows that, if God is infinite, and if He is sovereign, which we know He is, then He must also be omnipotent. He has all power over all things at all times and in all ways.
Job spoke of God’s power in Job 42:2: “I know that you can do all things and that no plan of yours can be thwarted.” Job was acknowledging God’s omnipotence in carrying out His plans. Moses, too, was reminded by God that He had all power to complete His purposes regarding the Israelites: “The LORD answered Moses, ‘Is the LORD’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you’” (Numbers 11:23).
Nowhere is God’s omnipotence seen more clearly than in creation. God said, “Let there be…” and it was so (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, etc.). Man needs tools and materials to create; God simply spoke, and by the power of His word, everything was created from nothing. “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6).
God’s power is also seen in the preservation of His creation. All life on earth would perish were it not for God’s continual provision of everything we need for food, clothing and shelter, all from renewable resources sustained by His power as the preserver of man and beast (Psalm 36:6). The seas which cover most of the earth, and over which we are powerless, would overwhelm us if God did not proscribe their limits (Job 38:8-11).
God’s omnipotence extends to governments and leaders (Daniel 2:21), as He restrains them or lets them go their way according to His plans and purposes. His power is unlimited in regard to Satan and his demons. Satan’s attack on Job was limited to only certain actions. He was restrained by God’s unlimited power (Job 1:12; 2:6). Jesus reminded Pilate that he had no power over Him unless it had been granted to him by the God of all power (John 19:11).
Being omnipotent, God can do everything that is in harmony with His Holy character. The Bible reveals that He cannot do things which are contrary to His Holy character. For example, Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2, and Hebrews 6:18 teach that He cannot lie. God lacks the ability to lie because lying is contrary to His moral perfection. In the same way, despite His being all-powerful and hating evil, He allows evil to happen, according to His good purpose. He uses certain evil events to allow His purposes to unfold, such as when the greatest evil of all occurred—the killing of the perfect, holy, innocent Lamb of God for the redemption of mankind.
As God incarnate, Jesus Christ is omnipotent. His power is seen in the miracles He performed—His numerous healings, the feeding of the five thousand (Mark 6:30-44), calming the storm (Mark 4:37-41), and the ultimate display of power, raising Lazarus and Jairus’s daughter from the dead (John 11:38-44; Mark 5:35-43), an example of His control over life and death. Death is the ultimate reason that Jesus came—to destroy it (1 Corinthians 15:22; Hebrews 2:14) and to bring sinners into a right relationship with God. The Lord Jesus stated clearly that He had power to lay down His life and power to take it up again, a fact that He allegorized when speaking about the temple (John 2:19). He had power to call upon twelve legions of angels to rescue Him during His trial, if needed (Matthew 26:53), yet He offered Himself in humility in place of others (Philippians 2:1-11).
The great mystery is that this power can be shared by believers who are united to God in Jesus Christ. Paul says, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:9b). God’s power is exalted in us most when our weaknesses are greatest because He “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). It is God’s power that continues to hold us in a state of grace despite our sin (2 Timothy 1:12), and by His power we are kept from falling (Jude 24). His power will be proclaimed by all the host of heaven for all eternity (Revelation 19:1). May that be our endless prayer!
The message of the cross is unmistakably clear. The Son of God came into the world to bear witness to the truth, not to judge the world but that the world might be saved through Him (Mark 10:45). This is the power and wisdom of God. The gospel evokes very different responses from its hearers: “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).
God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, the weak things of the world to shame the strong, and the “low and despised” things of the world to be raised up for His glory (1 Corinthians 1:27–29, NET). This is the wisdom of God. Wisdom is the power of insight to use knowledge to one’s advantage, and God definitely has the advantage. “God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who would believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).
The message of the cross is that the Son of God was crucified to atone for the sins of mankind and secure pardon and salvation for all who would believe in Him. It is this message that is considered folly by those who are perishing—those who disbelieve God’s sentence of death on humanity and prefer human ideas over God’s truth. The message of the cross is divinely inspired, holy, and eternal. It is the love of God come into the world through the Son to destroy the works of the devil (John 18:37; 1 John 3:8). The message of the cross is the wisdom and power of God to keep the promise of John 3:16, to give eternal life to all who believe in the Son. It is also the grace of God rendering to the believer the gifts of repentance, justification, and sanctification, all of which find their meaning in Christ crucified (Luke 23:33–43).
If the message of the cross is the power and wisdom of God, then why is the cross foolishness to some? Here are some reasons:
1. The cross is foolishness to some because in their wisdom they judge the Bible as an antiquated, mystical book. They see Scripture as irrelevant, silly, and valueless in a post-Christian era. They reject the teaching that they are wretched, poor, miserable, blind, and naked before a holy God (Revelation 3:15–19). “They knew God, [but] they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:21–22, KJV).
2. The message of the cross is foolishness to some because it fails the “cleverness test” when compared to the philosophies of men (Colossians 2:8). Some mock, despise, and reject the message of the cross as meaningless and unimportant. Blinded by arrogance and lacking wisdom, they see no beauty in Christ and no value in the cross. God is not mocked by such as these: “For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?’” (1 Corinthians 1:19–20, NASB).
3. The message of the cross is foolishness to some because wealth and status can erase the felt need for God and the hope of glory. Though the world is their focus, “all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16).
4. The message of the cross is foolishness to some because in their pride they will not bend the knee at the foot of the cross. They do not allow their hearts to be broken from having sinned against a good, holy, and loving God. They have no godly sorrow driving them to seek forgiveness and restoration with God (Psalm 34:18; 51; Luke 18:13; 2 Corinthians 7:9–11; Romans 10:13).
5. The cross is foolishness to some because they love their sin and do not want to change. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24–25). This is a radical call to turn around and go in a new direction. This requires repentance, a change of mind about God and the things of God.
6. The cross is foolishness to some because they reject the idea that a loving God would crucify His own Son to appease His own wrath. They view the cross as slaughterhouse religion, declaring the wisdom of God objectionable. They are mistaken. They do not know the love and goodness of God that condescended to step out from glory (John 1:1–4) to take their place on the cross.
7. The cross is foolishness to some because they are deceived and misled “by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8, ESV). Church movements abandoning the message of the cross are misled by deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1). The outcome is another gospel and a Jesus that cannot save. The apostle Paul warned of this eventuality: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8).
8. The cross is foolishness to some because they do not know the Scriptures. They lack a rudimentary understanding of the Bible, having no foundation. “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Timothy “from childhood” knew the Holy Scriptures, and they were able to make him “wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). Timothy knew the prophecies, promises, and doctrines of Scripture, and that knowledge was foundational to his faith in the Son of God, the Messiah.
The story of Barabbas’s pardon is a remarkable comparison to the life granted to a believer in Christ. For Barabbas, pardon meant Jesus would take his place on the cross to endure the wrath of Rome (Matthew 27:16–22). For the believer, pardon means Jesus took our place on the cross to endure the wrath of God (Romans 3:24–26). With Rome appeased, Barabbas was released to walk free. With God appeased, we are released to walk in newness of life (Romans 3:25, 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:1; 1 Peter 3:18).
Those who are blind to the wisdom and power of God need a work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14). They need to see the message of the cross as a loving invitation from God to walk in newness of life (John 14:6). If they continue in unbelief, labeling the message of the cross as foolishness, the tragic result will be fully experienced condemnation from God (John 3:18). There is only one name whereby they can be saved, and that is the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
God’s sovereignty is one of the most important principles in Christian theology, as well as one of its most hotly debated. Whether or not God is actually sovereign is usually not a topic of debate; all mainstream Christian sects agree that God is preeminent in power and authority. God’s sovereignty is a natural consequence of His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. What’s subject to disagreement is to what extent God applies His sovereignty—specifically, how much control He exerts over the wills of men. When we speak of the sovereignty of God, we mean He rules the universe, but then the debate begins over when and where His control is direct and when it is indirect.
God is described in the Bible as 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.
The fact that God is sovereign essentially means that He has the power, wisdom, and authority to do anything He chooses within His creation. Whether or not He actually exerts that level of control in any given circumstance is actually a completely different question. Often, the concept of divine sovereignty is oversimplified. We tend to assume that, if God is not directly, overtly, purposefully driving some event, then He is somehow not sovereign. The cartoon version of sovereignty depicts a God who must do anything that He can do, or else He is not truly sovereign.
Of course, such a cartoonish view of God’s sovereignty is logically false. If a man were to put an ant in a bowl, the “sovereignty” of the man over the ant is not in doubt. The ant may try to crawl out, and the man may not want this to happen. But the man is not forced to crush the ant, drown it, or pick it up. The man, for reasons of his own, may choose to let the ant crawl away, but the man is still in control. There is a difference between allowing the ant to leave the bowl and helplessly watching as it escapes. The cartoon version of God’s sovereignty implies that, if the man is not actively holding the ant inside the bowl, then he must be unable to keep it in there at all.
The illustration of the man and the ant is at least a vague parallel to God’s sovereignty over mankind. God has the ability to do anything, to take action and intervene in any situation, but He often chooses to act indirectly or to allow certain things for reasons of His own. His will is furthered in any case. God’s “sovereignty” means that He is absolute in authority and unrestricted in His supremacy. Everything that happens is, at the very least, the result of God’s permissive will. This holds true even if certain specific things are not what He would prefer. The right of God to allow mankind’s free choices is just as necessary for true sovereignty as His ability to enact His will, wherever and however He chooses.
Psalm 19:1 states, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork” (ESV). This is one of the clearest biblical statements that nature itself is meant to show the greatness of God. These words are in the present tense. That is, the heavens “are declaring,” and the sky “is proclaiming” the creative work of God. It’s a continual display. What we see in nature is meant to constantly show us that God exists and tell us how amazing a Creator He truly is.
One of the strongest arguments in favor of the existence of God is the teleological argument, or the “argument from design.” This approach claims that observations of design in nature are best explained by a deliberate, intelligent act of creation rather than by randomness or luck. The conveyance of information is a key aspect of this. Information is always seen as the product of intelligence. Some patterns are complex but random. Others may be well-defined but carry no information. But whenever we see a specific, complex arrangement that displays information, we recognize that it was the work of a mind, not mere chance.
Psalm 19:1 connects this idea to Scripture. The more we learn about the universe, the more clearly we can see the work of God. A perfect example of this is modern “Big Bang” cosmology. Prior to this theory, scientists and atheists assumed that the universe was eternal. The combination of Einstein’s theories and advances in physics made it clear that, in fact, the universe did have a “beginning.” At first, this idea was rejected by scientists as being theology, not science. Over time, however, it became impossible to deny. The fact that the universe “began” is something we can see purely by observing the heavens and the sky—just as Psalm 19:1 says.
Romans 1 also ties into this idea. God has revealed enough of Himself in nature that nobody has an excuse for rejecting Him or for doing what is wrong. “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities . . . have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made” (Romans 1:20). The heavens declare the glory of God.
Because “the heavens declare the glory of God,” we can be confident in using science to explore. The more we know about the world around us, the more glory we give to God. The more we discover, the more evidence we have that He is the One responsible for nature and its laws. A person needs the Bible and personal faith in Christ in order to have a proper relationship with God. However, a person needs only to look honestly at the world around him in order to realize that God exists.
Revelation 19:10 makes a bold statement regarding the relationship between prophecy and Jesus Christ: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (NKJV). The book of Revelation is a book of prophecy given by Jesus Christ to His servant John (Revelation 1:1). The term revelation refers to a revealing or the making known of something that was previously unknown. Revelation is like pulling back a veil to show what’s behind it or unwrapping a present to see what’s inside.
What is prophecy, then? Simply put, prophecy is communication from God to mankind. Some prophecy can be speaking of future events, and other prophecy might not be. Prophets were utilized as a mouthpiece for God—they listened to God and then conveyed God’s message to the masses. Some examples of prophets are Elijah, Isaiah, Moses, and Jonah.
In the context of Revelation 19:10, John has seen the fall of the evil world system called Babylon the Great (Revelation 18). A great multitude in heaven is celebrating and singing praise to God because of that judgment (Revelation 19:1–3) and because it is now time for the wedding supper of the Lamb (verses 6–8). An angel says to John, “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9). At this proclamation, John falls to worship at the feet of the angel who is communicating this prophecy, but the angel insists John rise to his feet, for he is but “a fellow servant” (Revelation 19:10; cf. Colossians 2:18).
In response to John’s wrongful worship, the angel says, “See that you do not do that! . . . Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10, NKJV). It is critical to understand that this statement is a response to John’s intention to worship the angel. Because of the construction of the clause in the original language (Greek), there are three common understandings of the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy:
1. Jesus is the substance of all prophecy, or, put another way, Jesus is the common theme among all prophecy.
2. All true prophecy bears witness about Jesus. Therefore, all prophecy should cause us to worship Him alone.
3. The message or testimony given by Jesus is the essence of true prophecy. Jesus is the Word, and no prophecy comes to us except through Him, ultimately pointing to God as the source of all true prophecy.
The NIV translates the angel’s statement as “It is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.” The NLT’s wording is “The essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.” The wording of both these translations prefers one of the first two interpretations, above. The third interpretation, however, seems to fit best within the context of Revelation 19:10. John is not to worship the angel but God alone. Since John was worshiping the angel in response to the prophecy given, the angel ensures that John understands Jesus is the source of the communication and He alone is worthy of the worship (cf. Luke 4:8; Acts 14:11–15).
Following the angel’s command to John, we ought to worship God alone. We are to worship not the purveyor of the message but the Source of the message. While God has made many beautiful things, such as angels, He is alone worthy of our praise (cf. John 17:3; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:15; 1 Samuel 7:4).
Isaiah 55:8–9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. . . . As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God’s infinite thoughts are far greater than our limited ability to comprehend them. The psalmist exclaimed, “How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!” (Psalm 139:17). God’s thoughts and His ways don’t always make sense to us, but we can rest in the knowledge that He is always good, and, therefore, everything He does is good (Psalm 13:6; 100:5).
The human heart is filled with questions for God: “Why?” “When?” “How?” We often wrestle with faith because of those questions. How can we fully trust a God we don’t understand? How can we have faith when God’s ways seem even cruel at times? When we try to comprehend God’s ways, we can become frustrated. His ways are higher than our ways, and His actions often do not make sense to our earth-bound minds. We question God’s ways when young people die, when tragedies strike righteous people, when the wicked prosper (see Psalm 73). So we beat on heaven’s door with our demand for answers, and no answer comes but this one: “My ways are higher than your ways.”
The key to finding peace with ways that we don’t understand is in Psalm 131: “My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content” (verses 1–2). A just-weaned child does not understand everything his mother does. She may correct him, take him to the doctor for vaccinations, and tell him “no” when he wants something very much. But he trusts her and loves her because he knows she loves him. He rests on his mother in complete humility and trust in her superior wisdom and provision. That’s what we must do with God when His ways are beyond our comprehension.
If we try to understand God’s ways from earth looking up, we won’t find many answers. Instead, God left us a clue in the word higher. His ways are not merely different from ours, they are higher. Better. Superior. They exist on a grander scale. He parted the Red Sea because it fit His plan for Israel (Exodus 14:21; Psalm 66:6). He made the sun stand still so Joshua’s army could defeat their enemies (Joshua 10:12–13). He sent an angel to let Peter out of jail (Acts 12:6–10), but He allowed James to be executed (Acts 12:2). God has allowed some of His faithful servants to suffer terrible fates, even though He could have delivered them if He chose (Hebrews 11:32–40). When we try to make sense of these events with our natural minds, we won’t get anywhere. Instead, God invites us to come up higher and learn to see life from His perspective.
From earth looking up, we see only confusion. But from heaven looking down, we see a plan unfolding. In Isaiah 46:9–11, the Lord lays out His sovereign plan to use the Persian king Cyrus: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 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.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.” We may not know why God needs a “bird from the east” or why He would want to use a man like Cyrus. The man “from a far-off land” may not himself understand why he is moving across the world. But those who trust the Lord can rest in the confidence that God is at work. The Bible gives little room for the idea of coincidence (Proverbs 16:33; Psalm 37:23). In God’s “higher ways,” everything happens for a reason and will be woven into the fabric of God’s good plan for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).
God’s ways are higher than our ways because His ways are always part of a bigger plan. We see only our small piece of the puzzle; God sees the finished work. We see a portion of the jumbled back of the tapestry; God is the Weaver at the loom. When our desire is to live in step with His plan, we can have confidence that, even when bad things happen, God is still in control. He often takes what Satan meant for evil and turns it into good for the salvation of many (see Genesis 50:20). God’s priorities are the magnification of His glory and the expansion of His kingdom (Psalm 97:6; Luke 8:1). When God’s glory and God’s kingdom are our priorities, too, we learn to rejoice that His ways are higher than our ways (1 Corinthians 10:31).
In Romans 8:38–39, the apostle Paul articulates one of the most profoundly comforting reassurances in Scripture: “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.”
The psalmist echoes Paul’s conviction that neither death nor life can separate us from God’s love: “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there!” (Psalm 139:7–8, NLT). God is present everywhere. There is no place we can go and be cut off from His presence. The Bible also tells us that God, by His very nature, is love (1 John 4:8, 16). And if God is love and exists everywhere, then it stands to reason that nothing and no place can isolate us from His love.
Paul relates a laundry list of things that could potentially have the power to barricade us from God’s loving presence: life, death, angels, demons, the present, the future, powers, height, depth, and anything else in all creation. With that last item, nothing is left out! And then Paul affirms that none of these things are powerful enough to create a barrier between us and the boundless love of God in Christ. Everything in all the universe, whether in this present life or the life to come, is under God’s sovereign control and the dominion of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (Ephesians 1:22; 1 Corinthians 15:27–28; Hebrews 2:8).
God displayed His great love for us on the cross (Romans 5:8; John 3:16–17). On Calvary, Jesus Christ triumphed over all things, including death and every living enemy, by offering His life in our place (Colossians 2:15). When we receive God’s gift of salvation, we are “buried with Christ” through baptism and “raised to new life” by “the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead” (Colossians 2:12, NLT). Paul continues, “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13–14, NLT).
The redeemed of the Lord are made spiritually and eternally alive in Christ. We died and were buried with Jesus and then raised and restored to newness of life. Not one thing in this life or even in death can ever cause lasting harm to us because Jesus Christ rescinded all charges against us. For this reason, nothing and no one will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ. We belong to the Lord forever (Isaiah 43:1; John 1:12; 10:28; Romans 8:15; 14:8).
We may sometimes feel like our pain, sorrow, and loss distance us from God’s affection. But to this deception, Paul asks, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? . . . No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:35–37, NLT).
When we feel separated from God’s love, the problem is not any lack on His part. The hindrance comes from our perception. When instability and insecurity threaten us, our confidence must rest securely in the knowledge of God’s love for us and not in our own feelings. Human love is often erratic, weak, fluctuating. Doubt, circumstances, and fear can obscure our awareness of the Lord’s presence. We must stand on the sure promise of God’s Word that His love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). It is never-ending (Lamentations 3:22). The Lord’s faithful love endures forever (Psalm 136:7, 13, 21).
God does not promise us a life free of affliction, but He does promise to be with us through anything and everything we face with His all-powerful, steadfast agape love. For believers in Jesus Christ, God’s love is a constant supply poured out by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). His love can be counted on in the calamities of life and leaned upon in the crisis of death.
The infinite nature of God simply means that God exists outside of and is not limited by time or space. Infinite simply means “without limits.” When we refer to God as "infinite," we generally refer to Him with terms like omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence.
Omniscience means that God is all-knowing or that He has unlimited knowledge. His infinite knowledge is what qualifies Him as sovereign ruler and judge over all things. Not only does God know everything that will happen, but He also knows all things that could have possibly happened. Nothing takes God by surprise, and no one can hide sin from Him. There are many verses in the Bible where God reveals this aspect of His nature. One such verse is 1 John 3:20: “...God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.”
Omnipotence means that God is all-powerful or that He has unlimited power. Having all power is significant because it establishes God’s ability to carry out His sovereign will. Because God is omnipotent and has infinite power, nothing can stop His decreed will from happening, and nothing can thwart or stop His divine purposes from being fulfilled. There are many verses in the Bible where God reveals this aspect of His nature. One such verse is Psalm 115:3: “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” Or when answering His disciples' question “Then who can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25), Jesus says, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
Omnipresence means that God is always present. There is no place that you could go to escape God’s presence. God is not limited by time or space. He is present at every point of time and space. God’s infinite presence is significant because it establishes that God is eternal. God has always existed and will always exist. Before time began, God was. Before the world or even matter itself was created, God was. He has no beginning or end, and there was never a time He did not exist, nor will there be a time when He ceases to exist. Again, many verses in the Bible reveal this aspect of God’s nature to us, and one of them is Psalm 139:7-10: “Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Thy hand will lead me, And Thy right hand will lay hold of me.”
Because God is infinite, He is also said to be transcendent, which simply means that God is exceedingly far above creation and is both greater than creation and independent of it. What this means is that God is so infinitely above and beyond us and our ability to fully comprehend that, had He not revealed Himself, we would not know or understand what He is like. But, thankfully, God has not left us ignorant about Himself. Instead, He has revealed Himself to us through both general revelation (creation and our conscience) and special revelation (the written Word of God, the Bible, and the living Word of God, Jesus Christ). Therefore, we can know God, and we can know how to be reconciled to Him and how to live according to His will. Despite the fact that we are finite and God is infinite, we can know and understand God as He has revealed Himself to us.
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ and the Father are One (John 1:1-4), and that He is also the only begotten Son of God (Hebrews 1:1-4). This familial term indicates God regards Jesus as a family member. Born-again believers are told that we, too, are members of this family (Romans 9:8; 1 John 3:1-2). How do we become a part of this family of God? When we hear the gospel, confess our sins, and place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, we are at that moment born into God’s kingdom as His children and become heirs with Him for eternity (Romans 8:14-17).
While Jesus Christ is referred to as the only begotten Son of God, believers are referred to as children born into God’s family who need to grow and mature in our faith (Ephesians 4:11-16), and as sons and heirs adopted into His family (Galatians 4:4-7). God’s infinite grace and mercy are revealed in Ephesians 1:5-6, which says He redeems sinners, whom He has “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.”
As children of God, what do we inherit? Nothing less than the kingdom of God (Matthew 25:34; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; Hebrews 12:28)! Ephesians 1:3 tells us that believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. These spiritual blessings are infinite, eternal, and reside in Christ, and by God’s grace we are given these blessings as His children. As earthly children we eventually inherit what our parents leave behind for us after their death. But in God’s case believers are already reaping the rewards of our inheritance by having peace with Him through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. Other rewards of our inheritance include the gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at the moment we believe in Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14), which empowers us to live for Him in the present, and the knowledge that our salvation is secure for eternity (Hebrews 7:24-25).
Being a part of the family of God is the greatest blessing bestowed upon believers and one that should drive us to our knees in humble adoration. We can never do anything to deserve it for it is His gift of love, mercy, and grace to us, yet, we are called to become sons and daughters of the Living God (Romans 9:25-26). May we all respond in faith to His invitation!
The apostle Paul opened his letter to the believers in Philippi by explaining that he often thanked God for them in joyful prayer because of their partnership in sharing the gospel. Paul held a special affection for the Philippian church, which he had founded approximately ten years earlier. Now he expressed confidence in God’s continued work in their lives: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:3–6, NKJV).
Paul had seen firsthand the good work that God had begun in the Philippian believers. In Philippi, on Paul’s second missionary journey, he and his companions encountered Lydia and other women meeting by the riverside for prayer. As Paul preached, Lydia and her household were saved and baptized, and the Philippian church was born (Acts 16:11–15). Later, the Christians in Philippi conducted their house church in Lydia’s home. As the church grew, it became one of the strongest supporters of Paul’s ministry (Philippians 4:10–20).
Paul loved the Philippians deeply and desired to see them continue to grow in Christian maturity and abound in ever-increasing spiritual understanding: “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. so that they will be blameless until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9–11, NLT).
At the time of our salvation, God begins His work in us. We are made alive in Christ—regenerated, made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Then, through an ongoing, lifelong process called sanctification, God finishes, perfects, and completes His work in us. Paul referred to the process when he said, “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, NKJV). Spiritual growth ought to continue in steadfast believers until the day Jesus Christ returns (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:23).
A brief biblical definition of sanctification is “the Holy Spirit’s work of setting believers apart to be made holy or made like God.” Sanctification is a three-phase process. At the moment of salvation, Christians enter positional sanctification. Jesus’ work on the cross is a finished work—believers stand positionally sanctified as though they already are made holy before God, even though they are not yet completely holy in practice: “For by one sacrifice he [Jesus] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14).
Progressive sanctification is phase two, in which God, who has begun a good work in us at salvation, continues to transform us into His image, saving us from the practice and power of sin. After the initial cleansing from sin, the committed Christian begins to undergo a daily process of spiritual renewal (Colossians 3:10). The Bible also calls this phase “the sanctifying work of the Spirit,” as the Holy Spirit is the chief agent working in the believer to produce the character of God and the fruit of holiness (1 Peter 1:2; cf. 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Galatians 5:22–23).
From the moment God begins His good work in us until the day of its completion, the Holy Spirit is chipping away, renovating our character, day by day reforming us into partakers of the holy nature of God. God does the work, but believers are also meant to be active in the process, yielding to the effort (Romans 6:13, 19; 12:1) and pressing on toward the upward call to holiness (Hebrews 12:14; Philippians 3:12–14).
God began a good work in us at salvation and then called us to live out the progressing development of being made into His image. The Christian walk is a pathway of ongoing growth. The journey brings us ever closer to God until His work in us is perfect and complete on “the day of Jesus Christ”—that is, the day of Christ’s return when we see Him (Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Complete sanctification is the third phase, also known as glorification.
From the very beginning, throughout the continuation, and until the final stroke, God is working in us (Philippians 2:13). He is the Master Craftsman who never gives up on us (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). The Lord’s salvation, His glorious redemption of His people, will reach its crowning culmination when Jesus Christ returns. Only then will God, who has begun a good work in you, put His finishing touch on you.
Definition:
Sustaining grace refers to the divine assistance and support that God provides to believers, enabling them to persevere in faith and righteousness throughout their lives. It is the grace that upholds Christians in their daily walk, empowering them to endure trials, resist temptation, and grow in spiritual maturity.
Biblical Foundation:
Sustaining grace is rooted in the character of God as a loving and faithful provider. The Bible presents numerous instances where God's grace is depicted as a sustaining force for His people.
1. God's Promise of Sustenance:
In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the Apostle Paul recounts the Lord's assurance to him: "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.'" This verse highlights the sufficiency of God's grace in sustaining believers, especially in times of weakness and trial.
2. Daily Provision:
The Lord's Prayer, as recorded in Matthew 6:11, includes the petition, "Give us this day our daily bread." This request underscores the believer's reliance on God's daily provision, both physically and spiritually, as an expression of His sustaining grace.
3. Endurance in Trials:
James 1:2-4 encourages believers to "consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." Sustaining grace is evident in the way God uses trials to strengthen and mature the faith of His people.
4. Perseverance in Faith:
Philippians 1:6 assures believers of God's ongoing work in their lives: "being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." This verse reflects the sustaining grace that ensures the completion of God's work in the believer's life.
5. Strength in Weakness:
Isaiah 40:29-31 speaks of God's provision of strength to the weary: "He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength." This passage illustrates the sustaining grace that renews and empowers believers.
Theological Implications:
Sustaining grace is a testament to God's ongoing involvement in the lives of His people. It emphasizes the believer's dependence on God for spiritual vitality and growth. This grace is not earned but is a gift from God, reflecting His unmerited favor and love.
Practical Application:
Believers are encouraged to rely on God's sustaining grace through prayer, scripture reading, and fellowship with other Christians. Recognizing their own limitations, they are to seek God's strength and guidance in all aspects of life. Sustaining grace calls for a life of gratitude, humility, and trust in God's provision and timing.
Conclusion:
While sustaining grace is a continuous theme throughout the Bible, it is most profoundly experienced in the daily lives of believers who trust in God's promises and rely on His strength. It is a vital aspect of the Christian journey, ensuring that believers are upheld and empowered to live out their faith in a fallen world.
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).
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).
As followers of Jesus Christ, we all want to live a triumphant Christian 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 “full armor of God” comes from Ephesians 6:13-17: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:12 clearly indicates that the conflict with Satan is spiritual, and therefore no tangible weapons can be effectively employed against him and his minions. We are not given a list of specific tactics Satan will use. However, the passage is quite clear that when we follow all the instructions faithfully, we will be able to stand, and we will have victory regardless of Satan’s strategy.
The first element of our armor is truth (Ephesians 6:14). This belt immediately sets the believer apart from the world, since Satan is the “father of lies” (John 8:44). Deception is high on the list of things God considers to be an abomination. A “lying tongue” is one of the things He describes as “detestable to Him” (Proverbs 6:16-17). We are therefore exhorted to put on truth for our own sanctification and deliverance, as well as for the benefit of those to whom we witness.
Also in verse 14, we are told to put on the breastplate of righteousness. A breastplate shielded a warrior’s vital organs from blows that would otherwise be fatal. This righteousness is not works of righteousness done by men. Rather, this is the righteousness of Christ, imputed by God and received by faith, which guards our hearts against the accusations and charges of Satan and secures our innermost being from his attacks.
Verse 15 speaks of the preparation of the feet for spiritual conflict. In warfare, sometimes an enemy places dangerous obstacles in the path of advancing soldiers. The idea of the preparation of the gospel of peace is that we need to advance into Satan’s territory, aware that there will be traps. The message of grace is essential to winning souls to Christ, and we must be prepared with the gospel. Satan has many obstacles placed in the path to halt the propagation of the gospel.
The shield of faith in verse 16 “can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” When we bear the shield of faith, Satan can cast all the aspersions, doubt, and dismay he wants, but they will be ineffective. Our faith—of which Christ is “the author and perfecter” (Hebrews 12:2)—is like a shield, solid and substantial.
The helmet of salvation in verse 17 is protection for the head, keeping safe a critical part of the body. We could say that our way of thinking needs preservation. The head is the seat of the mind, which, when it has laid hold of the sure hope of eternal life, will not receive false doctrine or give way to Satan’s temptations. The unsaved person has no hope of warding off the blows of false doctrine because he is without the helmet of salvation and his mind is incapable of discerning between spiritual truth and spiritual deception.
Verse 17 interprets the sword of the Spirit as the Word of God. While all the other pieces of spiritual armor are for defense, the sword of the Spirit allows us to take the offense. The sword analogy speaks of the holiness and power of the Word of God. There is no greater spiritual weapon. In Jesus’ temptations in the desert, the Word of God was always His overpowering response to Satan. What a blessing that the same Word is available to us!
In verse 18, we are told to pray in the Spirit (that is, with the mind of Christ, with His heart and His priorities) in addition to wearing the full armor of God. We cannot neglect prayer, as it is the means by which we draw spiritual strength from God. Without prayer, without reliance upon God, our efforts at spiritual warfare are empty and futile. The full armor of God—truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer—are the tools God has given us, through which we can be spiritually victorious. Satan is a defeated foe.
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.
The apostle Paul opened his letter to the believers in Philippi by explaining that he often thanked God for them in joyful prayer because of their partnership in sharing the gospel. Paul held a special affection for the Philippian church, which he had founded approximately ten years earlier. Now he expressed confidence in God’s continued work in their lives: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:3–6, NKJV).
Paul had seen firsthand the good work that God had begun in the Philippian believers. In Philippi, on Paul’s second missionary journey, he and his companions encountered Lydia and other women meeting by the riverside for prayer. As Paul preached, Lydia and her household were saved and baptized, and the Philippian church was born (Acts 16:11–15). Later, the Christians in Philippi conducted their house church in Lydia’s home. As the church grew, it became one of the strongest supporters of Paul’s ministry (Philippians 4:10–20).
Paul loved the Philippians deeply and desired to see them continue to grow in Christian maturity and abound in ever-increasing spiritual understanding: “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. so that they will be blameless until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9–11, NLT).
At the time of our salvation, God begins His work in us. We are made alive in Christ—regenerated, made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Then, through an ongoing, lifelong process called sanctification, God finishes, perfects, and completes His work in us. Paul referred to the process when he said, “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, NKJV). Spiritual growth ought to continue in steadfast believers until the day Jesus Christ returns (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:23).
A brief biblical definition of sanctification is “the Holy Spirit’s work of setting believers apart to be made holy or made like God.” Sanctification is a three-phase process. At the moment of salvation, Christians enter positional sanctification. Jesus’ work on the cross is a finished work—believers stand positionally sanctified as though they already are made holy before God, even though they are not yet completely holy in practice: “For by one sacrifice he [Jesus] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14).
Progressive sanctification is phase two, in which God, who has begun a good work in us at salvation, continues to transform us into His image, saving us from the practice and power of sin. After the initial cleansing from sin, the committed Christian begins to undergo a daily process of spiritual renewal (Colossians 3:10). The Bible also calls this phase “the sanctifying work of the Spirit,” as the Holy Spirit is the chief agent working in the believer to produce the character of God and the fruit of holiness (1 Peter 1:2; cf. 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Galatians 5:22–23).
From the moment God begins His good work in us until the day of its completion, the Holy Spirit is chipping away, renovating our character, day by day reforming us into partakers of the holy nature of God. God does the work, but believers are also meant to be active in the process, yielding to the effort (Romans 6:13, 19; 12:1) and pressing on toward the upward call to holiness (Hebrews 12:14; Philippians 3:12–14).
God began a good work in us at salvation and then called us to live out the progressing development of being made into His image. The Christian walk is a pathway of ongoing growth. The journey brings us ever closer to God until His work in us is perfect and complete on “the day of Jesus Christ”—that is, the day of Christ’s return when we see Him (Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Complete sanctification is the third phase, also known as glorification.
From the very beginning, throughout the continuation, and until the final stroke, God is working in us (Philippians 2:13). He is the Master Craftsman who never gives up on us (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). The Lord’s salvation, His glorious redemption of His people, will reach its crowning culmination when Jesus Christ returns. Only then will God, who has begun a good work in you, put His finishing touch on you.
David was the first king to plan a temple to worship God in Jerusalem. His son Solomon later fulfilled this plan and oversaw construction of the temple. But was it God’s desire to have a temple in the first place?
First Chronicles 17:1–15 is the account of David’s first plans for building a temple. We read that the prophet Nathan at first affirmed David’s plans. Yet that night God spoke to Nathan, telling him that Solomon would be the one to build the temple instead. God clearly affirmed His desire for a temple and chose the one who would build it. Verses 11–12 state, “When your [David’s] days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.” Clearly, God wanted a temple built, and, as He chose Solomon for the job, He also reinforced the Davidic Covenant, promising a future son of David to rule “forever.”
In response to God’s direction, David offered a prayer of praise to the Lord (1 Chronicles 17:16–27). David accepted this change of plans as God’s will and thanked Him for the abundant blessings promised to him and his family. David had been prevented from building the temple himself, but there was nothing to keep him from helping his son. “David said, ‘My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.’ So David made extensive preparations before his death” (1 Chronicles 22:5). First Chronicles 22 lists some of the things that David did as he worked diligently to provide the resources needed for the temple’s construction.
David also affirmed the temple was God’s will in his words to Solomon: “My son, the LORD be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the LORD your God, as he said you would” (1 Chronicles 22:11). In this verse, David states that the building of the temple was God’s plan. As Solomon was involved in doing God’s work, he could expect God’s blessing on his efforts.
When Solomon’s construction was completed, the temple was dedicated. At the dedication ceremony, Solomon acknowledged the feebleness of his efforts compared to an infinite God: “Will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” (2 Chronicles 6:18).
Then, God provided another confirmation of His blessing upon the temple’s construction. “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘He is good; / his love endures forever’” (2 Chronicles 7:1–3).
God desired a temple built for His name in Jerusalem. He affirmed it through Nathan the prophet, David the king, Solomon the king, and through His presence at the dedication of the temple.
In Joshua 5:13–15, the leader of Israel, Joshua, has a conversation with the “commander of the army of the Lord” (verse 14). This commander appeared to Joshua near Jericho, before that fateful first battle in the conquest of Canaan. The personage held a drawn sword in His hand.
Joshua approached the person and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” (Joshua 5:13). The man’s reply was curious: “Neither,” he said, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come” (verse 14). Joshua’s question was natural enough. Upon meeting an armed man on the eve of a battle, he asks, “Are you on our side, or on the side of our enemies?” The man’s response is key: He is neither an Israelite nor a Canaanite. He is the commander of the Lord’s army. The better question for Joshua to have asked was, “Are we on your side?”
When the man identified Himself as the commander of the army of the Lord, “Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence” (Joshua 5:14). Abram had the same reaction to finding himself in the presence of God (Genesis 17:1–3). Significantly, the commander does not tell Joshua not to worship Him; rather, He tells Joshua to take off his sandals, “for the place where you are standing is holy” (verse 15). This is exactly what the Lord God told Moses at the burning bush encounter (Exodus 3:5). Joshua addresses the man using a Hebrew word that means “master” or “lord,” indicating the level of respect Joshua had for the person with whom he spoke.
Based on this information, there is only one possible identity for this person. The commander of the army of the Lord was a theophany, a visible appearance of God Himself. Two verses later (in Joshua 6:2), it is clearly Yahweh who tells Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.” The commander of the Lord’s army is none other than God Almighty.
This is not the first time in Scripture that God had made His presence known in a physical manifestation. The Lord God appears to Abram in Genesis 17:1 and again in Genesis 18:1. The “angel of the Lord” appears to Hagar in Genesis 16:7, after which time she claims to have seen God (verse 13). The “man” who wrestles with Jacob in Genesis 32 has divine characteristics, and Jacob concludes, “I saw God face to face” (verse 30). In each case, we have human interaction with God the Son—the Logos, through whom God communicated Himself to others.
Joshua, then, encounters a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. The fact that Jesus identifies Himself as the commander of the Lord’s army teaches Joshua who is really in charge. Joshua may be the human commander of Israel, but the true leader is the Commander who stands before him with drawn sword. Joshua understood his role, responded with worship, and asked the only appropriate question: “What do you want your servant to do?” (Joshua 5:14, NLT).
Jesus is the Lord of hosts, and it is He who must fight the battle if we would win. We have many enemies to combat: Satan, the world, sin, and the flesh. We need Christ to go before us, sword in hand, into battle. He is the Commander of the Lord’s army, the Captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10), and the one through whom we are granted victory (1 Corinthians 15:57). The Commander of the Lord’s army alone has the wisdom, the weaponry, and the wherewithal to emerge victorious over our true enemies.
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” (ESV). 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).
While the focus of Ephesians 5:26–27 is on Christ’s role, there are practical implications for believers. Because we have been “sanctified” and “washed,” God expects us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3, ESV). Such a “walk,” or lifestyle, is not about earning salvation; rather, it is about responding to God’s grace with reverence and obedience.
The church, as the collective body of believers, plays an important role in the sanctification process. This communal aspect of sanctification is emphasized in Hebrews 10:24–25, which encourages believers “to stir one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (ESV).
The sanctification process is both personal and communal. Individually, believers are called to engage with Scripture, allowing the Word of God to cleanse them from sin and transform their hearts and minds (Psalm 119:105; James 1:22–25). Collectively, the church reflects the holiness and purity of Christ, given to the church through what He accomplished on the cross.
Ephesians 5:26–27 presents profound insights into Christ’s role in the sanctification of His church, drawing from Old Testament allegories and culminating in our future union with Him. Not only does this passage reveal the depth of Christ’s love and sacrifice, but it also calls us to a life of holiness and dedication to God’s service. Let us, then, live out the fulness of our spiritual cleansing, demonstrating to everyone that we belong to Christ, who sanctifies us “by the washing with water through the word.”
In the wilderness of Judea, John the Baptist began his ministry of preparing Israel to receive her Messiah, Jesus Christ. Enormous crowds went to hear John (Matthew 3:5) as he traveled through the region “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 3:3). Many people received John’s message, confessed their sins, and were baptized (Matthew 3:6; Mark 1:5). These baptisms stirred up such a commotion that the Pharisees and Sadducees went out to investigate. Aware of their insincerity of heart, John said, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:7–8).
John spoke severely, challenging these religious leaders’ spiritual pride and hypocrisy head-on. They needed to know that God’s judgment for sin was coming. Baptism is an outward symbol of true heart change. John’s baptism was a “baptism of repentance.” Repentance is the act of changing one’s mind that results in a change of actions. Sincere repentance involves turning away from sin both in thought and action. When the crowds came to John for baptism, they were showing their repentance and identifying with a new life. The Pharisees and Sadducees were detached observers at John’s baptism. They claimed to have repented of their sins—sins they eagerly pointed out in others—yet they lived as sinners, all the while denying their own guilt.
The religious leaders of John’s day had refused to submit themselves to God. They thought they were good enough by way of association with Abraham through their Jewish heritage (see Matthew 3:9; John 8:39). But their religious rituals and spiritual “pedigree” were not enough to please God. The only way for sinners to enter a relationship with God is through genuine repentance and faith. These religious leaders should have been setting an example and taking the lead. Instead, they lived in self-righteous, hypocritical denial of their spiritual condition.
John the Baptist warned, “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:10). The tree represents Israel. If Israel did not repent, it would be cut down and destroyed (see Luke 13:6–10). Only those who genuinely repented and began to produce good fruit would be prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ.
Luke’s gospel gives further insight into what it means to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. John told the people, “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones’” (Luke 3:8, NLT). John’s baptism of repentance was meant to be the start of a brand new, continuous life of producing fruit in keeping with righteousness. Our family tree won’t earn us a place in heaven or give us an automatic claim to God’s promises. John told the Sadducees and Pharisees who took pride in their lineage to take a more humble view: just as God had made Adam from the dust of the ground, God could raise up children of Abraham from the stones of the wilderness.
At John’s preaching, the people began to ask, “What should we do?” (Luke 3:10). In other words, “What is the fruit in keeping with repentance?” “John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same’” (Luke 3:11). He told the tax collectors in the crowd, “Don’t collect any more than you are required to” (verse 13). He told the soldiers, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay” (verse 14). Such actions were the “fruit” of repentance in that they showed the genuineness of the change of heart.
When the apostle Paul began his preaching ministry, he, too, spoke of good deeds as proof of genuine repentance: “I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do” (Acts 26:20, NLT).
The believer’s spiritual life and growth are often compared to a fruit-bearing tree in Scripture. Just as fruit production is proof of life and health in a tree, so are good actions the evidence of spiritual life in Jesus Christ and the presence of God’s Spirit dwelling within a person. Jesus said, “A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions” (Matthew 7:17–20, NLT).
Fruit in keeping with repentance represents the good deeds and changed behaviors that naturally flow from a truly repentant and transformed heart. In James 2:14–26, James teaches extensively on the subject, explaining that “faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless” (verse 17, NLT). James concludes, “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works (verse 26, NLT).
Paul prays for the Philippians to be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:11). He gives examples of good spiritual fruit: “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23, NLT; see also Ephesians 5:9; Colossians 1:10; James 3:17).
The believer’s ability to produce fruit in keeping with repentance depends wholly on our intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, who said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4–5, NLT). The root will naturally produce fruit. Fruit in keeping with repentance is the evidence (as well as a result) of a changed mind, transformed life, and ongoing communion with Jesus.
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).
In 1 Peter 1:3–12, the apostle Peter delivers an uplifting sermon about our salvation in Jesus Christ. Peter wants his audience to understand the importance of faith. He says that faith is “tested by fire” (verse 7, NKJV) in order to prove its genuineness.
In the same context, Peter says that, through faith, God protects us by His power until we receive the fullness of salvation and our eternal inheritance (verse 5). This “priceless inheritance” is secure and “beyond the reach of change or decay” (verse 4, NLT). We can rejoice, knowing that joy awaits us, explained Peter. But in the meantime, we “must endure many trials” (verse 6, NLT).
The believer’s faith is “tested by fire” through trials for a specific purpose: “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:7, NLT). Peter asserts that trials serve to authenticate our faith by deepening it and strengthening our commitment to Jesus.
Testing by fire is part of the metalworker’s process to determine the quality of metal and remove all impurities. A goldsmith or silversmith must repeatedly heat the raw metals to extremely high temperatures until they melt. The contaminants rise to the surface in this liquid state and are skimmed off. Only after this refining process of separating the precious elements from the dross can a pure, valuable, and useful object be formed.
The Bible contains many references to God as the refiner who tests His people’s hearts in the fire of adversity. When Peter penned his message, he may have had the suffering of Job in mind. Amid his horrendous ordeal, Job said of God by faith, “He knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold” (Job 23:10, NLT).
Through the prophet Isaiah, God spoke to the remnant of Israel, “I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering” (Isaiah 48:10, NLT). To an end-times group of Jewish survivors, the Lord declared His purpose again: “I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God’” (Zechariah 13:9, NLT).
The Bible tells believers to live with the expectation of being tested by fire. If we are prepared to experience troubles in life, we won’t be so shaken when they come. Solomon observed with matter-of-factness, “Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart” (Proverbs 17:3, NLT). The psalmist affirmed, “For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver” (Psalm 66:10).
If you find yourself asking, “Why God? Why are You allowing this suffering?” Remember this: being tested by fire will make you stronger and purer in faith as you remain steadfast through hardship. We can have hope and courage in the face of adversity if we understand that, through it all, God is working His purposes for our good (Romans 8:28). James held that a Christian who perseveres under trial is blessed “because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). Faith that stays true through every fiery test is more valuable than the finest, purest gold.
The Christian life is defined by the believer’s identification with Jesus Christ. It is not enough to know that Jesus died for us; we must also understand that we died with Him. Because we died and were raised with Him, the power of sin over us is broken. “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God,” explains the apostle Paul in Colossians 3:3.
We are “hidden with Christ in God” through the work of the Holy Spirit, who baptizes all believers into one body—the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12–13). At salvation, we essentially step into Christ. Our history becomes one with Christ’s history; therefore, we have died with Christ to sin. This truth is the basis for Paul’s teaching in Romans 6. Believers are hidden with Christ in His death, or, as Paul writes, “buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin” (Romans 6:4–7).
When we followed Christ in baptism, we showed that our previous way of life was put to death, buried out of sight—hidden with Christ in God. At the moment we were saved, sin lost its dominion over us (see Romans 6:9, 14). We are no longer obligated to submit to the control of our old sin nature. Now, we are both dead and alive all at once—dead to sin and alive to Christ. We are free to live a brand-new life in Christ (Galatians 5:1, 13; John 8:32).
The Christian life is Christ’s life. Real life for the believer is not about Jesus Christ; it is Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:4). He imparts God’s resurrection life to us. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25–26). Jesus is the source and center around which our Christian lives are oriented.
Being hidden with Christ in God means our previous history—the old life—is over and done, and the new life with an entirely different and glorious future has begun. Paul said, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, NLT). Our new future involves sharing in Christ’s glory (Colossians 3:4; Philippians 3:21; 1 John 3:2).
When God the Father looks at us, He no longer sees the old sinful self. The old you is now hidden with Christ in God. The Father ceases to count your sins against you because of your identification with the death and resurrection of His Son. In the eyes of God, you are changed into a new creation in Christ’s image and likeness (2 Corinthians 5:17), yet at the same time still being transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:22–24; 1 Corinthians 15:42–49).
Believers immediately experience life in Christ but will fully experience its reality at His future unveiling (1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2). There is a balance between what has already happened and what is yet to come. This truth is proven in Paul’s exhortation: “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. . . . You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us” (Colossians 3:5–11, NLT).
The idea of being “hidden” with Christ in God also relates to the believer’s eternal security. Scripture often portrays God’s people as securely hidden in the “shelter of His presence,” concealed under “the cover of His tent” or “in His quiver” (Psalm 27:5–6; 31:19–20; Isaiah 49:2).
The spiritual life of a believer in God’s kingdom is, in a very real sense, a secret life (Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11; Ephesians 1:9–10; 3:9; 1 Corinthians 2:7). Until we die (or until the Lord comes again in glory), the fullness of our inner life in Christ is hidden from the world’s view and sometimes even from us (1 Corinthians 15:51–53). But in the future God’s righteous redeemed will “shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43). Then, on that glorious, long-awaited day, those hidden with Christ in God will be given “the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award” to “to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).
The basis of the Christian faith is the death and resurrection of Jesus, without which there would be no Christian faith or salvation. These truths are recorded in the Bible. However, as a reaction to some people who question the relevancy and reliability of the Bible, some believers take a different approach, pointing people away from the Bible to focus their faith on Jesus alone. Is it correct to say that the Bible is the foundation of our faith—or is it Jesus?
Undoubtedly, Jesus is the object of our faith. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (emphasis added). Acts 16:31 says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (emphasis added). So, we place our faith in Jesus. The question then becomes, can we believe in Jesus apart from the Bible?
A foundation is the basis or groundwork of something. The Christian faith has the person and work of Jesus Christ as its foundation: our faith is built upon Christ, the rock of our salvation (Psalm 62:1) and the chief cornerstone (Isaiah 28:16–17; 1 Peter 2:6). Jesus, God in the flesh, is a real person who came to earth at a specific time in history. His death and resurrection are historical events. At the same time, the person and work of Jesus cannot be understood apart from God’s Word, the Bible. Ephesians 2:20–21 tells us that our faith is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord” (emphasis added). Christ is the cornerstone of our faith, and our understanding of this is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets—i.e., what they recorded in the Bible (Matthew 23:35; 2 Timothy 3:16).
The entire Bible points to Jesus (see John 5:39): the Old Testament reveals our need for a Savior, predicts His coming, and sets the stage for the significance of His sacrifice; and the New Testament describes His coming, His death and resurrection to bring salvation to our sinful world, and His ongoing work as we await God’s kingdom and the restoration of all things (Acts 3:21; Revelation 21:1). The Bible sets Jesus as our foundation and leads us to understand salvation (2 Timothy 3:15).
Romans 10:17 reveals that our faith comes from hearing God’s Word: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Likewise, 1 Peter 1:23 tells us that we are born again “through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” What saves us? First Corinthians 15:3–4 indicates that it’s the gospel and then spells out what the gospel is: “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. . . . 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” (emphasis added). Notice how the work of Christ is linked to the Scriptures. The foundation of our faith is the person and work of the historical Jesus, and we know that through what God, in His grace, has revealed to us in His Word.
We cannot have saving faith or believe the essentials of the faith without the Bible, because we would not know who Jesus is and what He did for us without the Bible. In that way, the Bible is the foundation for our faith. At the same time, we must be careful not to fall into bibliolatry (Bible worship). Believing that the Bible is true and authoritative is not bibliolatry, but we must remember that the Bible is not God. Rather, the Bible reveals to us who God is and points to the object of our faith: Jesus Christ.
Some attempt to separate Jesus from the Bible, but the implications of this approach have far-reaching consequences. If we remove the Bible as the foundation of our faith, what can we believe? What is true about Jesus, and what is false? What do we base our understanding of Jesus on? God gave us His Word so we could know and believe in Him. Praise God that He has given us His Word!
Jesus is the object of our faith; we place our trust in Christ. He is the foundation of our faith. The Bible is also the foundation of our faith in that it leads us to know God and His plan of salvation. Having Jesus and the Bible as the foundation of our faith is not a contradiction. As we seek God through His Word, we are led to saving faith in Jesus.
Religion is “the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.” In that respect, Christianity can be classified as a religion. However, practically speaking, Christianity has a key difference that separates it from other belief systems that are considered religions. That difference is relationship.
Most religion, theistic or otherwise, is man-centered. Any relationship with God is based on man’s works. A theistic religion, such as Judaism or Islam, holds to the belief in a supreme God or gods; while non-theistic religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, focus on metaphysical thought patterns and spiritual “energies.” But most religions are similar in that they are built upon the concept that man can reach a higher power or state of being through his own efforts. In most religions, man is the aggressor and the deity is the beneficiary of man’s efforts, sacrifices, or good deeds. Paradise, nirvana, or some higher state of being is man’s reward for his strict adherence to whatever tenets that religion prescribes.
In that regard, Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship that God has established with His children. In Christianity, God is the aggressor and man is the beneficiary (Romans 8:3). The Bible states clearly that there is nothing man can do to make himself right with God (Isaiah 53:6; 64:6; Romans 3:23; 6:23). According to Christianity, God did for us what we cannot do for ourselves (Colossians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Our sin separates us from His presence, and sin must be punished (Romans 6:23; Matthew 10:28; 23:33). But, because God loves us, He took our punishment upon Himself. All we must do is accept God’s gift of salvation through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Grace is God’s blessing on the undeserving.
The grace-based relationship between God and man is the foundation of Christianity and the antithesis of religion. Established religion was one of the staunchest opponents of Jesus during His earthly ministry. When God gave His Law to the Israelites, His desire was that they “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). “Love” speaks of relationship. Obedience to all the other commands had to stem from a love for God. We are able to love Him “because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). However, by Jesus’ time, the Jewish leaders had made a religion out of God’s desire to live in a love relationship with them (1 Timothy 1:8; Romans 7:12). Over the years, they had perverted God’s Law into a works-based religion that alienated people from Him (Matthew 23:13–15; Luke 11:42). Then they added many of their own rules to make it even more cumbersome (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:9). They prided themselves on their ability to keep the Law—at least outwardly—and lorded their authority over the common people who could never keep such strenuous rules. The Pharisees, as adept as they were at rule-keeping, failed to recognize God Himself when He was standing right in front of them (John 8:19). They had chosen religion over relationship.
Just as the Jewish leaders made a religion out of a relationship with God, many people do the same with Christianity. Entire denominations have followed the way of the Pharisees in creating rules not found in Scripture. Some who profess to follow Christ are actually following man-made religion in the name of Jesus. While claiming to believe Scripture, they are often plagued with fear and doubt that they may not be good enough to earn salvation or that God will not accept them if they don’t perform to a certain standard. This is religion masquerading as Christianity, and it is one of Satan’s favorite tricks. Jesus addressed this in Matthew 23:1–7 when He rebuked the Pharisees. Instead of pointing people to heaven, these religious leaders were keeping people out of the kingdom of God.
Holiness and obedience to Scripture are important, but they are evidences of a transformed heart, not a means to attain it. God desires that we be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). He wants us to grow in grace and knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3:18). But we do these things because we are His children and want to be like Him, not in order to earn His love.
Christianity is not about signing up for a religion. Christianity is about being born into the family of God (John 3:3). It is a relationship. Just as an adopted child has no power to create an adoption, we have no power to join the family of God by our own efforts. We can only accept His invitation to know Him as Father through adoption (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15). When we join His family through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside our hearts (1 Corinthians 6:19; Luke 11:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). He then empowers us to live like children of the King. He does not ask us to try to attain holiness by our own strength, as religion does. He asks that our old self be crucified with Him so that His power can live through us (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6). God wants us to know Him, to draw near to Him, to pray to Him, and love Him above everything. That is not religion; that is a relationship.
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.
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.
The David Movie
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Franklin Graham
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“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12)
Franklin Graham
oSosperntdh4i1a230190cgfmgc6if0hu1uhmh30a4219620c8ugtm719fal ·
Today our Samaritan's Purse 767 took off for Venezuela loaded with an Emergency Field Hospital and life-saving supplies. The devastation in Caracas and surrounding areas is just heartbreaking. Around 50,000 people are missing after back-to-back earthquakes collapsed hundreds of buildings—and damaged several hospitals. Our field hospital is capable of treating more than 100 patients per day. Please pray as we go to help in Jesus’ Name. See less
The Temple Institute
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THIS WEEK: PARASHAT PINCHAS
This week's Torah reading (Pinchas, Numbers 25:10-30:1), is named after the hero in the concluding story of last week's Torah reading.
"HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying: “Pinchas son of Eleazar son of Aharon the kohen diverted My anger from the children of Israel by zealously avenging Me among them. I therefore did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal. Therefore say, ‘I hereby bestow My covenant of peace upon him. It will be, for him and for his descendants after him, the eternal covenant of priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and atoned for the children of Israel.’” (Numbers 25:10-13)
This was HaShem's reward for Pinchas, who, in a moment of unresolved national crisis saw fit to take matters into his own hands and slay the sinning Zimri, prince of the trine of Shimon and Kozci daughter of Tzor from a leading Mirianite family.
Tracing Pinchas' lineage through his grandfather Aharon was HaShem's way of coming to the defense of Pinchas who was being accused of bloodlust by many of his fellow Israelites. By connecting Pinchas to Aharon, G-d is saying that just like Aharon, Pinchas is also righteous.
Pinchas' unique and controversial act of zealotry assuaged G-d's anger and saved Israel precisely because he had no self interest in killing the two trenagessors.He was motivated purely out of a desire to defend G-d's honor. Had he harbored even an ounce of premeditated motivation for committing the act he would have,indeed, been considered a common murderer.
But if Pinchas was a grandson of Aharon, why did HaShem choose to admit him to the priesthood only after his act of zealotry? Was he not already a kohen?
Rashi explains:
“The eternal covenant of priesthood - for although the priesthood was already given to the descendants of Aharon, it was only given to Aharon himself, his sons who were anointed together with him, and their descendants who would be born after their anointment. However, Pinchas, who was born beforehand and was not anointed, did not enter the priesthood until now.”
Picture: "A man of the children of Israel came and brought the Midianite woman to his brethren in the sight of Moshe and in the sight of the entire community of the children of Israel. They were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Pinchas son of Eleazar son of Aharon the kohen saw and arose from the community, and took a spear in his hand. He went after the man of the children of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them, the man of the children of Israel and the woman through her stomach, and the plague against the children of Israel ceased. Those who died in the plague numbered 24,000." (Numbers 25:6-9)
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Israel Institute of Biblical Studies is in Israel.
Based in Israel
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The Lion of Judah isn’t just a symbol. It’s a prophecy written before the world knew His name.
In Hebrew, אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה (Aryeh Yehudah) connects lion, praise, kingship, and dominion — all in one name. Judah means “praise,” so the Lion is also the worshiper. From tribe to throne, Judah carried Israel’s royal scepter. David came from Judah, and God promised his kingdom would endure forever.
“The scepter will not depart from Judah.” — Genesis 49:9–10
This is what Biblical Hebrew unlocks — layers of meaning that no translation can fully capture.
https://go.israelbiblicalstudies.com/fb
The White House
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A nation built on courage and freedom. Always worth protecting.
Angel
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Historical Chronicles
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The fourth theory is the most mysterious of all.
It appears in the second book of Maccabees — a text Protestants consider apocryphal, Catholics consider deuterocanonical, and historians consider at minimum intriguing.
According to this text, the prophet Jeremiah — who was alive and active in Jerusalem during the final years before the Babylonian destruction — received a divine order and acted on it.
2 Maccabees 2:4 says Jeremiah ordered the tabernacle, the ark, and the altar of incense to accompany him. And he went out toward the mountain where Moses had climbed to see God's inheritance — Mount Nebo in present-day Jordan.
He found a cave. He placed the tabernacle, the ark, and the altar inside it. He sealed the entrance.
When the people who accompanied him tried to mark the way so they could return and find the place again, they couldn't. Jeremiah rebuked them and said:
"The place shall remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. Then the Lord will disclose these things and the glory of the Lord will appear."
The ark, according to this tradition, is in a cave on Mount Nebo. Hidden by Jeremiah. Sealed by God.
And it will only be revealed when God decides it is time.
Not before.
No archaeological expedition will find it. It is hidden not by stones and dirt alone — but by divine will.
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The White House
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Locked in
Young Washington Movie
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Young Washington tickets are on sale NOW! Witness the birth of a nation in theaters July 3. Help us make this the #1 movie on July 4 to celebrate America's 250th anniversary!
Constituting America
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On June 28, 1776, the Committee of Five presented the first draft of the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress. COUNTDOWN To Our America 250 Anniversary Celebration!
The Committee of Five consisted of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. Jefferson wrote the initial draft, and the committee reviewed it before submitting it to Congress.
Congress debated edits in the document before adopting the final Declaration of Independence in the days to come.
#America250 #Freedom250 #IndependenceDay #4thofjuly #America
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Fox News
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President Trump has proudly declared "religion is back" in America, saying faith is growing stronger across the country and it's essential to the nation's success.
One attendee at the Freedom 250 kickoff event echoed the president's sentiment, saying they believe Trump's leadership has protected religious liberty in America, calling him a "once in a lifetime" president.
The event brought together Americans celebrating the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary while highlighting faith, patriotism, and the administration's agenda.
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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.
From the beginning, God’s plan of salvation has always involved a massive global strategy. The Lord told Abraham that his people would be “beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore” (Genesis 22:17, NLT) and that in them “all nations on earth will be blessed” (verse 18). In Revelation 7:9, the apostle John sees “a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Revelation 7:9–10, NKJV).
John describes an immense gathering of people standing in front of the Lamb’s throne in heaven, wearing white robes and joyously celebrating with palm branches as they worship God in a loud voice. Who are these multiethnic, culturally diverse, multilingual people of every nation, tribe, and language? The answer is given in Revelation 7:14: “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Scripture leaves no room for doubt: these are the ones saved through faith in Jesus Christ during the Great Tribulation.
John 3:16 tells us that God loved the whole world so much that He sent His only Son—the Lamb of God—to save people who believed in Him from all around the globe. Jesus told His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mark 16:15, NLT). Christ was slain as the sacrificial Lamb of God to redeem people from “every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (see Revelation 5:9, NKJV). Before we received Christ as Lord and Savior, we were stained crimson by sin (Isaiah 1:18). It is “the blood of Jesus” shed on the cross that “purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). We are redeemed by “the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18–19). Our redemption is only possible by the blood of the Lamb (see Hebrews 9:11–28).
Revelation 7 provides a possible connection between the numberless multitude from all nations, tribes, and tongues (verses 9–14) and the 144,000 sealed servants of God (verses 1–8). The 144,000 are from the tribes of Israel, while the multitude is from every tribe and nation. John sees the 144,000 on earth (verses 1–3) and the numberless multitude in heaven (verse 9). It seems that the mission of the 144,000 will be to evangelize the post-rapture world and proclaim the gospel during the tribulation. As a result of their ministry, millions—the “great multitude . . . from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9)—will come to faith in Christ.
This redeemed multitude from all nations, tribes, and tongues are those who will forever worship “before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence” (Revelation 7:15). Jesus describes these worshipers as victorious overcomers whom He will “make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name” (Revelation 3:12). They will live in God’s constant protection and presence (Revelation 21:3).
This vast crowd from all nations, tribes, and tongues suffered famine, thirst, extreme deprivation, and persecution during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 6:5–6; 13:16–17). Since its earliest days, the church of Jesus Christ has suffered oppression and mistreatment, but nothing as terrible as experienced by those believers saved in the last half (3.5 years) of the tribulation period (Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1; Jeremiah 30:7). During that time, the beast or Antichrist will have authority to unleash terror on “every tribe and people and language and nation” (see Revelation 13:1–10; see also Revelation 16:1—18:24).
This multitude from all nations, tribes, and tongues is a great throng of faithful believers worshiping the Lamb of God on His heavenly throne. These citizens of heaven will “eat from the tree of life” (Revelation 2:7) and enjoy “springs of living water” (Revelation 21:6). “They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16–17, NLT).
Beyond any doubt, God chose Israel to be His people in a special way. God stated His choice openly in Deuteronomy 7:6: “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.”
The next verse relates why God chose Israel: “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors” (Deuteronomy 7:7–8a). God’s choosing of Israel had nothing to do with them and everything to do with God.
A question that often arises is, “Is Israel still God’s chosen people?” After all, the New Testament speaks of all believers in Christ as “God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (Colossians 3:12; cf. 1 Peter 1:1), and, in Christ, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile (Galatians 3:28).
We believe that, even as God is working through the church in this age, Israel is still God’s people in a unique way. The biblical basis for that statement is found in the Old Testament covenants and songs, Jewish history, the biblical prophecies, and the New Testament insistence that God is faithful.
Israel Is Still God’s People: The Covenants
God’s covenant with Abraham promised Abraham three things: a land, a posterity, and a blessing (Genesis 12:1–3). Through Abraham’s seed, the whole world would be blessed. In Genesis 13:15, God highlights the enduring nature of this covenant: “All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever” (emphasis added). Importantly, the covenant did not depend on Abraham’s power to keep it. In fact, Abraham was not even conscious when God ratified the covenant by Himself (Genesis 15). Since God alone took the responsibility of blessing Abraham’s seed, the covenant was unconditional.
God reaffirmed the covenant with Abraham’s son Isaac (Genesis 21:12; 26:3–4), and with Isaac’s son Jacob (Genesis 28:14–15). From then on, every time God referred to Himself as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” that covenant was remembered. God chose to have a perpetual relationship with Abraham’s descendants from generation to generation.
The covenant God made with David (and with Solomon) was likewise a unilateral, unconditional promise. That covenant assured David that God would “provide a place for my people Israel” where they will “no longer be disturbed” (2 Samuel 7:10). God would also establish a “house” and a “kingdom” for David (verses 11–12). And then God revealed the enduring nature of this covenant: “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (verse 16, emphasis added).
From the beginning, Israel has had a unique relationship with God. Both the Abrahamic Covenant and the Davidic Covenant detail the special blessings God gave Israel, and both covenants are said to last forever.
Israel Is Still God’s People: Biblical History
The fact that Israel is God’s people is seen in their exodus from Egypt (Exodus 3—13). God split the Red Sea for them (Exodus 14). He met them at Mount Sinai and spoke to the nation personally (Exodus 19:16–19). He sustained them for forty years in the wilderness (Nehemiah 9:21) and brought them to the Promised Land (Nehemiah 9:22). Through it all, God’s treatment of Israel was based on His faithfulness to His covenants with them.
The unique relationship between Israel and God is seen in the theocratic nature of Israel’s early government. Israel was to be ruled directly by God. Moses, Joshua, and the judges acted as regents and intermediaries (see Judges 8:23). Eventually, the Israelites rejected that arrangement in favor of a king (1 Samuel 8:5–7). But, even in the time of the kings, God continued to dwell among His people in the tabernacle and, later, the temple (Exodus 29:44–46; 2 Chronicles 7:15–16). The ark of the covenant, which housed a copy of the covenant, was a symbol of God’s throne, the place where He ruled His people, Israel.
Even when the Israelites persisted in disobedience and God removed them from their land of blessing, God was faithful to His promises: “In your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God” (Nehemiah 9:31). In fact, God returned Israel to their land (see the books of Ezra and Nehemiah).
Israel Is Still God’s People: Biblical Poetry
The theme of God’s choosing Israel as His people continues through the book of Psalms. Here are just a few examples from that book:
For the Lord has chosen Zion,
he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
“This is my resting place for ever and ever;
here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.” (Psalm 132:13–14)
Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains,
at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live,
where the Lord himself will live forever? (Psalm 68:16, NLT)
For he remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, his servant.
So he brought his people out [from Egypt] with joy,
his chosen ones with singing.
And he gave them the lands of the nations,
and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil,
that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 105:42–45, ESV)
For the Lord has chosen [the descendants of] Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His own special treasure and possession. (Psalm 135:4, AMP)
Israel Is Still God’s People: The Prophecies
Throughout Israel’s history, God took pains to maintain His relationship with His chosen people through the prophets. Elijah, Isaiah, Hosea, Ezekiel, and others voiced God’s call for the nation to cease from their sinful dalliances and return to Him. And, in no uncertain terms, the prophets warned of the consequences of continued disobedience. God’s chosen people abused the prophets and ignored their message (Acts 7:52). Despite that rebellion, God remained committed to His covenantal people.
In a passage concerning the restoration of Israel, the prophet Isaiah pictures the city of Jerusalem as despairing of God’s help (Isaiah 49:14). In reply, God says,
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me. (Isaiah 49:15–16)
In a similar passage promising restoration to the nation of Israel, the prophet Jeremiah relates God’s promise of steadfast love:
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)
Later in the same context, Jeremiah writes this to God’s people, Israel:
This is what the Lord says,
he who appoints the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,
who stirs up the sea
so that its waves roar--
the Lord Almighty is his name:
“Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,”
declares the Lord,
“will Israel ever cease
being a nation before me.”
declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:35–36)
And Zechariah, who also looked forward to the day of restoration, promises an event that shows the glory awaiting Israel in the future:
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’” (Zechariah 8:23)
Israel Is Still God’s People: The New Testament
The apostle Paul directly answers the question, “Is Israel still God’s people?” in Romans 9—11. In this extended passage, Paul begins by expressing his deep, sincere love for his fellow Jews (Romans 9:1–4). He follows that with a brief overview of how God blessed them and used them to bring the Messiah into the world (verses 4–5).
Yet, Paul points out, it seems as if Israel has been rejected as God’s people. After centuries of rebellion, culminating in their rejection of their own Messiah (Acts 2:36; 3:13–15), there has been a stumbling and hardening of heart (Romans 9:6–33). Israel is zealous for God but has no true knowledge of God (Romans 10:2). They attempt to establish their own righteousness through keeping the law, and they reject the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ (Romans 10:3–13). In all this, they have become “a disobedient and obstinate people” (Romans 10:21, quoting Isaiah 65:2).
So, Paul asks, “Did God reject his people?” His answer is unequivocal: “By no means! . . . God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew” (Romans 11:1–2). Earlier in Romans, Paul had made the same point: “What if some [Jews] were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar” (Romans 3:3–4). That is, God’s promises to Israel are still in effect, despite human unfaithfulness.
The wording Paul uses to negate the idea that God has abandoned His people is a very strong negative in the Greek (mē genoito). When he says, “By no means!” (Romans 11:1) and “Not at all!” (Romans 3:4), he absolutely repudiates any notion that God is done with Israel. In fact, Paul follows it up with personal proof: “I am an Israelite myself” (Romans 11:1). If God has permanently abandoned His people, then Paul would not be saved.
The rest of Romans 11 is an explanation of Israel’s current state and God’s future plan for them. Currently, Israel has experienced a hardening of heart due to their rejection of the Messiah (Romans 11:7). They stumbled at the truth and have been set aside in God’s plan. To use Paul’s analogy, the “natural branches” of the olive tree have been set aside in favor of “a wild olive shoot” that has been grafted in their place. In other words, “because of [Israel’s] transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:11). But even this has a goal of reaching the Jews: salvation was brought to the Gentiles “to make Israel envious” (verse 11).
In teaching the “setting aside” of Israel, Paul repeats the truth that they are still God’s covenant people: “Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all [(mē genoito]!” (Romans 11:11). As he wraps up his discussion, Paul further clarifies: “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25–26). Note three important things here:
1) Israel’s current hardening is partial (“in part”).
2) Israel’s current setting aside is temporary (“until”).
3) Israel’s future involves salvation.
So, yes, Israel is still God’s chosen people,
even though,
in their current state of rebellion,
they have been temporarily
set aside in
God’s plan to bless the world. God is faithful.
He will keep His promises
to Israel,
no matter what.
That’s the meaning of Romans 11:29:
“God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”
We should follow Paul’s lead and praise God for His faithfulness:
“To him be the glory forever! Amen”
(Romans 11:36).
In biblical prophecy, "God gathering the nations" describes the end-time events where God assembles global powers for judgment, ultimate vindication of His people, and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. This concept primarily centers on two major events detailed in scripture.
Key Prophetic Events
Theological Perspectives
While the gathering of the nations often signifies a severe judgment on the wicked and rebellious, it also holds redemptive and universal implications in biblical theology: [1, 2, 3]
In Revelation 10:9, the apostle John asks an angel for the book the angel is holding, and the angel tells John to eat it. What is the little book that John eats (Revelation 10:9), and why is the book significant? The context helps answer those questions.
Revelation 5 presents a scene in heaven of the throne room of God; God has in His right hand a book with seven seals (Revelation 5:1). Jesus is the only one found worthy to open the book and its seals (Revelation 5:6), and when He opens each of the seven seals, there is a corresponding catastrophic judgment event on earth. When the seventh seal is opened, seven trumpets sound, each one beckoning a further judgment. After the sixth trumpet sounds, a strong angel appears, and the angel cried out like a lion’s roar and with thunder (Revelation 10:1–3). As John is about to write down what he heard, he is told not to write the words (Revelation 10:4). The angel then proclaims that there would be no further delay and that “the mystery of God is finished, as He had proclaimed to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7).
Then the voice from heaven prohibiting John from writing what he had heard tells John to “go, take the book which is in the hand of the angel” (Revelation 10:8). John heeds the voice and approaches the angel, requesting to take the book. The angel replies, saying that John should take it and eat it and that it would be sweet in his mouth but would make his stomach bitter (Revelation 10:9). John does eat the book, and it is as the angel said (Revelation 10:10).
This was not the first time a prophet was told to eat a scroll or book. In Ezekiel 2—3 God had a scroll—with words written on front and back just like the book in Revelation—and on this book were written “lamentations, mourning, and woe” (Ezekiel 2:10). God told Ezekiel to eat the scroll, and it was sweet in his mouth like honey (Ezekiel 3:3)—again, just like the book in Revelation. Ezekiel was literally tasting God’s judgment upon Israel and the nations, and John was doing something similar. For centuries up to that point, God had sent His prophets to warn the nations and especially Israel of coming judgments; in Revelation “the mystery of God is finished as He had proclaimed to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7). It appears that the little book that John eats is the book bearing the seals that only the Lamb was worthy to open (as He is the Judge), a book filled with the remaining judgments of God on the nations in fulfillment of the many prophecies He gave during the Old and New Testament eras. Once the final seal had been opened, the judgments in the book were initiated, and the mysteries of God were finished.
In the book of Revelation, God provides a testimony—this one for the churches. The mysteries were now revealed and recorded in the book John wrote. While we aren’t told why the little book that John eats turned his stomach sour, perhaps it was because of what was coming after he ate the book—he had more prophesying to do (Revelation 10:11), and what followed was even worse than what came before. The final judgments in the great tribulation were even more severe. As John recorded the words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation, He records the words of Jesus, who warned that He was the rightful Judge and that He would come suddenly (Revelation 22:12–13). Jesus added that the one who heeds the words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation is blessed.
By reading John’s book we can know how the story will end. How will we prepare? Will we hear and disregard Jesus’ words, or will we heed them and come to Him to take the water of life that costs us nothing (Revelation 22:17)?
Revelation 7:17 says, “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Other translations refer to the springs of living water as “living fountains of waters” (NKJV) or the “springs of the water of life” (CSB).
A spring (or a fountain) is a geographical feature in which ground water beneath the earth rises naturally to the surface. The Bible frequently uses the imagery of a spring to describe the abundant life that God provides His people. Psalm 36:9 says, “For with you is the fountain of life,” and Isaiah 49:10b says, “He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.”
In Revelation 7:17, the phrase springs of living water is a reference to the eternal life found in Jesus.
The context of Revelation 6—7 includes the opening of the seven seals of judgment and the listing of the 144,0000 Jewish evangelists who are promised protection during the time of the tribulation (Revelation 7:1–8). In Revelation 7:9, John references a “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,” robed in white and holding palm branches. One of the elders present at the scene says, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). The elder goes on to poetically describe these individuals and says that the Lamb—who is also the Shepherd—will lead them to “living fountains of waters.”
In context, then, the “them” of Revelation 7:17 is a reference to this great multitude made up of people from throughout the world who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. They are redeemed. They are led to “springs of living water” and will have every tear wiped from their eyes.
In John 4, Jesus talks to a Samaritan woman as she gathers water from a local well. He tells her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13–14).
Jesus is the living fountain of water that leads to eternal life for all who place their faith in Him. Water that comes from within the earth provides life to all who come and drink from it. In the same way, the “water” that comes from within Christ provides satisfaction and eternal life to all who come and drink from Him.
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? Paul can hardly be encouraging believers to live in a continuous condition of nervousness and anxiety. That would contradict his many other exhortations to peace of mind, courage, and confidence in the God who authors our salvation. 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.
The opening verses of John’s gospel are perhaps the most theologically packed writings in all the Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1–2). These words and the concepts they express form the foundation for John’s entire gospel, which was written to prove that Jesus Christ is God’s incarnate Son.
The term translated “Word” is Logos in the Greek language. John uses it here as an unmistakable reference to Jesus Christ. The Hebrews often referred to God in terms of His powerful word (Psalm 33:6; 107:20). With a few simple statements, John declares that Jesus, like His heavenly Father, has always existed since the beginning of time. Jesus was with God in the beginning because He is God, and He always has been.
Right out of the gate, John presents the doctrine of the deity of Christ and affirms His co-eternal nature with God as Creator of the universe (John 1:3). To his first-century, Greek-speaking audience, John communicates straightforward truths that don’t require explanation. But for current-day Bible readers, the expression the Word was with God hides a vital truth about the relationship between God and Jesus. No single English equivalent exists to better express the full meaning of the word with in the phrase.
In English, we typically understand the preposition with to mean “near” or “beside.” But the original Greek term expresses a living, active union in the closest, most intimate sense. When John said, “The Word was with God,” he meant that the divine Word—Jesus Christ—was not only present alongside God from all eternity but was in a living, dynamic, co-equal relationship of close communion with Him. The Holman New Testament Commentary explains, “The Greek word is pros which literally means ‘toward,’ implying a face-to-face relationship” (Gangel, K., Broadman & Holman, 2000, Vol. 4, p. 9).
The relationship between God and Jesus is eternal and intimately personal. The works of Christ are the works of God. The words of Jesus are the words of His heavenly Father. Because they are one, Jesus reveals the heart and mind of God to us (John 14:9–10). The author of Hebrews explains: “In these last days he [God the Father] has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:2–3, ESV).
Jesus, who is the Word, was with God in every sense of the word. Not only is Christ the image of the invisible God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15), but He and the Father are one nature and essence (John 10:30). Jesus prayed for His followers to share in this same inseparable, face-to-face union: “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one” (John 17:21–22, NLT).
When Jesus said, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58), He was claiming to be God. There was no doubt among the Jewish people that these words were a declaration of deity, for they reacted by picking up rocks to stone Jesus for blasphemy according to Mosaic Law (Leviticus 24:16).
English readers may have to dig under the surface to understand the apostle’s statement that “the Word was with God” expresses the deity of Jesus Christ and His inseparable oneness with God the Father. But in John’s first epistle, his meaning couldn’t be more evident: “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life” (1 John 5:20, NLT).
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).
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 conclusions:
• 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).
Franklin Graham
oSosperntdh4i1a230190cgfmgc6if0hu1uhmh30a4219620c8ugtm719fal ·
Today our Samaritan's Purse 767 took off for Venezuela loaded with an Emergency Field Hospital and life-saving supplies. The devastation in Caracas and surrounding areas is just heartbreaking. Around 50,000 people are missing after back-to-back earthquakes collapsed hundreds of buildings—and damaged several hospitals. Our field hospital is capable of treating more than 100 patients per day. Please pray as we go to help in Jesus’ Name. See less
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Franklin Graham
oSosperntdh4i1a230190cgfmgc6if0hu1uhmh30a4819670c8ugtm719fal ·
“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12)
Franklin Graham
oSosperntdh4i1a230190cgfmgc6if0hu1uhmh30a4219620c8ugtm719fal ·
Today our Samaritan's Purse 767 took off for Venezuela loaded with an Emergency Field Hospital and life-saving supplies. The devastation in Caracas and surrounding areas is just heartbreaking. Around 50,000 people are missing after back-to-back earthquakes collapsed hundreds of buildings—and damaged several hospitals. Our field hospital is capable of treating more than 100 patients per day. Please pray as we go to help in Jesus’ Name. See less
The Temple Institute
dtpoenrsSo03i88051gmh761tlcu1c37aih0mfg5a508t6tha978hlt436ht ·
THIS WEEK: PARASHAT PINCHAS
This week's Torah reading (Pinchas, Numbers 25:10-30:1), is named after the hero in the concluding story of last week's Torah reading.
"HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying: “Pinchas son of Eleazar son of Aharon the kohen diverted My anger from the children of Israel by zealously avenging Me among them. I therefore did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal. Therefore say, ‘I hereby bestow My covenant of peace upon him. It will be, for him and for his descendants after him, the eternal covenant of priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and atoned for the children of Israel.’” (Numbers 25:10-13)
This was HaShem's reward for Pinchas, who, in a moment of unresolved national crisis saw fit to take matters into his own hands and slay the sinning Zimri, prince of the trine of Shimon and Kozci daughter of Tzor from a leading Mirianite family.
Tracing Pinchas' lineage through his grandfather Aharon was HaShem's way of coming to the defense of Pinchas who was being accused of bloodlust by many of his fellow Israelites. By connecting Pinchas to Aharon, G-d is saying that just like Aharon, Pinchas is also righteous.
Pinchas' unique and controversial act of zealotry assuaged G-d's anger and saved Israel precisely because he had no self interest in killing the two trenagessors.He was motivated purely out of a desire to defend G-d's honor. Had he harbored even an ounce of premeditated motivation for committing the act he would have,indeed, been considered a common murderer.
But if Pinchas was a grandson of Aharon, why did HaShem choose to admit him to the priesthood only after his act of zealotry? Was he not already a kohen?
Rashi explains:
“The eternal covenant of priesthood - for although the priesthood was already given to the descendants of Aharon, it was only given to Aharon himself, his sons who were anointed together with him, and their descendants who would be born after their anointment. However, Pinchas, who was born beforehand and was not anointed, did not enter the priesthood until now.”
Picture: "A man of the children of Israel came and brought the Midianite woman to his brethren in the sight of Moshe and in the sight of the entire community of the children of Israel. They were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Pinchas son of Eleazar son of Aharon the kohen saw and arose from the community, and took a spear in his hand. He went after the man of the children of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them, the man of the children of Israel and the woman through her stomach, and the plague against the children of Israel ceased. Those who died in the plague numbered 24,000." (Numbers 25:6-9)
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Israel Institute of Biblical Studies is in Israel.
Based in Israel
·ospoetdnSr176at3t1mh6cm0aca5gtf3t2ig9h0796hui55tu5fit8g1i0i3 ·
The Lion of Judah isn’t just a symbol. It’s a prophecy written before the world knew His name.
In Hebrew, אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה (Aryeh Yehudah) connects lion, praise, kingship, and dominion — all in one name. Judah means “praise,” so the Lion is also the worshiper. From tribe to throne, Judah carried Israel’s royal scepter. David came from Judah, and God promised his kingdom would endure forever.
“The scepter will not depart from Judah.” — Genesis 49:9–10
This is what Biblical Hebrew unlocks — layers of meaning that no translation can fully capture.
https://go.israelbiblicalstudies.com/fb
The White House
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A nation built on courage and freedom. Always worth protecting.
Angel
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Historical Chronicles
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The fourth theory is the most mysterious of all.
It appears in the second book of Maccabees — a text Protestants consider apocryphal, Catholics consider deuterocanonical, and historians consider at minimum intriguing.
According to this text, the prophet Jeremiah — who was alive and active in Jerusalem during the final years before the Babylonian destruction — received a divine order and acted on it.
2 Maccabees 2:4 says Jeremiah ordered the tabernacle, the ark, and the altar of incense to accompany him. And he went out toward the mountain where Moses had climbed to see God's inheritance — Mount Nebo in present-day Jordan.
He found a cave. He placed the tabernacle, the ark, and the altar inside it. He sealed the entrance.
When the people who accompanied him tried to mark the way so they could return and find the place again, they couldn't. Jeremiah rebuked them and said:
"The place shall remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. Then the Lord will disclose these things and the glory of the Lord will appear."
The ark, according to this tradition, is in a cave on Mount Nebo. Hidden by Jeremiah. Sealed by God.
And it will only be revealed when God decides it is time.
Not before.
No archaeological expedition will find it. It is hidden not by stones and dirt alone — but by divine will.
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The White House
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Locked in
Young Washington Movie
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Young Washington tickets are on sale NOW! Witness the birth of a nation in theaters July 3. Help us make this the #1 movie on July 4 to celebrate America's 250th anniversary!
Constituting America
dnopsSoertmcltlcla2419a4h7h05m0ih973fal07i0tg4f95h6h8cmuti7h ·
On June 28, 1776, the Committee of Five presented the first draft of the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress. COUNTDOWN To Our America 250 Anniversary Celebration!
The Committee of Five consisted of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. Jefferson wrote the initial draft, and the committee reviewed it before submitting it to Congress.
Congress debated edits in the document before adopting the final Declaration of Independence in the days to come.
#America250 #Freedom250 #IndependenceDay #4thofjuly #America
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Fox News
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President Trump has proudly declared "religion is back" in America, saying faith is growing stronger across the country and it's essential to the nation's success.
One attendee at the Freedom 250 kickoff event echoed the president's sentiment, saying they believe Trump's leadership has protected religious liberty in America, calling him a "once in a lifetime" president.
The event brought together Americans celebrating the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary while highlighting faith, patriotism, and the administration's agenda.
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https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CbqDp4PFr/
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.
From the beginning, God’s plan of salvation has always involved a massive global strategy. The Lord told Abraham that his people would be “beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore” (Genesis 22:17, NLT) and that in them “all nations on earth will be blessed” (verse 18). In Revelation 7:9, the apostle John sees “a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Revelation 7:9–10, NKJV).
John describes an immense gathering of people standing in front of the Lamb’s throne in heaven, wearing white robes and joyously celebrating with palm branches as they worship God in a loud voice. Who are these multiethnic, culturally diverse, multilingual people of every nation, tribe, and language? The answer is given in Revelation 7:14: “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Scripture leaves no room for doubt: these are the ones saved through faith in Jesus Christ during the Great Tribulation.
John 3:16 tells us that God loved the whole world so much that He sent His only Son—the Lamb of God—to save people who believed in Him from all around the globe. Jesus told His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mark 16:15, NLT). Christ was slain as the sacrificial Lamb of God to redeem people from “every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (see Revelation 5:9, NKJV). Before we received Christ as Lord and Savior, we were stained crimson by sin (Isaiah 1:18). It is “the blood of Jesus” shed on the cross that “purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). We are redeemed by “the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18–19). Our redemption is only possible by the blood of the Lamb (see Hebrews 9:11–28).
Revelation 7 provides a possible connection between the numberless multitude from all nations, tribes, and tongues (verses 9–14) and the 144,000 sealed servants of God (verses 1–8). The 144,000 are from the tribes of Israel, while the multitude is from every tribe and nation. John sees the 144,000 on earth (verses 1–3) and the numberless multitude in heaven (verse 9). It seems that the mission of the 144,000 will be to evangelize the post-rapture world and proclaim the gospel during the tribulation. As a result of their ministry, millions—the “great multitude . . . from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9)—will come to faith in Christ.
This redeemed multitude from all nations, tribes, and tongues are those who will forever worship “before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence” (Revelation 7:15). Jesus describes these worshipers as victorious overcomers whom He will “make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name” (Revelation 3:12). They will live in God’s constant protection and presence (Revelation 21:3).
This vast crowd from all nations, tribes, and tongues suffered famine, thirst, extreme deprivation, and persecution during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 6:5–6; 13:16–17). Since its earliest days, the church of Jesus Christ has suffered oppression and mistreatment, but nothing as terrible as experienced by those believers saved in the last half (3.5 years) of the tribulation period (Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1; Jeremiah 30:7). During that time, the beast or Antichrist will have authority to unleash terror on “every tribe and people and language and nation” (see Revelation 13:1–10; see also Revelation 16:1—18:24).
This multitude from all nations, tribes, and tongues is a great throng of faithful believers worshiping the Lamb of God on His heavenly throne. These citizens of heaven will “eat from the tree of life” (Revelation 2:7) and enjoy “springs of living water” (Revelation 21:6). “They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16–17, NLT).
Beyond any doubt, God chose Israel to be His people in a special way. God stated His choice openly in Deuteronomy 7:6: “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.”
The next verse relates why God chose Israel: “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors” (Deuteronomy 7:7–8a). God’s choosing of Israel had nothing to do with them and everything to do with God.
A question that often arises is, “Is Israel still God’s chosen people?” After all, the New Testament speaks of all believers in Christ as “God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (Colossians 3:12; cf. 1 Peter 1:1), and, in Christ, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile (Galatians 3:28).
We believe that, even as God is working through the church in this age, Israel is still God’s people in a unique way. The biblical basis for that statement is found in the Old Testament covenants and songs, Jewish history, the biblical prophecies, and the New Testament insistence that God is faithful.
Israel Is Still God’s People: The Covenants
God’s covenant with Abraham promised Abraham three things: a land, a posterity, and a blessing (Genesis 12:1–3). Through Abraham’s seed, the whole world would be blessed. In Genesis 13:15, God highlights the enduring nature of this covenant: “All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever” (emphasis added). Importantly, the covenant did not depend on Abraham’s power to keep it. In fact, Abraham was not even conscious when God ratified the covenant by Himself (Genesis 15). Since God alone took the responsibility of blessing Abraham’s seed, the covenant was unconditional.
God reaffirmed the covenant with Abraham’s son Isaac (Genesis 21:12; 26:3–4), and with Isaac’s son Jacob (Genesis 28:14–15). From then on, every time God referred to Himself as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” that covenant was remembered. God chose to have a perpetual relationship with Abraham’s descendants from generation to generation.
The covenant God made with David (and with Solomon) was likewise a unilateral, unconditional promise. That covenant assured David that God would “provide a place for my people Israel” where they will “no longer be disturbed” (2 Samuel 7:10). God would also establish a “house” and a “kingdom” for David (verses 11–12). And then God revealed the enduring nature of this covenant: “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (verse 16, emphasis added).
From the beginning, Israel has had a unique relationship with God. Both the Abrahamic Covenant and the Davidic Covenant detail the special blessings God gave Israel, and both covenants are said to last forever.
Israel Is Still God’s People: Biblical History
The fact that Israel is God’s people is seen in their exodus from Egypt (Exodus 3—13). God split the Red Sea for them (Exodus 14). He met them at Mount Sinai and spoke to the nation personally (Exodus 19:16–19). He sustained them for forty years in the wilderness (Nehemiah 9:21) and brought them to the Promised Land (Nehemiah 9:22). Through it all, God’s treatment of Israel was based on His faithfulness to His covenants with them.
The unique relationship between Israel and God is seen in the theocratic nature of Israel’s early government. Israel was to be ruled directly by God. Moses, Joshua, and the judges acted as regents and intermediaries (see Judges 8:23). Eventually, the Israelites rejected that arrangement in favor of a king (1 Samuel 8:5–7). But, even in the time of the kings, God continued to dwell among His people in the tabernacle and, later, the temple (Exodus 29:44–46; 2 Chronicles 7:15–16). The ark of the covenant, which housed a copy of the covenant, was a symbol of God’s throne, the place where He ruled His people, Israel.
Even when the Israelites persisted in disobedience and God removed them from their land of blessing, God was faithful to His promises: “In your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God” (Nehemiah 9:31). In fact, God returned Israel to their land (see the books of Ezra and Nehemiah).
Israel Is Still God’s People: Biblical Poetry
The theme of God’s choosing Israel as His people continues through the book of Psalms. Here are just a few examples from that book:
For the Lord has chosen Zion,
he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
“This is my resting place for ever and ever;
here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.” (Psalm 132:13–14)
Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains,
at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live,
where the Lord himself will live forever? (Psalm 68:16, NLT)
For he remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, his servant.
So he brought his people out [from Egypt] with joy,
his chosen ones with singing.
And he gave them the lands of the nations,
and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil,
that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 105:42–45, ESV)
For the Lord has chosen [the descendants of] Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His own special treasure and possession. (Psalm 135:4, AMP)
Israel Is Still God’s People: The Prophecies
Throughout Israel’s history, God took pains to maintain His relationship with His chosen people through the prophets. Elijah, Isaiah, Hosea, Ezekiel, and others voiced God’s call for the nation to cease from their sinful dalliances and return to Him. And, in no uncertain terms, the prophets warned of the consequences of continued disobedience. God’s chosen people abused the prophets and ignored their message (Acts 7:52). Despite that rebellion, God remained committed to His covenantal people.
In a passage concerning the restoration of Israel, the prophet Isaiah pictures the city of Jerusalem as despairing of God’s help (Isaiah 49:14). In reply, God says,
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me. (Isaiah 49:15–16)
In a similar passage promising restoration to the nation of Israel, the prophet Jeremiah relates God’s promise of steadfast love:
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)
Later in the same context, Jeremiah writes this to God’s people, Israel:
This is what the Lord says,
he who appoints the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,
who stirs up the sea
so that its waves roar--
the Lord Almighty is his name:
“Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,”
declares the Lord,
“will Israel ever cease
being a nation before me.”
declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:35–36)
And Zechariah, who also looked forward to the day of restoration, promises an event that shows the glory awaiting Israel in the future:
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’” (Zechariah 8:23)
Israel Is Still God’s People: The New Testament
The apostle Paul directly answers the question, “Is Israel still God’s people?” in Romans 9—11. In this extended passage, Paul begins by expressing his deep, sincere love for his fellow Jews (Romans 9:1–4). He follows that with a brief overview of how God blessed them and used them to bring the Messiah into the world (verses 4–5).
Yet, Paul points out, it seems as if Israel has been rejected as God’s people. After centuries of rebellion, culminating in their rejection of their own Messiah (Acts 2:36; 3:13–15), there has been a stumbling and hardening of heart (Romans 9:6–33). Israel is zealous for God but has no true knowledge of God (Romans 10:2). They attempt to establish their own righteousness through keeping the law, and they reject the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ (Romans 10:3–13). In all this, they have become “a disobedient and obstinate people” (Romans 10:21, quoting Isaiah 65:2).
So, Paul asks, “Did God reject his people?” His answer is unequivocal: “By no means! . . . God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew” (Romans 11:1–2). Earlier in Romans, Paul had made the same point: “What if some [Jews] were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar” (Romans 3:3–4). That is, God’s promises to Israel are still in effect, despite human unfaithfulness.
The wording Paul uses to negate the idea that God has abandoned His people is a very strong negative in the Greek (mē genoito). When he says, “By no means!” (Romans 11:1) and “Not at all!” (Romans 3:4), he absolutely repudiates any notion that God is done with Israel. In fact, Paul follows it up with personal proof: “I am an Israelite myself” (Romans 11:1). If God has permanently abandoned His people, then Paul would not be saved.
The rest of Romans 11 is an explanation of Israel’s current state and God’s future plan for them. Currently, Israel has experienced a hardening of heart due to their rejection of the Messiah (Romans 11:7). They stumbled at the truth and have been set aside in God’s plan. To use Paul’s analogy, the “natural branches” of the olive tree have been set aside in favor of “a wild olive shoot” that has been grafted in their place. In other words, “because of [Israel’s] transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:11). But even this has a goal of reaching the Jews: salvation was brought to the Gentiles “to make Israel envious” (verse 11).
In teaching the “setting aside” of Israel, Paul repeats the truth that they are still God’s covenant people: “Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all [(mē genoito]!” (Romans 11:11). As he wraps up his discussion, Paul further clarifies: “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25–26). Note three important things here:
1) Israel’s current hardening is partial (“in part”).
2) Israel’s current setting aside is temporary (“until”).
3) Israel’s future involves salvation.
So, yes, Israel is still God’s chosen people,
even though,
in their current state of rebellion,
they have been temporarily
set aside in
God’s plan to bless the world. God is faithful.
He will keep His promises
to Israel,
no matter what.
That’s the meaning of Romans 11:29:
“God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”
We should follow Paul’s lead and praise God for His faithfulness:
“To him be the glory forever! Amen”
(Romans 11:36).
In biblical prophecy, "God gathering the nations" describes the end-time events where God assembles global powers for judgment, ultimate vindication of His people, and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. This concept primarily centers on two major events detailed in scripture.
Key Prophetic Events
- The Battle of Armageddon (Zechariah 14): God gathers "all nations" to Jerusalem to wage war. This culminates in the visible, literal return of Jesus Christ to the Mount of Olives to defeat the opposing armies and establish His earthly, 1,000-year millennial reign. [1, 2, 3, 4]
- The Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3): God promises to gather the nations and bring them down to the "valley of Jehoshaphat" to execute judgment for how they treated His people, Israel. This is closely related to the Judgment of the Nations (or Sheep and Goats Judgment) described in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 25. [1, 2]
Theological Perspectives
While the gathering of the nations often signifies a severe judgment on the wicked and rebellious, it also holds redemptive and universal implications in biblical theology: [1, 2, 3]
- Universal Acknowledgment: Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the gathering of the nations ultimately leads to the whole earth seeing God's glory. Prophets like Isaiah and Zechariah prophesied that one day, many nations will come to the Lord, and Jerusalem will become a center of global worship. [1, 2]
- The New Israel: Many scholars suggest this prophetic gathering points to the Gentiles coming to faith in Christ, becoming part of the broader family of God where the distinction between Jew and Gentile fades. [1, 2]
- The "Valley of Decision": Found in Joel 3:14, this represents God's final, decisive ruling on human history and wickedness, rather than a human choice of whether or not to follow Christ. [1]
In Revelation 10:9, the apostle John asks an angel for the book the angel is holding, and the angel tells John to eat it. What is the little book that John eats (Revelation 10:9), and why is the book significant? The context helps answer those questions.
Revelation 5 presents a scene in heaven of the throne room of God; God has in His right hand a book with seven seals (Revelation 5:1). Jesus is the only one found worthy to open the book and its seals (Revelation 5:6), and when He opens each of the seven seals, there is a corresponding catastrophic judgment event on earth. When the seventh seal is opened, seven trumpets sound, each one beckoning a further judgment. After the sixth trumpet sounds, a strong angel appears, and the angel cried out like a lion’s roar and with thunder (Revelation 10:1–3). As John is about to write down what he heard, he is told not to write the words (Revelation 10:4). The angel then proclaims that there would be no further delay and that “the mystery of God is finished, as He had proclaimed to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7).
Then the voice from heaven prohibiting John from writing what he had heard tells John to “go, take the book which is in the hand of the angel” (Revelation 10:8). John heeds the voice and approaches the angel, requesting to take the book. The angel replies, saying that John should take it and eat it and that it would be sweet in his mouth but would make his stomach bitter (Revelation 10:9). John does eat the book, and it is as the angel said (Revelation 10:10).
This was not the first time a prophet was told to eat a scroll or book. In Ezekiel 2—3 God had a scroll—with words written on front and back just like the book in Revelation—and on this book were written “lamentations, mourning, and woe” (Ezekiel 2:10). God told Ezekiel to eat the scroll, and it was sweet in his mouth like honey (Ezekiel 3:3)—again, just like the book in Revelation. Ezekiel was literally tasting God’s judgment upon Israel and the nations, and John was doing something similar. For centuries up to that point, God had sent His prophets to warn the nations and especially Israel of coming judgments; in Revelation “the mystery of God is finished as He had proclaimed to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7). It appears that the little book that John eats is the book bearing the seals that only the Lamb was worthy to open (as He is the Judge), a book filled with the remaining judgments of God on the nations in fulfillment of the many prophecies He gave during the Old and New Testament eras. Once the final seal had been opened, the judgments in the book were initiated, and the mysteries of God were finished.
In the book of Revelation, God provides a testimony—this one for the churches. The mysteries were now revealed and recorded in the book John wrote. While we aren’t told why the little book that John eats turned his stomach sour, perhaps it was because of what was coming after he ate the book—he had more prophesying to do (Revelation 10:11), and what followed was even worse than what came before. The final judgments in the great tribulation were even more severe. As John recorded the words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation, He records the words of Jesus, who warned that He was the rightful Judge and that He would come suddenly (Revelation 22:12–13). Jesus added that the one who heeds the words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation is blessed.
By reading John’s book we can know how the story will end. How will we prepare? Will we hear and disregard Jesus’ words, or will we heed them and come to Him to take the water of life that costs us nothing (Revelation 22:17)?
Revelation 7:17 says, “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Other translations refer to the springs of living water as “living fountains of waters” (NKJV) or the “springs of the water of life” (CSB).
A spring (or a fountain) is a geographical feature in which ground water beneath the earth rises naturally to the surface. The Bible frequently uses the imagery of a spring to describe the abundant life that God provides His people. Psalm 36:9 says, “For with you is the fountain of life,” and Isaiah 49:10b says, “He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.”
In Revelation 7:17, the phrase springs of living water is a reference to the eternal life found in Jesus.
The context of Revelation 6—7 includes the opening of the seven seals of judgment and the listing of the 144,0000 Jewish evangelists who are promised protection during the time of the tribulation (Revelation 7:1–8). In Revelation 7:9, John references a “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,” robed in white and holding palm branches. One of the elders present at the scene says, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). The elder goes on to poetically describe these individuals and says that the Lamb—who is also the Shepherd—will lead them to “living fountains of waters.”
In context, then, the “them” of Revelation 7:17 is a reference to this great multitude made up of people from throughout the world who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. They are redeemed. They are led to “springs of living water” and will have every tear wiped from their eyes.
In John 4, Jesus talks to a Samaritan woman as she gathers water from a local well. He tells her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13–14).
Jesus is the living fountain of water that leads to eternal life for all who place their faith in Him. Water that comes from within the earth provides life to all who come and drink from it. In the same way, the “water” that comes from within Christ provides satisfaction and eternal life to all who come and drink from Him.
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? Paul can hardly be encouraging believers to live in a continuous condition of nervousness and anxiety. That would contradict his many other exhortations to peace of mind, courage, and confidence in the God who authors our salvation. 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.
The opening verses of John’s gospel are perhaps the most theologically packed writings in all the Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1–2). These words and the concepts they express form the foundation for John’s entire gospel, which was written to prove that Jesus Christ is God’s incarnate Son.
The term translated “Word” is Logos in the Greek language. John uses it here as an unmistakable reference to Jesus Christ. The Hebrews often referred to God in terms of His powerful word (Psalm 33:6; 107:20). With a few simple statements, John declares that Jesus, like His heavenly Father, has always existed since the beginning of time. Jesus was with God in the beginning because He is God, and He always has been.
Right out of the gate, John presents the doctrine of the deity of Christ and affirms His co-eternal nature with God as Creator of the universe (John 1:3). To his first-century, Greek-speaking audience, John communicates straightforward truths that don’t require explanation. But for current-day Bible readers, the expression the Word was with God hides a vital truth about the relationship between God and Jesus. No single English equivalent exists to better express the full meaning of the word with in the phrase.
In English, we typically understand the preposition with to mean “near” or “beside.” But the original Greek term expresses a living, active union in the closest, most intimate sense. When John said, “The Word was with God,” he meant that the divine Word—Jesus Christ—was not only present alongside God from all eternity but was in a living, dynamic, co-equal relationship of close communion with Him. The Holman New Testament Commentary explains, “The Greek word is pros which literally means ‘toward,’ implying a face-to-face relationship” (Gangel, K., Broadman & Holman, 2000, Vol. 4, p. 9).
The relationship between God and Jesus is eternal and intimately personal. The works of Christ are the works of God. The words of Jesus are the words of His heavenly Father. Because they are one, Jesus reveals the heart and mind of God to us (John 14:9–10). The author of Hebrews explains: “In these last days he [God the Father] has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:2–3, ESV).
Jesus, who is the Word, was with God in every sense of the word. Not only is Christ the image of the invisible God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15), but He and the Father are one nature and essence (John 10:30). Jesus prayed for His followers to share in this same inseparable, face-to-face union: “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one” (John 17:21–22, NLT).
When Jesus said, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58), He was claiming to be God. There was no doubt among the Jewish people that these words were a declaration of deity, for they reacted by picking up rocks to stone Jesus for blasphemy according to Mosaic Law (Leviticus 24:16).
English readers may have to dig under the surface to understand the apostle’s statement that “the Word was with God” expresses the deity of Jesus Christ and His inseparable oneness with God the Father. But in John’s first epistle, his meaning couldn’t be more evident: “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life” (1 John 5:20, NLT).
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).
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 conclusions:
• 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).
Franklin Graham
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Today our Samaritan's Purse 767 took off for Venezuela loaded with an Emergency Field Hospital and life-saving supplies. The devastation in Caracas and surrounding areas is just heartbreaking. Around 50,000 people are missing after back-to-back earthquakes collapsed hundreds of buildings—and damaged several hospitals. Our field hospital is capable of treating more than 100 patients per day. Please pray as we go to help in Jesus’ Name. See less
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.
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).
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul describes the results of Jesus’ death and resurrection. All who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior receive the benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection, including victory over sin and death. He writes, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:56–57). This victory is promised to all who believe in Jesus. However, it won’t be fully realized until He returns. At that time, Jesus will finally defeat sin, resurrect His people, give them new bodies, and recreate the world without sin.
To understand why this victory is needed, the Bible records God’s plan of salvation for humanity. According to Genesis 1, God created the world and everything in it. He made human beings unique. Genesis 1:27 reads, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 3, however, tells how the first human beings, Adam and Eve, sinned against God. This act of rebellion led all people to sin against God (Romans 3:23).
To provide this victory over sin, the New Testament records how Jesus, God’s Son, came to earth and was born of a virgin, Mary (John 1:14; Luke 2:6–7). For three years, Jesus traveled around Israel, performing miracles and teaching the people about God. All four Gospels in the New Testament contain eyewitness accounts of His trials, death, and resurrection (Matthew 26–28; John 18–21). After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and to many other people. He gave final instructions to His disciples. By His resurrection from the dead, Jesus proved that He was the Son of God.
Following these events, the rest of the New Testament records Jesus’ disciples spreading His message throughout Israel and the Roman Empire, including letters that explain the meaning of His death and resurrection for believers. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles' writings, so their letters contained no errors when originally written. 1 Corinthians is one of Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth in Greece, and it explains the significance of Jesus’ resurrection for believers.
1 Corinthians 15 is a lengthy chapter in which Paul describes in detail the importance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. He explains how human beings were enslaved to sin and death. Jesus’ coming to earth changed everything for humanity. His death and resurrection opened a path to salvation from sin and death. This is the victory Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 15:57. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, all who believe in Him as Savior have victory over sin and death. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves that He will also resurrect all who believe in Him. These resurrected bodies will be free from the influence of sin.
Apart from Jesus, human beings have no hope and remain under sin’s control. Unlike all other people, Jesus kept God’s Law perfectly and never sinned. His death took the punishment that humanity’s sins deserved, and His resurrection demonstrated His power over sin, death, and evil. All who believe in Jesus share in this victory.
Jesus’ victory over sin and death will not be fully realized until He returns and remakes the world (Revelation 20–22). In this world, Christians will still struggle with sin. Through the Holy Spirit’s power, they will gradually overcome sin in their lives, though this can be a slow, painstaking process. Nevertheless, Jesus’ death and resurrection assure that Christians will have complete victory over sin. This victory begins at the moment of salvation, but it will not be complete until Jesus returns and defeats sin and evil for all time. Victory over sin, death, and evil is possible only because of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection.
Messiah comes from the Hebrew word mashiach and means “anointed one” or “chosen one.” The Greek equivalent is the word Christos or, in English, Christ. The name “Jesus Christ” is the same as “Jesus the Messiah.” In biblical times, anointing someone with oil was a sign that God was consecrating or setting apart that person for a particular role. Thus, an “anointed one” was someone with a special, God-ordained purpose.
In the Old Testament, people were anointed for the positions of prophet, priest, and king. God told Elijah to anoint Elisha to succeed him as Israel’s prophet (1 Kings 19:16). Aaron was anointed as the first high priest of Israel (Leviticus 8:12). Samuel anointed both Saul and David as kings of Israel (1 Samuel 10:1; 16:13). All of these men held “anointed” positions. But the Old Testament predicted a coming Deliverer, chosen by God to redeem Israel (Isaiah 42:1; 61:1–3). This Deliverer the Jews called the Messiah.
Jesus of Nazareth was and is the prophesied Messiah (Luke 4:17–21; John 4:25–26). Throughout the New Testament, we see proof that Jesus is the Chosen One: “These [miracles] are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). We also hear testimonies that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The ultimate evidence that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah, the Anointed One, is His resurrection from the dead. Acts 10:39–43 is an eyewitness testimony to His resurrection and the fact that “he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.”
Jesus fulfills the role of Prophet, Priest, and King, which is further evidence to His being the Messiah. He is a prophet, because He embodied and preached the Word of God (see John 1:1–18; 14:24; and Luke 24:19); a priest, because His death atones for our sins and reconciles us to the Father (see Hebrews 2:17; 4:14); and a king, because after His resurrection God gave all authority to Him (see John 18:36; Ephesians 1:20–23; and Revelation 19:16).
The Jews of Jesus’ day expected the Messiah to redeem Israel by overthrowing the rule of the Romans and establishing an earthly kingdom (see Acts 1:6). It wasn’t until after Jesus’ resurrection that His disciples finally began to understand what the prophecies in the Old Testament really meant the Messiah would do (see Luke 24:25–27). The Messiah was “anointed” first to deliver His people spiritually; that is, to redeem them from sin (John 8:31–36). He accomplished this salvation through His death and resurrection (John 12:32; John 3:16). Later, Jesus the Messiah will deliver His people from their physical enemies, when He sets up His Kingdom on the earth (see Isaiah 9:1–7).
In Revelation 5, John has a vision of the heavenly throne room. It is time for the judgment of the earth but no one is found worthy to execute the judgment, and John begins weeping. In Revelation 5:5 we read, “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘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.’”
The scroll with its seven seals is the scroll of God’s judgment. The elder who speaks to John identifies the one person who has the moral authority and legal right to open the scroll—that is, the only one who can rightly judge the world. That person is Jesus, who triumphed over temptation and sin and is capable of executing judgment (see John 5:22). Jesus is given two titles in Revelation 5:5: Lion of the tribe of Judah and Root of David. The Root of David is a reference to His connection with David (who was also from the tribe of Judah) and His rule as king.
When King David reigned, the Lord established a covenant with him, promising that David’s throne would “be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). The covenant was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, the Root of David. A root is a source and founding support of something. Jesus is the source, the origin, of David and his tribe of Judah.
Jesus is introduced in the Gospel of Matthew as “Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1), fulfilling the Jewish expectation that the Messiah would come from the lineage of David. But how could the Messiah be both the Root of David and the Son of David, or the Branch, as Isaiah 11:1 had prophesied? The answer is found in Jesus’ dual nature.
As per Jesus’ human nature, Jesus was the Son of David, a branch from David’s family tree. But, touching His divine nature, Jesus was the Root of David: He was the originator of David and the source of all David’s blessings. We see the same human-divine duality expressed in Revelation 22:16, where Jesus declares that He is “the Root and the Offspring of David.”
Jesus also alludes to His connection to David in Matthew 22:41–45. There, the Pharisees affirm that the Messiah is the Son of David (verse 4).
In response, Jesus says, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet”’”
(Matthew 22:43–44, quoting Psalm 110:1).
Jesus then brings it home with this piercing question: “If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” (verse 45). The answer is that the Messiah is not only David’s Son, but He is also the Root of David. Jesus is indeed David’s Lord. He is the Son of God and the Source of all things, including David.
God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and told him to go to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery. In response, Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13).
God said to Moses,
“I AM WHO
I AM.
This is what you are to say to the Israelites:
‘I AM
has sent me to you’”
(Exodus 3:14).
The phrase translated “I am who I am” in Hebrew is ehyeh asher ehyeh. The word ehyeh is the first person common singular of the verb to be. It would be used in any number of normal situations: “I am watching the sheep,” “I am walking on the road,” or “I am his father.” However, when used as a stand-alone description, I AM is the ultimate statement of self-sufficiency, self-existence, and immediate presence. God’s existence is not contingent upon anyone else. His plans are not contingent upon any circumstances. He promises that He will be what He will be; that is, He will be the eternally constant God. He stands, ever-present and unchangeable, completely sufficient in Himself to do what He wills to do and to accomplish what He wills to accomplish.
When God identified Himself as I AM WHO I AM, He stated that, no matter when or where, He is there. It is similar to the New Testament expression in Revelation 1:8, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” This is true of Him for all time, but it would have been especially appropriate for a message in Moses’ day to a people in slavery and who could see no way out. I AM was promising to free them, and they could count on Him!
Moses and Aaron delivered the message to Pharaoh: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:1–2).
Pharaoh stood in opposition to the LORD. Pharaoh was not willing to concede that there was a power higher than himself. He was not willing to yield his plans to the One who was all-powerful and all-sufficient. In essence, Pharaoh was saying “I am who I am, and therefore I will not yield to another.” This seems to be the besetting sin of humanity. God is “The Great I AM,” but we continually want to be our own “I AM.” We make plans and determine that we will fulfill them no matter what. Even evidence to the contrary does not readily convince us of our weakness and contingency.
One of Frank Sinatra’s signature songs was “I Did It My Way.” The final lines of the song, written by Paul Anka, express a common refrain of mankind:
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way.
Likewise, the final stanza of the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley expresses much the same sentiment:
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
God is the only One who can accurately describe Himself as “I AM.” Jesus claimed the title I AM for Himself in John 8:58. For the rest of us, “I am” is a false claim to self-sufficiency. We are not eternally constant or ever-present. Our only hope is to abandon claims of our own sovereignty and sufficiency and cast ourselves upon the mercy of I AM.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This verse has inspired a great deal of debate among theologians over the years. There is no doubt that the verse expresses a unique truth about Jesus: He became sin for us. While on the one hand the verse states the simple gospel truth that Jesus took upon Himself the sins of all who would ever believe in Him, it also makes a somewhat enigmatic statement. How exactly did God make Jesus to be sin for us?
Perhaps the best way to understand He became sin for us is to begin with what it does not mean. First, it does not mean that Jesus actually became sin itself. To posit such a theory denies all of Scripture, which clearly presents Jesus Christ as the One in whom there is no sin (1 John 3:5), who commits no sin (1 Peter 2:22), and who is holy, blameless, and pure (Mark 1:24; Acts 3:14; Revelation 3:7). For Jesus to “become” sin, even for a moment, would mean He ceased to be God. But Scripture presents Jesus as “the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He was and is and always will be the Second Person of the Godhead (John 1:1).
Second, the idea that Jesus became sin for us does not mean that He became a sinner, not even for a moment. Some have said that Christ may be considered as the greatest of sinners, because all the sins of mankind (or at least of the elect) became His own sins. When Christ suffered in our place and died for us, He bore the punishment for our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24). But Jesus at no time became a sinner personally.
Third, it does not mean He was guilty of actual sin. No one is truly guilty who has not transgressed the law of God, which Jesus never did. If He were guilty, then He deserved to die, and His death could have no more merit than that of any other guilty person. Even the Pharisees who sent Jesus to Calvary knew He was guiltless: “And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed” (Acts 13:28).
If He became sin for us does not mean Jesus was sin, or a sinner, or guilty of sin, the proper interpretation can only be found in the doctrine of imputation. This is confirmed by the second part of 2 Corinthians 5:21: “So that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” To impute something is to ascribe or attribute it to someone. On the cross, our sin was imputed to Christ. That is how Christ paid our sin debt to God. He had no sin in Himself, but our sin was imputed (attributed) to Him so, as He suffered, He took the just penalty that our sin deserves. At the same time, through faith, Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us. Now we can stand before God sinless, just as Jesus is sinless. We are not righteous in ourselves; rather, Christ’s righteousness is applied to us.
So, “God made him . . . to be sin for us” means that Jesus, although sinless, was treated as if He were not. Although He remained holy, He was regarded as guilty of all the sin in the world. Through imputation of our sin to Him, He became our substitute and the recipient of God’s judgment against sin. Having saved those who believe, He is now “our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).
In John 10 Jesus presents Himself as the Good Shepherd and, in a debate with the Jewish leaders, makes the claim, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). It was a bold statement—one His audience found quite audacious—and it reveals much about who Jesus is.
Five key observations can be made concerning this passage. First, Jesus claimed to be one with God in the sense of being equal to Him. Jesus did not claim to be merely a messenger or prophet of God, but of equal power with God.
Second, His audience understood that Jesus was claiming equality with God the Father. In verse 31, “The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.” Why? Blasphemy was a crime punishable by death according to the Jewish Law. When Jesus asked why they were planning to kill Him, they answered, “For blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). If Jesus had been lying or deceived, His statement would have been blasphemous. In fact, the only way His words were not blasphemy is if Jesus was telling the truth about His equality with God.
Third, Jesus referred to Himself as God’s Son and to God as His Father (John 10:36–37). He used Psalm 82:6 to show that the Messiah has the right to claim the title “Son of God.”
Fourth, Jesus claimed that that Father sent Him: “the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world” (John 10:36). In this statement, Jesus claimed preexistence in the Father’s presence. No biblical prophet had ever made such a claim before; yet Jesus claimed to exist before Abraham (John 8:58).
Fifth, Jesus only stated that the Jews did not believe Him; He never said they misunderstood His claim to be God. John 10:38 notes, “Even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Jesus was not correcting a misunderstanding. They understood what He said perfectly. He was correcting their willful rejection of Him.
Colossians 1:16–17 affirms Jesus’ same teaching: “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.” John 1:1 explicitly notes that Jesus was both with God in the beginning and was God.
In summary, Jesus claimed to be one with the Father as part of a larger argument to note that He had existed from eternity past, lived in perfect oneness with the Father, held the same power as God, and was sent by God the Father’s authority. Unfortunately, He was rejected as divine by the Jewish leaders. Jesus’ claim to have equal power as the Father was not blasphemy. It was the plain truth.
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The Feeding of the Five Thousand
(Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17)
1After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias). 2A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick. 3Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples.
4Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near. 5When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.
7Philip answered, “Two hundred denariia would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”
8One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9“Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?”
10“Have the people sit down,” Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them.
11Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.
12And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”
13So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed,b they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
15Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.
Jesus Walks on Water
(Matthew 14:22–33; Mark 6:45–52)
16When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet gone out to them. 18A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated.
19When they had rowed about three or four miles,c they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified. 20But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
Jesus the Bread of Life
22The next day, the crowd that had remained on the other side of the sea realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not boarded it with His disciples, but they had gone away alone. 23However, some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum to look for Him. 25When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
26Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
28Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”
29Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
30So they asked Him, “What sign then will You perform, so that we may see it and believe You? What will You do? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’d”
32Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34“Sir,” they said, “give us this bread at all times.”
35Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst. 36But as I stated, you have seen Me and still you do not believe.
37Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
39And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
41At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
43“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus replied. 44“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’e Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me— 46not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father.
47Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”
52At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink.
56Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.”
Many Disciples Turn Back
(Matthew 8:18–22; Luke 9:57–62; Luke 14:25–33)
59Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 60On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?”
61Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?
63The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)
65Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”
66From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
Peter’s Confession of Faith
(Matthew 16:13–20; Mark 8:27–30; Luke 9:18–20)
67So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?”
68Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.f”
70Jesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71He was speaking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For although Judas was one of the Twelve, he was later to betray Jesus.
In the Old Testament, people were anointed for the positions of prophet, priest, and king. God told Elijah to anoint Elisha to succeed him as Israel’s prophet (1 Kings 19:16). Aaron was anointed as the first high priest of Israel (Leviticus 8:12). Samuel anointed both Saul and David as kings of Israel (1 Samuel 10:1; 16:13). All of these men held “anointed” positions. But the Old Testament predicted a coming Deliverer, chosen by God to redeem Israel (Isaiah 42:1; 61:1–3). This Deliverer the Jews called the Messiah.
Jesus of Nazareth was and is the prophesied Messiah (Luke 4:17–21; John 4:25–26). Throughout the New Testament, we see proof that Jesus is the Chosen One: “These [miracles] are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). We also hear testimonies that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The ultimate evidence that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah, the Anointed One, is His resurrection from the dead. Acts 10:39–43 is an eyewitness testimony to His resurrection and the fact that “he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.”
Jesus fulfills the role of Prophet, Priest, and King, which is further evidence to His being the Messiah. He is a prophet, because He embodied and preached the Word of God (see John 1:1–18; 14:24; and Luke 24:19); a priest, because His death atones for our sins and reconciles us to the Father (see Hebrews 2:17; 4:14); and a king, because after His resurrection God gave all authority to Him (see John 18:36; Ephesians 1:20–23; and Revelation 19:16).
The Jews of Jesus’ day expected the Messiah to redeem Israel by overthrowing the rule of the Romans and establishing an earthly kingdom (see Acts 1:6). It wasn’t until after Jesus’ resurrection that His disciples finally began to understand what the prophecies in the Old Testament really meant the Messiah would do (see Luke 24:25–27). The Messiah was “anointed” first to deliver His people spiritually; that is, to redeem them from sin (John 8:31–36). He accomplished this salvation through His death and resurrection (John 12:32; John 3:16). Later, Jesus the Messiah will deliver His people from their physical enemies, when He sets up His Kingdom on the earth (see Isaiah 9:1–7).
In Revelation 5, John has a vision of the heavenly throne room. It is time for the judgment of the earth but no one is found worthy to execute the judgment, and John begins weeping. In Revelation 5:5 we read, “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘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.’”
The scroll with its seven seals is the scroll of God’s judgment. The elder who speaks to John identifies the one person who has the moral authority and legal right to open the scroll—that is, the only one who can rightly judge the world. That person is Jesus, who triumphed over temptation and sin and is capable of executing judgment (see John 5:22). Jesus is given two titles in Revelation 5:5: Lion of the tribe of Judah and Root of David. The Root of David is a reference to His connection with David (who was also from the tribe of Judah) and His rule as king.
When King David reigned, the Lord established a covenant with him, promising that David’s throne would “be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). The covenant was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, the Root of David. A root is a source and founding support of something. Jesus is the source, the origin, of David and his tribe of Judah.
Jesus is introduced in the Gospel of Matthew as “Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1), fulfilling the Jewish expectation that the Messiah would come from the lineage of David. But how could the Messiah be both the Root of David and the Son of David, or the Branch, as Isaiah 11:1 had prophesied? The answer is found in Jesus’ dual nature.
As per Jesus’ human nature, Jesus was the Son of David, a branch from David’s family tree. But, touching His divine nature, Jesus was the Root of David: He was the originator of David and the source of all David’s blessings. We see the same human-divine duality expressed in Revelation 22:16, where Jesus declares that He is “the Root and the Offspring of David.”
Jesus also alludes to His connection to David in Matthew 22:41–45. There, the Pharisees affirm that the Messiah is the Son of David (verse 4).
In response, Jesus says, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet”’”
(Matthew 22:43–44, quoting Psalm 110:1).
Jesus then brings it home with this piercing question: “If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” (verse 45). The answer is that the Messiah is not only David’s Son, but He is also the Root of David. Jesus is indeed David’s Lord. He is the Son of God and the Source of all things, including David.
God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and told him to go to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery. In response, Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13).
God said to Moses,
“I AM WHO
I AM.
This is what you are to say to the Israelites:
‘I AM
has sent me to you’”
(Exodus 3:14).
The phrase translated “I am who I am” in Hebrew is ehyeh asher ehyeh. The word ehyeh is the first person common singular of the verb to be. It would be used in any number of normal situations: “I am watching the sheep,” “I am walking on the road,” or “I am his father.” However, when used as a stand-alone description, I AM is the ultimate statement of self-sufficiency, self-existence, and immediate presence. God’s existence is not contingent upon anyone else. His plans are not contingent upon any circumstances. He promises that He will be what He will be; that is, He will be the eternally constant God. He stands, ever-present and unchangeable, completely sufficient in Himself to do what He wills to do and to accomplish what He wills to accomplish.
When God identified Himself as I AM WHO I AM, He stated that, no matter when or where, He is there. It is similar to the New Testament expression in Revelation 1:8, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” This is true of Him for all time, but it would have been especially appropriate for a message in Moses’ day to a people in slavery and who could see no way out. I AM was promising to free them, and they could count on Him!
Moses and Aaron delivered the message to Pharaoh: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:1–2).
Pharaoh stood in opposition to the LORD. Pharaoh was not willing to concede that there was a power higher than himself. He was not willing to yield his plans to the One who was all-powerful and all-sufficient. In essence, Pharaoh was saying “I am who I am, and therefore I will not yield to another.” This seems to be the besetting sin of humanity. God is “The Great I AM,” but we continually want to be our own “I AM.” We make plans and determine that we will fulfill them no matter what. Even evidence to the contrary does not readily convince us of our weakness and contingency.
One of Frank Sinatra’s signature songs was “I Did It My Way.” The final lines of the song, written by Paul Anka, express a common refrain of mankind:
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way.
Likewise, the final stanza of the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley expresses much the same sentiment:
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
God is the only One who can accurately describe Himself as “I AM.” Jesus claimed the title I AM for Himself in John 8:58. For the rest of us, “I am” is a false claim to self-sufficiency. We are not eternally constant or ever-present. Our only hope is to abandon claims of our own sovereignty and sufficiency and cast ourselves upon the mercy of I AM.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This verse has inspired a great deal of debate among theologians over the years. There is no doubt that the verse expresses a unique truth about Jesus: He became sin for us. While on the one hand the verse states the simple gospel truth that Jesus took upon Himself the sins of all who would ever believe in Him, it also makes a somewhat enigmatic statement. How exactly did God make Jesus to be sin for us?
Perhaps the best way to understand He became sin for us is to begin with what it does not mean. First, it does not mean that Jesus actually became sin itself. To posit such a theory denies all of Scripture, which clearly presents Jesus Christ as the One in whom there is no sin (1 John 3:5), who commits no sin (1 Peter 2:22), and who is holy, blameless, and pure (Mark 1:24; Acts 3:14; Revelation 3:7). For Jesus to “become” sin, even for a moment, would mean He ceased to be God. But Scripture presents Jesus as “the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He was and is and always will be the Second Person of the Godhead (John 1:1).
Second, the idea that Jesus became sin for us does not mean that He became a sinner, not even for a moment. Some have said that Christ may be considered as the greatest of sinners, because all the sins of mankind (or at least of the elect) became His own sins. When Christ suffered in our place and died for us, He bore the punishment for our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24). But Jesus at no time became a sinner personally.
Third, it does not mean He was guilty of actual sin. No one is truly guilty who has not transgressed the law of God, which Jesus never did. If He were guilty, then He deserved to die, and His death could have no more merit than that of any other guilty person. Even the Pharisees who sent Jesus to Calvary knew He was guiltless: “And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed” (Acts 13:28).
If He became sin for us does not mean Jesus was sin, or a sinner, or guilty of sin, the proper interpretation can only be found in the doctrine of imputation. This is confirmed by the second part of 2 Corinthians 5:21: “So that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” To impute something is to ascribe or attribute it to someone. On the cross, our sin was imputed to Christ. That is how Christ paid our sin debt to God. He had no sin in Himself, but our sin was imputed (attributed) to Him so, as He suffered, He took the just penalty that our sin deserves. At the same time, through faith, Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us. Now we can stand before God sinless, just as Jesus is sinless. We are not righteous in ourselves; rather, Christ’s righteousness is applied to us.
So, “God made him . . . to be sin for us” means that Jesus, although sinless, was treated as if He were not. Although He remained holy, He was regarded as guilty of all the sin in the world. Through imputation of our sin to Him, He became our substitute and the recipient of God’s judgment against sin. Having saved those who believe, He is now “our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).
In John 10 Jesus presents Himself as the Good Shepherd and, in a debate with the Jewish leaders, makes the claim, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). It was a bold statement—one His audience found quite audacious—and it reveals much about who Jesus is.
Five key observations can be made concerning this passage. First, Jesus claimed to be one with God in the sense of being equal to Him. Jesus did not claim to be merely a messenger or prophet of God, but of equal power with God.
Second, His audience understood that Jesus was claiming equality with God the Father. In verse 31, “The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.” Why? Blasphemy was a crime punishable by death according to the Jewish Law. When Jesus asked why they were planning to kill Him, they answered, “For blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). If Jesus had been lying or deceived, His statement would have been blasphemous. In fact, the only way His words were not blasphemy is if Jesus was telling the truth about His equality with God.
Third, Jesus referred to Himself as God’s Son and to God as His Father (John 10:36–37). He used Psalm 82:6 to show that the Messiah has the right to claim the title “Son of God.”
Fourth, Jesus claimed that that Father sent Him: “the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world” (John 10:36). In this statement, Jesus claimed preexistence in the Father’s presence. No biblical prophet had ever made such a claim before; yet Jesus claimed to exist before Abraham (John 8:58).
Fifth, Jesus only stated that the Jews did not believe Him; He never said they misunderstood His claim to be God. John 10:38 notes, “Even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Jesus was not correcting a misunderstanding. They understood what He said perfectly. He was correcting their willful rejection of Him.
Colossians 1:16–17 affirms Jesus’ same teaching: “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.” John 1:1 explicitly notes that Jesus was both with God in the beginning and was God.
In summary, Jesus claimed to be one with the Father as part of a larger argument to note that He had existed from eternity past, lived in perfect oneness with the Father, held the same power as God, and was sent by God the Father’s authority. Unfortunately, He was rejected as divine by the Jewish leaders. Jesus’ claim to have equal power as the Father was not blasphemy. It was the plain truth.
BSB [BAB BLB BIB MSB] Par ▾ The Feeding of the Five Thousand
(Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17)
1After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias). 2A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick. 3Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples.
4Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near. 5When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.
7Philip answered, “Two hundred denariia would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”
8One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9“Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?”
10“Have the people sit down,” Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them.
11Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.
12And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”
13So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed,b they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
15Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.
Jesus Walks on Water
(Matthew 14:22–33; Mark 6:45–52)
16When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet gone out to them. 18A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated.
19When they had rowed about three or four miles,c they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified. 20But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
Jesus the Bread of Life
22The next day, the crowd that had remained on the other side of the sea realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not boarded it with His disciples, but they had gone away alone. 23However, some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum to look for Him. 25When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
26Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
28Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”
29Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
30So they asked Him, “What sign then will You perform, so that we may see it and believe You? What will You do? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’d”
32Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34“Sir,” they said, “give us this bread at all times.”
35Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst. 36But as I stated, you have seen Me and still you do not believe.
37Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
39And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
41At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
43“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus replied. 44“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’e Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me— 46not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father.
47Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”
52At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink.
56Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.”
Many Disciples Turn Back
(Matthew 8:18–22; Luke 9:57–62; Luke 14:25–33)
59Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 60On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?”
61Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?
63The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)
65Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”
66From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
Peter’s Confession of Faith
(Matthew 16:13–20; Mark 8:27–30; Luke 9:18–20)
67So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?”
68Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.f”
70Jesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71He was speaking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For although Judas was one of the Twelve, he was later to betray Jesus.
Welcome to the memorial
page for
Robert "Bob" Goins
August 13, 1952 ~ April 21, 2018
(age 65) 65 Years Old
Obituary
Service Details
Robert "Bob" Goins
8/13/1952 - 4/21/2018
Robert "Bob" Goins, passed away Sunday, April 21st, at home with his loving wife, Glenda, his son Chad, and his buddy Winston by his side. He fought a 3 year battle against cancer with strength and dignity. He has won, for he is free from it.
Bob was born August 13th, 1952 in Mishawaka, IN, and lived his entire life here. He was preceded in death by parents Ruth and Dick Searer and his brother, Walter. On August 26th, 1986, Bob married the love of his life, Glenda. To this marriage, she brought two children, Chad and Emily whom Bob raised and loved dearly as his own. He is survived by his loving wife of 31 years, Glenda, his son Chad (Laura) Picking and their four children that Papaw adored-Ben, Henry, Max, and Laine, and his daughter Emily Picking, whom he held close to his heart. He is also survived by his daughter, Leah (Phil) Nelson and grandson Emet, daughter, Rachel Baxter and family, and son Robin Goins. Bob is also survived by a sister Caroline (Dave) Anglemeyer and brother Rich (Amy) Searer.
He retired from Nishikawa (NISCO) in Bremen, IN, after 27 years of service.
Bob was known
by many
as
"The Builder"-
-a nickname
Glenda
had given him.
They enjoyed working side by side designing and building projects for her vintage and antique business. A generous, humble, and quiet man, Bob loved living life. His Christian faith was evident to all who knew him. He loved playing with his grandchildren, taking his best buddy of 17 years, Winston, for walks, hiking and exploring with Glenda, and working alongside his son Chad. He also loved working out and was a lifetime member of World Gym.
We are heartbroken that he is gone, but we know, without a doubt, that he is waiting for his loved ones to join him in the fields of gold.
Glenda would like to thank Dr. Bilal Ansari and the staff of Michiana Hematology Oncology, for their care during over last 3 years. The family would also like thank the Center for Hospice for their help with Bob's care at the end of his life.
Glenda would like to thank all the people who have followed their journey on social media and for the outpouring of support that she has received. She would also like to thank all the family members and dear friends who have lifted them up during this difficult time. She would especially like to thank her sister in law, Caroline, her sister, Sheila (Ben), and her brother Greg (Lani) for all of their support.
A special love and thank you is to be given to their son Chad. He was there in the beginning and carried them when they needed it most.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 at Bubb Funeral Chapel: 910 N. Main St., Mishawaka, IN 46545 from 3:00 - 5:00 PM with service immediately following. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Logan Center's Recreation Program: 2505 E. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, IN 46615.
Freemasonry and Idolatry
Question
Can a
Christian participate in
Freemasonry
without committing
idolatry?
Answer
Thanks for your question. This is a topic very close to my heart as my own father was a Mason. When he died he didn’t go to Heaven. Though a devote Freemason, he never knew Christ as his Lord and Savior. The rituals, secret handgrips, secret obligations, symbolic teachings, and his works for freemasonry couldn’t save him.
Freemasonry is a Religion
Though many may deny it, Freemasonry is a religion. In some ways it’s similar to Christianity as it incorporates a redeemer, a resurrection, and a new birth. It even promises a salvation in Grand Lodge in the sky above. More on this later.
Albert Pike, a 33 degree Mason and before his death a leader of Freemasonry,[1] wrote, "The religious faith thus taught by Masonry is indispensable to the attainments of the great ends of life."[2] He states that "Every Masonic Lodge is a temple of religion; and its teachings are instruction in religion."[3] He declared, "Masonry is a worship."[4] Clearly, a man who other Freemasons revere considers Freemasonry as a religion.
Likewise, Dr. Albert Mackey, another 33 degree Mason and former high ranking member in the Masons, [5] insists in his Encyclopedia of Freemasonry that a Masonic Body, should be both opened and closed with prayer.[6] He states, "The doctrine of a resurrection to a future and eternal life constitutes an indispensable portion of the religious faith of Freemasonry."[7]
In addition, Pike emphatically states that Freemasonry is built upon pagan religions. He says, "our ancient brethren . . . took their philosophy from the Old Theology of the Egyptians, as Moses and Solomon had done."[8] So, Pike believed that even Moses and Solomon took the theology and philosophies of ancient Egypt and agreed with them. Pike adds that men sought "the wisdom of the Egyptian Initiates" for what purpose - "to seek the admission into the mysteries of Osiris and Isis" and that "from Egypt afterward these mysteries were introduced successively into Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Sicily, and Italy."[9]
Clearly, according to some of the highest and most esteemed members of Freemasonry, this largest of fraternal organizations is a religion. It not only calls itself one, but also operates like one with prayers and doctrines, even offering eternal life to its adherents. And it goes further and describes itself as having originated from the pagan religions.
Freemasonry and the Bible
The Bible is the inspired Word of God. Paul states in 2 Tim. 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Peter adds that “knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The Bible is very clear that Scripture is God breathed, that is breathed out by the Spirit of God. The Bible alone is exclusively God’s Word (John 1:1).
Albert Pike disagrees. He writes:
The great Apostle Saint John did not borrow from the philosophy of Plato the opening of his Gospel. Plato, on the contrary, drank at the same springs with Saint John and Philo; and John in the opening verse of his paraphrase, states the first principles of a dogma common to many schools, but in language especially belonging to Philo, whom it is evident he had read."[10]
So, the Apostle John and Philo both drank from the same spiritual cup, though Philo never knew Christ? But Pike goes even further and states, "The doctrines of the Bible are often not clothed in the language of strict truth, but in that which was fittest to convey to a rude and ignorant people the practice essentials of the doctrine."[11] So, Pike, the author of Morals and Dogmas in Freemasonry, doesn’t believe that the doctrines in the Bible are “strict truth.”
Albert Mackey is not silent on this issue either. He states:
The Bible is used among Freemasons as a symbol of the will of God, however it may be expressed. Therefore, whatever to any people express that will may be used as a substitute for the Bible in a Masonic Lodge. Thus, in a Lodge consisting entirely of Jews, the Old Testament alone may be placed upon the altar, and Turkish Freemasons may use the Koran. Whether it be the Gospel to the Christian, the Pentateuch to the Israelite, the Koran to the Mussulman, or the Vedas to the Brahman, it everywhere Masonically conveys the same idea-that of the symbolism of the Divine Will revealed to man.[12]
With these words, Mackey places the Bible, the Koran, and the Vedas on a level playing field saying all are equally the scripture of God. Freemasonry teaches that the Bible, Koran and the Vedas each express the same will of God. By doing so those who worship with Freemasonry are declaring by their very actions that the Bible is not God’s exclusive Word. They raise up the teaching of other gods to be equal with the one and true God.
Freemasonry and GAOTU, their god
God says of himself, “I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God” (Isa. 45:5).
To join Freemasons one must believe in a god, that is a Supreme Being. It can be most any god. Freemasonry accepts a Christian, or a Jew, or a Buddhist, or a Muslim, or a Hindu, etc. Even Aleister Crowley, the Father of Modern Satanism, was a 33 degree Mason.[13]
Freemasonry correctly teaches that there is one God. However, they assert that men of all religions worship that one same God using a variety of different names. Masons use an umbrella title for the many gods attached to its members called GAOTU, which refers to the “Great Architect of the Universe.”
When Masons engage in corporate Masonic prayer one person offers a prayer to the GAOTU for the entire in Lodge. Many gods are prayed to in the same breath. Here’s an example of a Masonic prayer:
Most Holy and Glorious Lord God! The Great Architect of the Universe, the giver of all good gifts and graces…. In Thy name we assemble…. And we beseech thee, O Lord God, to bless our present assembling, and to illuminate our minds, that we may walk in the light of thy countenance; and when the trials of our probationary state are over, be admitted into THE TEMPLE “not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”[14]
Here the GAOTU assumes the role of an umbrella deity, incorporating all individual deities (including the Trinity) into himself in syncretistic fashion. The GAOTU – not the biblical God – is seen as the “the giver of all good gifts and graces.” This is contrary to Scripture. Jas. 1:17 states, “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.” The phrase “Father of lights” refers to the Christian God (Jas. 1:1), not the Patheon of false gods in GAOTU.
What does the Bible say about such combined worship of numerous deities? Paul states in 1 Cor. 10:20-22:
No I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you [Christians] to be participants with demons. You [Christians] cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You [Christians] cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we [Christians] provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we [Christians] stronger than he?
The Apostle Paul is adamant about not mixing pagan worship with Christian worship. While it is true that there is one God, not all men worship the same God. For instance, Muslims worship Allah. They also believe that Jesus was a prophet. However, Allah never had a son. So, the Jesus that Muslims revere isn’t the same Jesus that Christians worship.
The worshippers of Baal learned that their god wasn’t the same as the God of the Bible either. Their judgment came quickly (1 Kings 18:20-40.) The GAOTU, the god of Freemasonry, is also not the God of the Bible!
John states in 2 John 1:9-11:
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
Freemasonry and the Afterlife
Freemasonry has a redeemer, a resurrection, and a new birth. We observe this in a ritual based upon Masonic hero Hiram Abif. Some in Masons teach that Hiram Abif is the Huram-abi of 2 Chron. 4:16 which states, “The pots, the shovels, the forks, and all the equipment for these Huram-abi made of burnished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the Lord.” But the student of Scripture quickly observes that the spellings of the two names are different (Hiram Abif vs. Huram-abi).
As explained by my now deceased father, the legend goes briefly like this. A candidate for Master Mason, a 3rd degree Mason, reenacts the legend of Hiram Abif.[15] Though there may be some slight variations in the overall ritual from Lodge to Lodge, the candidate always plays the part of Hiram Abif. It is explained to the candidate that that Grand Master Hiram Abif assisted King Solomon in building the temple (1 Kings 7:13-45). It is taught that he was the Grand Architect of the building of King Solomon’s temple.
In the legend, Hiram knows some sort of a secret. Mere possession of this secret would allow a person to pass himself off as a Master Mason. This would allow him to travel, work, and receive a Masters’ wages. Three other workers (Fellow Crafts) on Solomon’s temple entered into a pact to extort this secret from Hiram. One day Hiram was confronted by these three and when he didn’t divulge the secret they killed him.
The candidate reenacting the role of Hiram plays like he’s dead. The three murders planned to flee the country. However they are found by three other Fellow Crafts who were sent out to search for them. They are returned to the temple. They bring him before King Solomon, who is portrayed by the Worshipful Master in this Masonic ritual. They confess their guilt. Then they are executed.
Hiram Abif is searched for. The Fellow Crafts discover him near where they found the three murderers. They discover a fresh grave. The Fellow Crafts don’t recognize the body of Hiram in the grave. So, they remove the jewel from around its neck. They carry this jewel back King Solomon who identified it as being the jewel of the Grand Master Hiram Abif. King Solomon then leads a procession of craftsmen to the gravesite apparently for the purpose of removing the body and returning it to the temple for a decent burial.
However the body is too badly decomposed. After multiple attempts they can’t remove the body. So, the Senior Grand Warden (Hiram, king of Tyre) suggests prayer. According to the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana who publishes the “Indiana Monitor and Freemason’s Guide” the prayer over the candidate is:
Yet, O Lord! have compassion on the children of Thy creation, administer them comfort in time of trouble, and save them with an everlasting salvation. Amen.[16]
After praying for the salvation of Hiram, King Solomon declares that the body will be raised. The Worshipful Master (playing the part of King Solomon) then reaches down and grasps the hand of the candidate (playing the part of Hiram Abif) with the grip of a Master Mason, or lion’s paw.[17] According to the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin applying the “lion’s paw” grip has symbolic meaning:
Applying this symbolism to the candidate, it means that he entered the Lodge as a natural man, lost in sin and spiritually buried. By the strong Grip of the Lion's Paw, he is raised again to a new life, or born again to spiritual righteousness, standing, again in a living perpendicular with a purified inner self accomplished through the direct action of the Redeemer, who was the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.[18]
This symbolism closely mimics what a true Christian experiences in water baptism. Rom. 7:4 says, “Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.” Satan is seen as the Great Houdini of trying to mimic Christ in Scripture. Paul says in 2 Cor. 11:14, “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
At the close of the ritual, the Senior Warden speaks these words:
Then, finally my brethren, let us imitate our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, in his virtuous conduct, his unfeigned piety to God, and his inflexible fidelity to his trust; that, like him, we may welcome the grim tyrant, Death, and receive him as a kind messenger sent by our Supreme Grand Master to translate us from this imperfect to that all-perfect, glorious and celestial Lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of the Universe presides.[19]
The phrase, “our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, in his virtuous conduct,” represents a works righteousness religion. This is contrary to what Scripture states. Paul told Titus, “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit“ (Tit. 3:5; cf. Eph. 2:8-10). Believers identify with Christ in his death, burial, and raising from the dead (1 Cor.15:1-4). They also believe that Christ is in fact the only Savior (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Additionally, a genuine Christian at the last day isn’t risen up to a “celestial Lodge above” to meet the “Supreme Architect of the Universe.” Rather as Scripture states they dwell in the new heavens and new earth forever (2 Pet. 3:13). John states in Rev. 21:3, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
While the designers of the Hiram Abif ritual did their best to make their legend align with some of the Scriptures found in the Bible, in actuality the story greatly resembles one from pagan history, specifically one involving Osiris from Egypt. This is especially relevant seeing we learned earlier from 33 degree Mason Albert Pike, that men sought "the wisdom of the Egyptian Initiates" for the purpose of "to seek the admission into the mysteries of Osiris and Isis."
A famous Greek named Plutarch from the second century tells a myth. The allegory is best told by Masons themselves. The Virginia Royal Arch Research Chapter No. 1753 states:
Seth, the evil brother of Osiris, tricked him into a chest. The chest was sealed with lead, thrown into the Nile, and floated downstream to the Mediterranean. It eventually washed-up on the shore of Lebanon, at Byblos, and a tree grew around it. The king of Byblos had the tree cut down and turned into the central column of his palace. Isis the sister/wife of Osiris, found the column, recognized that her husband/brother lay within, and brought it back to Egypt. Seth discovered the chest, stole it, cuts Osiris’ body into fourteen parts, and scattered the parts along the Nile shore. Isis searched for the parts, found them, reassembled the body of Osiris, and attempted to raise it. She failed, and her sister Nephthys tried. Nephthys failed, and their brother Thoth tried, using a special grip. The third attempt worked, and Osiris rose up to heaven.[20]
The Encyclopedia Britannica relates a similar story as above.[21] The similarities are too great to ignore. “Osiris was not only ruler of the dead but also the power that granted all life from the underworld.”[22] Osiris was symbolically destroyed in God’s first plague upon Egypt. The first plague was the turning of the Nile to blood. He was believed to be the bloodstream of Osiris, who was reborn each year when the river flooded.
Freemasonry and Idolatry
Freemasonry is a false religion, a cult. Among other things, it is a place of worship and prayer to false gods and / or goddesses. It contains rituals based upon mere legend and most likely developed from pagan worship of other gods. No matter, as the said legend isn’t scriptural.
Freemasonry is idolatrous. Idolatry is throughout Scripture. Jacob commanded members of his extended family to get rid of their foreign gods just before he arrived in Bethel. Gen. 35:1-4 states:
God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.
I wonder if today, if Jacob’s family were Masonic lodge members if he’d say, “Put away [your Masonic working tools, including the compass, level, plumb, trowel, skirret, 24-inch gauge, pencil, and square, etc.] that are among you and purify yourselves and [destroy your Lodge apron].”
Most of Israel engaged in idol worship as is recounted in the incident of the golden calf while Moses was on Mount Sinai (Exod. 32:1-6). God’s judgment was great, about 3,000 men perished (Exod. 32:25-29). “Then the Lord sent a plague on the people” (Exod. 32:35). During the time of the judges, Israel engaged in idolatry and they were judged accordingly.
Even what otherwise seems to be godly men can be deceived into idol worship. Near the end of King Solomon’s reign there was pattern of idolatry in Israel (1 Kings 11:1-8). Solomon, the builder of God’s temple, himself “went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:5). He built a “high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem” (1 Kings 11:7). Scripture recounts that “Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 11:6). God judged the King that built his temple (1 Kings 11:11). At the finish of Solomon’s reign, Israel became divided. Even after the division of Israel, the rulers of the northern kingdom of Israel engaged in idolatry. So did many of the southern kings of Judah. They were all sent into exile.
Paul states in 1 Cor. 10:20-22:
No I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you [Christians] to be participants with demons. You [Christians] cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You [Christians] cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we [Christians] provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we [Christians] stronger than he?
Behind all idolatry are demons. No matter the cult, demons are somewhere in the background drawing men and women to Satan and his kingdom. Satan as “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4) exercises great power in the world (1 John 5:19; cf. Luke 13:16; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 6:12; Heb. 2:14). He comes but to try to deceive others (John 8:44) and to destroy them (John 10:10). And this is his goal in idolatry.
The Ten Commandments speaks against idolatry (Exod. 20:3-4). So, do many other texts of Scripture (Exod. 23:13, 24; 34:14-17; Deut. 4:23-24; 6:14; Josh. 23:7; Judg. 6:10; 2 Kings 17:35-38). Not only are Christians not supposed to worship idols, but they should also destroy them out of their lives. Israel was commanded to break down such images (Exod. 23:24; 34:13; Deut. 7:4-5; 12:2-3).
In Closing
My heart goes out to those caught up in this cult. Most join at only the Master Mason level (3rd Degree) not understanding the true origins of Freemasons or what is included in the upper level degrees (4-33) of this cult. It’s all shrouded in mystery and secrets.
Only by the grace of God will they find a way out of it. The results of not finding their way out only ends one way. Rev. 21:8 states, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (cf. Rev. 21:17; 22:15).
My prayer is that this brief article may help open the eyes of some.
End Notes:
[1] He served as the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council, Scottish Rite (Southern Jurisdiction, USA) from 1859 to 1889. DC Scottish Rite. “History of the Scottish Rite in the District of Columbia.” (https://dcsr.org/history/ ). Last Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
[2] Albert Pike. Morals and Dogma (1932). p. 196.
[3] Ibid, p. 213.
[4] Ibid, 526.
[5] Before his death Mackey was the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States. Albert Mackey; William J. Hughan; Edward L. Hawkins. Encyclopedia of freemasonry and its kindred sciences, comprising the whole range of arts, sciences and literature as connected with the institution. Vol. II. New York; London: The Masonic History Company (1916).
[6] Albert Mackey. Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. The Masonic History Company (1929). p. 792.
[7] Ibid, p. 851.
[8] Pike. Morals and Dogma, p. 289.
[9] Ibid. p. 363. [10] Albert Pike. Morals and Dogma, pp. 99-100.
[11] Ibid, p. 224.
[12] Mackey. Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. p. 133.
[13] Martin P. Starr. Aleister Crowley—Freemason? Oxford Academic. (https://academic.oup.com/book/8721/chapter-abstract/154780895?redirectedFrom=fulltext ). Last Accessed 26 Jan. 2023.
[14] Henry Pirtle. Kentucky Monitor, 13th ed. (Louisville: The Standard Printing Co., 1990), pp. 214-15.
[15] A first degree Mason is called Entered Apprentice; a second degree is Fellow Craft; and the third degree is Master Mason.
[16] Ephesians 5:11. (http://www.ephesians5-11.org/blood.htm ). Last Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
[17] This grip is made by pressing the top of the thumb hard on a fellow Manson's second knuckle.
[18] Masonic Study Series. “The Lion’s Paw.” Volume 2, issue 8 February 2017. (https://members.wisc-freemasonry.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MSS-The-Lions-Paw-February-2017.pdf ). Last Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
[19] Ephesians 5:11.
[20] Virginia Royal Arch Research Chapter No. 1753. “Allegories of Hiram Abiff: Exoteric and esoteric philosophies from Christianity, Rosicrucianism, and the ancient Egyptian mystery schools.” (https://virginiaroyalarch.org/education/pdfs/Allegories_of_Hiram_Abiff.pdf ). Last Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
[21] Britannica. “Osiris Egyptian god.” (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Seth-Egyptian-god ). Last Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
[22] Ibid.
Every Controversial Freemason Symbol Explained in 16 Minutes
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Freemasonry and Idolatry
Question
Can a
Christian participate in
Freemasonry
without committing
idolatry?
Answer
Thanks for your question. This is a topic very close to my heart as my own father was a Mason. When he died he didn’t go to Heaven. Though a devote Freemason, he never knew Christ as his Lord and Savior. The rituals, secret handgrips, secret obligations, symbolic teachings, and his works for freemasonry couldn’t save him.
Freemasonry is a Religion
Though many may deny it, Freemasonry is a religion. In some ways it’s similar to Christianity as it incorporates a redeemer, a resurrection, and a new birth. It even promises a salvation in Grand Lodge in the sky above. More on this later.
Albert Pike, a 33 degree Mason and before his death a leader of Freemasonry,[1] wrote, "The religious faith thus taught by Masonry is indispensable to the attainments of the great ends of life."[2] He states that "Every Masonic Lodge is a temple of religion; and its teachings are instruction in religion."[3] He declared, "Masonry is a worship."[4] Clearly, a man who other Freemasons revere considers Freemasonry as a religion.
Likewise, Dr. Albert Mackey, another 33 degree Mason and former high ranking member in the Masons, [5] insists in his Encyclopedia of Freemasonry that a Masonic Body, should be both opened and closed with prayer.[6] He states, "The doctrine of a resurrection to a future and eternal life constitutes an indispensable portion of the religious faith of Freemasonry."[7]
In addition, Pike emphatically states that Freemasonry is built upon pagan religions. He says, "our ancient brethren . . . took their philosophy from the Old Theology of the Egyptians, as Moses and Solomon had done."[8] So, Pike believed that even Moses and Solomon took the theology and philosophies of ancient Egypt and agreed with them. Pike adds that men sought "the wisdom of the Egyptian Initiates" for what purpose - "to seek the admission into the mysteries of Osiris and Isis" and that "from Egypt afterward these mysteries were introduced successively into Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Sicily, and Italy."[9]
Clearly, according to some of the highest and most esteemed members of Freemasonry, this largest of fraternal organizations is a religion. It not only calls itself one, but also operates like one with prayers and doctrines, even offering eternal life to its adherents. And it goes further and describes itself as having originated from the pagan religions.
Freemasonry and the Bible
The Bible is the inspired Word of God. Paul states in 2 Tim. 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Peter adds that “knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The Bible is very clear that Scripture is God breathed, that is breathed out by the Spirit of God. The Bible alone is exclusively God’s Word (John 1:1).
Albert Pike disagrees. He writes:
The great Apostle Saint John did not borrow from the philosophy of Plato the opening of his Gospel. Plato, on the contrary, drank at the same springs with Saint John and Philo; and John in the opening verse of his paraphrase, states the first principles of a dogma common to many schools, but in language especially belonging to Philo, whom it is evident he had read."[10]
So, the Apostle John and Philo both drank from the same spiritual cup, though Philo never knew Christ? But Pike goes even further and states, "The doctrines of the Bible are often not clothed in the language of strict truth, but in that which was fittest to convey to a rude and ignorant people the practice essentials of the doctrine."[11] So, Pike, the author of Morals and Dogmas in Freemasonry, doesn’t believe that the doctrines in the Bible are “strict truth.”
Albert Mackey is not silent on this issue either. He states:
The Bible is used among Freemasons as a symbol of the will of God, however it may be expressed. Therefore, whatever to any people express that will may be used as a substitute for the Bible in a Masonic Lodge. Thus, in a Lodge consisting entirely of Jews, the Old Testament alone may be placed upon the altar, and Turkish Freemasons may use the Koran. Whether it be the Gospel to the Christian, the Pentateuch to the Israelite, the Koran to the Mussulman, or the Vedas to the Brahman, it everywhere Masonically conveys the same idea-that of the symbolism of the Divine Will revealed to man.[12]
With these words, Mackey places the Bible, the Koran, and the Vedas on a level playing field saying all are equally the scripture of God. Freemasonry teaches that the Bible, Koran and the Vedas each express the same will of God. By doing so those who worship with Freemasonry are declaring by their very actions that the Bible is not God’s exclusive Word. They raise up the teaching of other gods to be equal with the one and true God.
Freemasonry and GAOTU, their god
God says of himself, “I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God” (Isa. 45:5).
To join Freemasons one must believe in a god, that is a Supreme Being. It can be most any god. Freemasonry accepts a Christian, or a Jew, or a Buddhist, or a Muslim, or a Hindu, etc. Even Aleister Crowley, the Father of Modern Satanism, was a 33 degree Mason.[13]
Freemasonry correctly teaches that there is one God. However, they assert that men of all religions worship that one same God using a variety of different names. Masons use an umbrella title for the many gods attached to its members called GAOTU, which refers to the “Great Architect of the Universe.”
When Masons engage in corporate Masonic prayer one person offers a prayer to the GAOTU for the entire in Lodge. Many gods are prayed to in the same breath. Here’s an example of a Masonic prayer:
Most Holy and Glorious Lord God! The Great Architect of the Universe, the giver of all good gifts and graces…. In Thy name we assemble…. And we beseech thee, O Lord God, to bless our present assembling, and to illuminate our minds, that we may walk in the light of thy countenance; and when the trials of our probationary state are over, be admitted into THE TEMPLE “not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”[14]
Here the GAOTU assumes the role of an umbrella deity, incorporating all individual deities (including the Trinity) into himself in syncretistic fashion. The GAOTU – not the biblical God – is seen as the “the giver of all good gifts and graces.” This is contrary to Scripture. Jas. 1:17 states, “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.” The phrase “Father of lights” refers to the Christian God (Jas. 1:1), not the Patheon of false gods in GAOTU.
What does the Bible say about such combined worship of numerous deities? Paul states in 1 Cor. 10:20-22:
No I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you [Christians] to be participants with demons. You [Christians] cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You [Christians] cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we [Christians] provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we [Christians] stronger than he?
The Apostle Paul is adamant about not mixing pagan worship with Christian worship. While it is true that there is one God, not all men worship the same God. For instance, Muslims worship Allah. They also believe that Jesus was a prophet. However, Allah never had a son. So, the Jesus that Muslims revere isn’t the same Jesus that Christians worship.
The worshippers of Baal learned that their god wasn’t the same as the God of the Bible either. Their judgment came quickly (1 Kings 18:20-40.) The GAOTU, the god of Freemasonry, is also not the God of the Bible!
John states in 2 John 1:9-11:
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
Freemasonry and the Afterlife
Freemasonry has a redeemer, a resurrection, and a new birth. We observe this in a ritual based upon Masonic hero Hiram Abif. Some in Masons teach that Hiram Abif is the Huram-abi of 2 Chron. 4:16 which states, “The pots, the shovels, the forks, and all the equipment for these Huram-abi made of burnished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the Lord.” But the student of Scripture quickly observes that the spellings of the two names are different (Hiram Abif vs. Huram-abi).
As explained by my now deceased father, the legend goes briefly like this. A candidate for Master Mason, a 3rd degree Mason, reenacts the legend of Hiram Abif.[15] Though there may be some slight variations in the overall ritual from Lodge to Lodge, the candidate always plays the part of Hiram Abif. It is explained to the candidate that that Grand Master Hiram Abif assisted King Solomon in building the temple (1 Kings 7:13-45). It is taught that he was the Grand Architect of the building of King Solomon’s temple.
In the legend, Hiram knows some sort of a secret. Mere possession of this secret would allow a person to pass himself off as a Master Mason. This would allow him to travel, work, and receive a Masters’ wages. Three other workers (Fellow Crafts) on Solomon’s temple entered into a pact to extort this secret from Hiram. One day Hiram was confronted by these three and when he didn’t divulge the secret they killed him.
The candidate reenacting the role of Hiram plays like he’s dead. The three murders planned to flee the country. However they are found by three other Fellow Crafts who were sent out to search for them. They are returned to the temple. They bring him before King Solomon, who is portrayed by the Worshipful Master in this Masonic ritual. They confess their guilt. Then they are executed.
Hiram Abif is searched for. The Fellow Crafts discover him near where they found the three murderers. They discover a fresh grave. The Fellow Crafts don’t recognize the body of Hiram in the grave. So, they remove the jewel from around its neck. They carry this jewel back King Solomon who identified it as being the jewel of the Grand Master Hiram Abif. King Solomon then leads a procession of craftsmen to the gravesite apparently for the purpose of removing the body and returning it to the temple for a decent burial.
However the body is too badly decomposed. After multiple attempts they can’t remove the body. So, the Senior Grand Warden (Hiram, king of Tyre) suggests prayer. According to the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana who publishes the “Indiana Monitor and Freemason’s Guide” the prayer over the candidate is:
Yet, O Lord! have compassion on the children of Thy creation, administer them comfort in time of trouble, and save them with an everlasting salvation. Amen.[16]
After praying for the salvation of Hiram, King Solomon declares that the body will be raised. The Worshipful Master (playing the part of King Solomon) then reaches down and grasps the hand of the candidate (playing the part of Hiram Abif) with the grip of a Master Mason, or lion’s paw.[17] According to the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin applying the “lion’s paw” grip has symbolic meaning:
Applying this symbolism to the candidate, it means that he entered the Lodge as a natural man, lost in sin and spiritually buried. By the strong Grip of the Lion's Paw, he is raised again to a new life, or born again to spiritual righteousness, standing, again in a living perpendicular with a purified inner self accomplished through the direct action of the Redeemer, who was the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.[18]
This symbolism closely mimics what a true Christian experiences in water baptism. Rom. 7:4 says, “Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.” Satan is seen as the Great Houdini of trying to mimic Christ in Scripture. Paul says in 2 Cor. 11:14, “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
At the close of the ritual, the Senior Warden speaks these words:
Then, finally my brethren, let us imitate our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, in his virtuous conduct, his unfeigned piety to God, and his inflexible fidelity to his trust; that, like him, we may welcome the grim tyrant, Death, and receive him as a kind messenger sent by our Supreme Grand Master to translate us from this imperfect to that all-perfect, glorious and celestial Lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of the Universe presides.[19]
The phrase, “our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, in his virtuous conduct,” represents a works righteousness religion. This is contrary to what Scripture states. Paul told Titus, “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit“ (Tit. 3:5; cf. Eph. 2:8-10). Believers identify with Christ in his death, burial, and raising from the dead (1 Cor.15:1-4). They also believe that Christ is in fact the only Savior (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Additionally, a genuine Christian at the last day isn’t risen up to a “celestial Lodge above” to meet the “Supreme Architect of the Universe.” Rather as Scripture states they dwell in the new heavens and new earth forever (2 Pet. 3:13). John states in Rev. 21:3, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
While the designers of the Hiram Abif ritual did their best to make their legend align with some of the Scriptures found in the Bible, in actuality the story greatly resembles one from pagan history, specifically one involving Osiris from Egypt. This is especially relevant seeing we learned earlier from 33 degree Mason Albert Pike, that men sought "the wisdom of the Egyptian Initiates" for the purpose of "to seek the admission into the mysteries of Osiris and Isis."
A famous Greek named Plutarch from the second century tells a myth. The allegory is best told by Masons themselves. The Virginia Royal Arch Research Chapter No. 1753 states:
Seth, the evil brother of Osiris, tricked him into a chest. The chest was sealed with lead, thrown into the Nile, and floated downstream to the Mediterranean. It eventually washed-up on the shore of Lebanon, at Byblos, and a tree grew around it. The king of Byblos had the tree cut down and turned into the central column of his palace. Isis the sister/wife of Osiris, found the column, recognized that her husband/brother lay within, and brought it back to Egypt. Seth discovered the chest, stole it, cuts Osiris’ body into fourteen parts, and scattered the parts along the Nile shore. Isis searched for the parts, found them, reassembled the body of Osiris, and attempted to raise it. She failed, and her sister Nephthys tried. Nephthys failed, and their brother Thoth tried, using a special grip. The third attempt worked, and Osiris rose up to heaven.[20]
The Encyclopedia Britannica relates a similar story as above.[21] The similarities are too great to ignore. “Osiris was not only ruler of the dead but also the power that granted all life from the underworld.”[22] Osiris was symbolically destroyed in God’s first plague upon Egypt. The first plague was the turning of the Nile to blood. He was believed to be the bloodstream of Osiris, who was reborn each year when the river flooded.
Freemasonry and Idolatry
Freemasonry is a false religion, a cult. Among other things, it is a place of worship and prayer to false gods and / or goddesses. It contains rituals based upon mere legend and most likely developed from pagan worship of other gods. No matter, as the said legend isn’t scriptural.
Freemasonry is idolatrous. Idolatry is throughout Scripture. Jacob commanded members of his extended family to get rid of their foreign gods just before he arrived in Bethel. Gen. 35:1-4 states:
God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.
I wonder if today, if Jacob’s family were Masonic lodge members if he’d say, “Put away [your Masonic working tools, including the compass, level, plumb, trowel, skirret, 24-inch gauge, pencil, and square, etc.] that are among you and purify yourselves and [destroy your Lodge apron].”
Most of Israel engaged in idol worship as is recounted in the incident of the golden calf while Moses was on Mount Sinai (Exod. 32:1-6). God’s judgment was great, about 3,000 men perished (Exod. 32:25-29). “Then the Lord sent a plague on the people” (Exod. 32:35). During the time of the judges, Israel engaged in idolatry and they were judged accordingly.
Even what otherwise seems to be godly men can be deceived into idol worship. Near the end of King Solomon’s reign there was pattern of idolatry in Israel (1 Kings 11:1-8). Solomon, the builder of God’s temple, himself “went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:5). He built a “high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem” (1 Kings 11:7). Scripture recounts that “Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 11:6). God judged the King that built his temple (1 Kings 11:11). At the finish of Solomon’s reign, Israel became divided. Even after the division of Israel, the rulers of the northern kingdom of Israel engaged in idolatry. So did many of the southern kings of Judah. They were all sent into exile.
Paul states in 1 Cor. 10:20-22:
No I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you [Christians] to be participants with demons. You [Christians] cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You [Christians] cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we [Christians] provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we [Christians] stronger than he?
Behind all idolatry are demons. No matter the cult, demons are somewhere in the background drawing men and women to Satan and his kingdom. Satan as “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4) exercises great power in the world (1 John 5:19; cf. Luke 13:16; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 6:12; Heb. 2:14). He comes but to try to deceive others (John 8:44) and to destroy them (John 10:10). And this is his goal in idolatry.
The Ten Commandments speaks against idolatry (Exod. 20:3-4). So, do many other texts of Scripture (Exod. 23:13, 24; 34:14-17; Deut. 4:23-24; 6:14; Josh. 23:7; Judg. 6:10; 2 Kings 17:35-38). Not only are Christians not supposed to worship idols, but they should also destroy them out of their lives. Israel was commanded to break down such images (Exod. 23:24; 34:13; Deut. 7:4-5; 12:2-3).
In Closing
My heart goes out to those caught up in this cult. Most join at only the Master Mason level (3rd Degree) not understanding the true origins of Freemasons or what is included in the upper level degrees (4-33) of this cult. It’s all shrouded in mystery and secrets.
Only by the grace of God will they find a way out of it. The results of not finding their way out only ends one way. Rev. 21:8 states, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (cf. Rev. 21:17; 22:15).
My prayer is that this brief article may help open the eyes of some.
End Notes:
[1] He served as the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council, Scottish Rite (Southern Jurisdiction, USA) from 1859 to 1889. DC Scottish Rite. “History of the Scottish Rite in the District of Columbia.” (https://dcsr.org/history/ ). Last Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
[2] Albert Pike. Morals and Dogma (1932). p. 196.
[3] Ibid, p. 213.
[4] Ibid, 526.
[5] Before his death Mackey was the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States. Albert Mackey; William J. Hughan; Edward L. Hawkins. Encyclopedia of freemasonry and its kindred sciences, comprising the whole range of arts, sciences and literature as connected with the institution. Vol. II. New York; London: The Masonic History Company (1916).
[6] Albert Mackey. Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. The Masonic History Company (1929). p. 792.
[7] Ibid, p. 851.
[8] Pike. Morals and Dogma, p. 289.
[9] Ibid. p. 363. [10] Albert Pike. Morals and Dogma, pp. 99-100.
[11] Ibid, p. 224.
[12] Mackey. Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. p. 133.
[13] Martin P. Starr. Aleister Crowley—Freemason? Oxford Academic. (https://academic.oup.com/book/8721/chapter-abstract/154780895?redirectedFrom=fulltext ). Last Accessed 26 Jan. 2023.
[14] Henry Pirtle. Kentucky Monitor, 13th ed. (Louisville: The Standard Printing Co., 1990), pp. 214-15.
[15] A first degree Mason is called Entered Apprentice; a second degree is Fellow Craft; and the third degree is Master Mason.
[16] Ephesians 5:11. (http://www.ephesians5-11.org/blood.htm ). Last Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
[17] This grip is made by pressing the top of the thumb hard on a fellow Manson's second knuckle.
[18] Masonic Study Series. “The Lion’s Paw.” Volume 2, issue 8 February 2017. (https://members.wisc-freemasonry.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MSS-The-Lions-Paw-February-2017.pdf ). Last Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
[19] Ephesians 5:11.
[20] Virginia Royal Arch Research Chapter No. 1753. “Allegories of Hiram Abiff: Exoteric and esoteric philosophies from Christianity, Rosicrucianism, and the ancient Egyptian mystery schools.” (https://virginiaroyalarch.org/education/pdfs/Allegories_of_Hiram_Abiff.pdf ). Last Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
[21] Britannica. “Osiris Egyptian god.” (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Seth-Egyptian-god ). Last Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
[22] Ibid.
Every Controversial Freemason Symbol Explained in 16 Minutes
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The man of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12 is the Antichrist who will come on the world scene at the beginning of the Day of the Lord. This Day, sometimes called the “end times,” starts after the rapture of the church in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11). It is good to note that the Day of the Lord is not a twenty-four-hour period of time; rather, it is an extended period of time that includes the seven-year tribulation, the return of Christ to put down all rebellion against Him, the 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth, the final defeat of Satan, and the Great White Throne Judgment.
The Antichrist is given the title “man of lawlessness” because he will oppose in every way the biblical God and His law. He will be completely lawless. Daniel 7 speaks of this man as a “boastful” king who will “try to change the set times and the laws” (verses 11 and 25). He will come offering a false peace to the world and will with his charismatic personality, incredible promises, and breathtaking miracles unite all nations politically, economically, and religiously under his leadership. At the same time, he will make a covenant with Israel for three and one-half years (cf. Daniel 9:27, where “seven” indicates seven years). In the middle of the seven years, the man of lawlessness will break his covenant with Israel, stop their sacrifices (Daniel 9:27), and enter the temple to set himself up as “god” and demand worship (2 Thessalonians 2:4). This is the “abomination that causes desolation” that Jesus spoke of in Mark 13:14.
Satan works through the Antichrist, for Satan himself is not able to become incarnate. By possessing and controlling the Antichrist, Satan is worshiped in the temple where the biblical God is to be worshiped. No wonder the Antichrist is called the man of lawlessness. To act as “god” is the ultimate rejection of the biblical God’s character and laws.
This action of the Antichrist will cause an upheaval in his worldwide kingdom, and forces from the East will gather to fight against him. But instead of fighting each other, the forces of the world unite to fight the King of kings and Lord of lords, who comes to put down the man of lawlessness and his allies in the great battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16; 19:19). Of course, the man of lawlessness loses that battle. He and his false prophet are then cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20). The Word of God (Revelation 19:13), Jesus Christ, will be the Victor.
A quick observation of the happenings in our world today reveals that lawlessness is on the rise. Such lawlessness will continue and increase (2 Timothy 3:13), and when the man of lawlessness appears on the scene, he will be welcomed with open arms. Those who have rejected the true Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, will fall for the Antichrist’s empty promise of peace. It is vitally important that each of us is sure that we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and are living for Him. “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come” (Mark 13:33).
0:00 Blazing Star 0:35 Eye of Providence (All-Seeing Eye) 1:40 Two-Headed Eagle 2:54 Square and Compasses 3:40 Hourglass 4:32 Broken Column 5:06 Royal Arch 6:02 Letter "G" 6:46 Two Pillars 7:35 Masonic Tools 8:18 Acacia Sprig 8:55 Sheaf of Corn 9:11 Beehive 9:31 Masonic Gavel 10:00 Moon 10:36 Sun 11:07 Anchor and the Ark 11:27 Ashlars 11:50 47th Problem of Euclid 12:21 Circumpunct 13:15 Cable Tow 14:05 Jacob’s Ladder 14:59 Masonic Apron 15:39 Checkerboard
Communism resulted in millions of deaths primarily through forced agricultural collectivization that caused catastrophic famines, systematic political purges, lethal forced labor camps, and totalitarian policies designed to eliminate perceived "class enemies". These tragedies stemmed from a combination of ideological goals and absolute state power.
The massive loss of life under these regimes is largely attributed to the following factors:
Forced Agricultural Collectivization:
The reorganization of farming into state-controlled systems destroyed private property incentives and disrupted traditional agriculture. This drastically reduced food production, resulting in man-made famines (such as the Soviet Holodomor and the Chinese Great Leap Forward) that killed tens of millions.
The "Ends Justify the Means" Ideology:
Communist ideology envisioned a utopian, classless society. To achieve this, leaders believed that any resistance had to be ruthlessly crushed, making violence and the sacrifice of human lives a calculated tool in their revolutionary framework.
Elimination of Class Enemies:
State-sponsored terror targeted specific socioeconomic groups (like wealthy landowners or the bourgeoisie) and political dissidents, leading to mass executions, show trials, and systemic purging of the population.
Lethal Forced Labor (Gulags):
Millions were sent to labor camps for political offenses or economic sabotage, where brutal conditions, starvation, and extreme overwork drove high mortality rates.
Absolute Totalitarian Power:
Without the checks, balances, and individual rights found in democratic societies, dictatorial leaders like Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong held unchecked authority, which allowed disastrous economic policies and purges to continue unchecked
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The story of the golden
calf
is found in Exodus 32:1–6
The children of Israel had been in bondage in Egypt for over 400 years (Genesis 15:13; Acts 7:6). God called Moses, the deliverer, and told him that He had heard their cries and was about to deliver them (Exodus 3:6–8). During their time in Egypt, the Israelites had apparently begun to doubt the existence of the God their fathers worshiped (Exodus 3:13). To help Moses prove the existence and power of God, he was given a number of miraculous signs to help the Israelites believe. After all of these miracles were done, including the ten plagues on the Egyptians, the Israelites came out of Egypt with a renewed belief in the God of their fathers. They passed through the Red Sea on dry land, while the Egyptian army was drowned, and they were brought to the mountain of God to receive His laws.
The people of the Middle East were very religious, but they also worshiped many gods. The ten plagues God brought on the Egyptians were judgments against specific gods they worshiped and showed that the Lord was greater than all of them. Even Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, who was the priest of Midian and a worshiper of the true God, was impacted by the religious pluralism of the people around him. When Moses and the people arrived at Mount Sinai, and Jethro heard of all God’s works, he replied, “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people” (Exodus 18:11). When God gave His laws to the Israelites, He began by addressing this religious pluralism. “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me” (Exodus 20:2–5).
While Moses was up on the mountain receiving God’s laws, the people were getting anxious down on the plain. Moses spent forty days (Exodus 24:18) up on the mountain with God, and by the end of that time, the people were beginning to think Moses had died or left them. The people urged Aaron, their temporary leader, to make gods for them to follow. Since they were accustomed to having visual representations of gods, this was the natural (but sinful) result of their thinking. Aaron took their gold earrings, which they had brought from Egypt, and melted them down to make a golden idol. The idol he crafted for them was a calf, but Aaron maintained the name of the Lord in connection with it (Exodus 32:5). He was merging the pagan practices they were familiar with and the worship of the God they were just beginning to be re-acquainted with. After Aaron fashioned the gold into a calf, the people said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt” (Exodus 32:4). The people offered sacrifices and then engaged in pagan rituals, including orgies (Exodus 32:25) to worship this new god.
Why did Aaron do this? Scripture doesn’t give us the full answer, but we can put certain clues together and get a fairly good picture. First, the people’s long familiarity with idol worship would incline them to follow that method in the absence of clear direction otherwise. Second, they were already in the habit of merging their beliefs with those of the people around them, a practice that would continue to plague them throughout the kingdom years. Third, Aaron was faced with an unruly crowd that placed a demand on him. The solution of making an idol seemed reasonable.
Why did he choose a calf/bull? His lame excuse to Moses—“It just came out of the fire like this!” Exodus 32:24)—was just a feeble attempt to dodge blame. He fashioned it with a graving tool (Exodus 32:4) and took great care to form it that way. Some have tried to show that the bull represented one of the gods of Egypt, but that doesn’t fit the text, because Aaron called a feast to the Lord (Yahweh) and said that it was the god(s) which brought them out of the land of Egypt. The bull was a symbol of strength and fertility, and the people were already familiar with bull gods from Egypt. Bulls were also typical animals of sacrifice, so to use their image as a symbol of the god being worshiped was a natural connection. Aaron’s bull was a mixture of the powerful God who delivered the people through mighty works and the pagan methods of worship that were borrowed from the people around them.
Even though there are reasonable explanations for why Aaron and the people began to worship the golden calf, those explanations do not excuse the sin. God certainly held the people accountable for their corruption (Exodus 32:7–10) and was ready to destroy them for their sin. Moses’ personal intercession on behalf of his people saved them. Moses indicated that Aaron at least should have known that his actions were sinful (Exodus 32:21) and didn’t let him off the hook. As with any other sin, the punishment is death, and the only proper response is repentance. Moses called for those who were on the Lord’s side to come stand with him (Exodus 32:26). The Levites stood with him and were commanded to go through the camp and kill anyone who persisted in the idolatry. Three thousand men were killed that day. The next day, Moses went up and confessed the people’s sins before God, asking for His forgiveness. God declared that the guilty ones would yet pay with their own deaths and be blotted out of His book. These were the same ones who, on the verge of entering the Promised Land, would deny God’s promises and be sent into the wilderness to die for their sins. Their children would be the ones to receive God’s promised blessings.
Their experiences are a lesson to us today. Even though we might justify our actions through reason or logic, if we are violating God’s clear commands, we are sinning against Him, and He will hold us accountable for those sins. God is not to be worshiped with images, because any image we make will draw more attention to the work of our hands than the God who made all things. Also, there is no way we can ever fully represent the holiness and awesomeness of God through an image. To attempt to do so will always fall short. On top of this, God is a spirit (John 4:24), and we cannot form an image of a spirit. We worship God by believing His Word, obeying it, and declaring His greatness to others.
In biblical studies, a type is when a person, event, or practice in the Old Testament foreshadows or symbolizes a New Testament reality. An antitype refers to the fulfillment of a type. The most important types in the Old Testament point to the person and work of Jesus Christ. Some refer to His first coming; others refer to His second coming. In this way, types function as an implicit form of prophecy because they reveal recurring patterns in God’s plan.
The word type comes from the Greek word typos, meaning an “example or pattern.” For instance, Paul uses the word to describe Adam as a pattern that foreshadows Christ. He explains, “Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come” (Romans 5:14, ESV; emphasis added). The NIV translates the key phrase “who is a pattern of the one to come,” while the NLT renders it as “a symbol, a representation of Christ.”
However, a New Testament writer does not need to use typos for a person, event, or practice to function as one. For instance, many scholars consider Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the desert (Numbers 32:13) a type of Jesus’ 40 days of wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11). Accordingly, crossing the Red Sea at the beginning of the 40-year period (Exodus 14–15) foreshadowed Jesus’ baptism just before the Holy Spirit led Him into the desert (Matthew 4:1). Moreover, at the end of Jesus’ 40 days, the devil tempts Him three times. In each of His responses, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy about relying on, trusting, and serving God—verses originally about Israel’s time in the desert.
In addition to types related to Christ’s first coming, some point to events surrounding His return. An example of a type related to the events surrounding the Second Coming is the idolatry of Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria. The prophet Daniel foretells that a Syrian leader would “set up an abomination that causes desolation” at the temple (Daniel 9:27). Antiochus fulfilled this prophecy in 168 BC, when he invaded Jerusalem and sacrificed pigs to Zeus in the temple. Yet, when Jesus taught about the end times, he referred to Daniel’s prophecy as if it still awaited fulfillment. Quoting Daniel, Jesus said, “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand” (Matthew 24:15). Thus, Antiochus’ profane act was a type of the Antichrist’s idolatry in the temple during the end times (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4).
One caution about interpreting types is forcing details to fit the definition. Some do this when they assign symbolic meaning to the five stones David used to kill Goliath. They suggest the stones foreshadow faith, hope, love, prayer, and the Holy Spirit. Yet there is no Old or New Testament verse that links them to those five concepts. Not only is the word type not used, but nothing suggests that they foreshadow a future reality. While recognizing types is valuable, discernment is important.
It is also important to distinguish types from prophecy. A prophecy is a direct revelation from God in which He reveals a future person or event to a prophet, writer, or other servant, who then declares it to others. For instance, Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). This prophecy itself is not a type, since it directly foretells the event rather than foreshadowing it through a person, event, or practice.
In addition, types should not be confused with allegory. An allegory is a story in which people, events, or details have deeper spiritual or moral meanings. Types aren’t allegories because they have a real, straightforward meaning in their own time, in addition to pointing forward to the future.
Studying types is a fascinating way to learn about God’s plan for the ages. They reveal that the past, present, and future are unfolding according to God’s design. Types also help Bible readers see the unity between the Old and New Testaments. Although the authors wrote at different times and in different places, with various styles and purposes, they tell one story. In these ways, types display God’s sovereignty.
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Faith is so VITAL
to the
Christian life
That
Scripture tells us
that,
without it,
it is
impossible to please
God
(Hebrews 11:6).
Yet faith is such a powerful gift from God (Ephesians 2:8–9) Christ told His disciples that, with just a tiny measure of it, the size of a mustard seed, they could move mountains. So, what does it mean to have “mustard seed faith”?
We see the reference to “mustard seed faith” twice in Scripture. First, in Matthew 17:20, we see Christ’s disciples unable to exorcise a demon from a young boy, even though Jesus had previously given them the authority to do this very thing (Matthew 10:1). When they inquired of Jesus why they were not able to drive the demon out, the Master replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’ and it will move; Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:14–20). Next, in Luke 17:6, Jesus tells His disciples, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” By using the uncommonly small mustard seed as an example, Jesus is speaking figuratively about the incalculable power of God when unleashed in the lives of those with true faith.
We know that this statement about moving mountains and uprooting trees by faith is not to be taken literally. The key to understanding the passages is the nature of faith, which is a gift from God. The power of faith reflects the omnipotent nature of the God who bestows faith on His own. The mustard seed is one of the tiniest seeds found in the Middle East, so the conclusion is that the amount of faith needed to do great things is very small indeed. Just as in the parable of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31–32), Jesus uses rhetorical hyperbole to make the point that little is much when it comes from God. The mustard seed in the parable grows to be a huge tree, representing the tiny beginnings of Christianity when just a few disciples began to preach and teach the gospel. Eventually, the kingdom grew to huge proportions, encompassing the entire world and spreading over centuries.
So, too, does the tiniest bit of faith, when it is true faith from God, grow to immense proportions in the lives of believers and spreading out to influence all they come into contact with. One has only to read histories of the great men of the faith, such as Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, to know that superhuman feats were performed by those whose faith was, at one time, only the size of a mustard seed.
The question of where the nails were placed goes to the question of whether Jesus was crucified on a cross, pole, or stake. Some scientists have suggested that if He was crucified on a cross, as tradition states, the hands would not have been strong enough to hold His weight. Therefore, they suggest that the nails were actually in His wrists, which are considered stronger and more capable of holding His weight. Others have posited that the hands would have been strong enough, considering that His feet were also nailed and would have supported some of His weight. There is also some historical evidence that sometimes a cross would have sort of a seat to help support the crucified person’s weight.
While historical scholars are uncertain of the nail placement in Jesus’ crucifixion, or anyone else’s for that matter, the Bible simply says that Jesus had wounds in His hands (John 20:25-27). The Greek word translated “hands” is cheir, which means literally “hands.” There is no Greek word for “wrists” in the New Testament, even though some versions translate Acts 12:7 to say that the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. But the Greek word in this verse is also cheir.
It’s possible that the nails may have been angled to enter through the hand and exit through the wrist, but it’s just as likely that the nails were driven straight through the hand somewhere near the base of the thumb. Experiments have shown that both ways do work and either way could have been used in the crucifixion of Jesus.
Spiritually, the wounds of Christ hold infinite significance to us and are a part of His glory, but their exact location is a minor issue. We know that there are five wounds—the hands, the side, and the feet. Although we don’t know exactly where on the hands or the side or the feet, we do know that by His wounds, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24). The wounds on His body brought about spiritual healing from sin to all who would ever believe in Him.
The Pool of Bethesda was renowned as a supposed place of healing in Jesus’ time. At this pool Jesus healed a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years. As Jesus healed him, He said, “Take up your bed and walk” (John 5:8, NKJV). This miracle reveals that Jesus is the ultimate Healer and that He is greater than any man-made rules, superstitions, and beliefs.
The Pool of Bethesda (Aramaic for “House of Mercy”) was a spring-fed pool just north of the temple. Near the water “a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed” (John 5:3). These people would wait expectantly at the pool because they believed an angel would come down into the pool and “stir up the water.” Then, according to the superstition, “whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had” (John 5:4, NKJV). The man who was told to “take up your bed and walk” was one of these people who trusted that the water would provide healing. What he really needed was Jesus.
On the day Jesus visited the Pool of Bethesda, the invalid was there, waiting for the angel to do his magical work. The man did not know Jesus and thought the pool was what he needed to be healed. He complained to Jesus that there was “no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me” (John 5:7). Jesus swept aside all superstition and false belief with one command: “Rise! Take up your bed and walk!” (John 5:8, NKJV). The man was instantly cured, and “he picked up his mat and walked” (verse 9). The man never got wet. It was not the water the man needed but Jesus.
Through this third “sign” or miracle in the Gospel of John, Jesus shows He is the ultimate Healer, not just of physical maladies but of our hearts. After the healing, “Jesus found [the man] in the temple, and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you’” (John 5:14). Jesus revealed that the man’s physical healing was secondary to his need to be healed spiritually. Although the passage does not reveal the man’s conversion, it does teach that Jesus sees not only our physical maladies but our hearts as well. He is the only one who can provide the spiritual healing we need. While being physically ill for thirty-eight years is difficult, an eternity in hell is even worse (see Mark 9:47).
Jesus telling the man, “Take up your bed and walk” became an issue for the Jewish leaders because the healing took place on the Sabbath (John 5:9). The fact that a paralytic was walking did not matter to them; they were furious. “For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath” (John 5:16). The Pharisees’ traditions forbade the carrying of one’s mat or bed on the Sabbath. Of course, Jesus had not violated the Sabbath law (see Matthew 5:17). It was only the pharisaical interpretation and addition to God’s laws that were being broken. The healing of the lame man exposed the Pharisees’ hard hearts and revealed that Jesus is greater than their man-made laws.
Jesus’ command, “Take up your bed and walk,” and its immediate result reveal that He is greater than any superstition, folklore, or man-made rule. Faith in anything other than Jesus is misplaced and leaves us wanting. Yet Jesus can forgive anyone who will turn to Him for salvation—that is the ultimate healing we all need.
What does it mean to be spiritually alive?
The Bible reveals that every human is born into the world spiritually dead. Through faith in Jesus and the transformative power of the gospel, we are made spiritually alive in Christ: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, . . . gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. . . . But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. . . . And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:1–6).
All people of every nation, age, and condition live in death and darkness until they come to faith in Jesus (Psalm 107:10; Matthew 4:16). They are separated from God, living without hope, and destitute of spiritual life (Ephesians 2:12). The only way to change our spiritual disposition—to be radically transformed from spiritually dead to spiritually alive—is to believe in Jesus Christ and place our trust in Him (Romans 3:22). Through faith in Jesus, we are restored to a right relationship with God (Romans 5:1; 8:10). We become one with Christ (Galatians 3:26–28) and His righteousness becomes our righteousness (Philippians 3:9). We are then ready to become all that He intended for us to be (Romans 8:28–30; Ephesians 2:10).
The theological term for being made spiritually alive is regeneration. Regeneration is expressed in the Bible as “rebirth” or being “born again” (see Titus 3:4–6; John 3:3–7). When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us and gives birth to spiritual life (2 Corinthians 3:6, 8–9; Romans 8:2). The Spirit of God cleanses us and makes us new (2 Thessalonians 2:13). He makes us holy, convicting us of sin (John 16:8), setting us free, and making us more and more like Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 3:17–18). We become a whole new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Being spiritually alive means having the life of Christ in us. Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself” (John 5:24–26). Those who are spiritually alive have been given the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ—they will live forever with God (John 3:15–16, 36; 6:40, 54; 10:28; 17:3).
The process of regeneration—of crossing over from spiritual death to spiritual life—is not achieved by human will or by doing good things but by the gracious and merciful act of God and the internal, ongoing work of the Holy Spirit (John 6:63; Ephesians 2:8, 9).
The concept of believers being made spiritually alive is closely associated with the resurrection of Jesus Christ (John 14:19). The apostle Paul presents this powerful depiction: “For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:12–23, NLT).
Because we are raised to new life in Christ, we are set free from the spiritual powers of sin, death, and darkness in this world (Romans 5:17; 8:2). “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there” (Galatians 5:24, NLT). We no longer live to satisfy our sinful nature but are now free to obey the Spirit of God (Romans 6:18; Romans 7:4–6).
Born-again Christians serve a God “who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist” (Romans 4:17, CSB). God breathes spiritual life into us and raises us with Christ. He also blesses us in Christ with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3) and seats us with Christ in the heavens (Ephesians 2:6). We are positioned spiritually in heaven, where Christ lives. This world is not our home because our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Because we are spiritually alive in Christ, we now live to please God (Ephesians 5:7–10), hungering and thirsting for righteousness and seeking His kingdom and righteousness above all else (Matthew 5:6; 6:33).
The story of Peter’s threefold denial of Christ is found in all four Gospel accounts: Matthew 26:69–74, Mark 14:66–72, Luke 22:55–62, and John 18:15–18, 25–27. But why would the chief of the disciples deny even knowing Him? There were two main reasons why Peter denied Jesus: weakness and fear.
Peter’s denial was based partially on weakness, the weakness born of human frailty. After the Last Supper, Jesus took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane to await His arrest. He told them to stay awake and pray while He went off to pray alone. When He returned to them, He found them sleeping. He warned Peter to stay awake and pray because, although his spirit might be willing, his flesh was weak. But he fell asleep again, and, by the time the soldiers had come to arrest Jesus, it was too late to pray for the strength to endure the ordeal to come. No doubt his failure to appropriate the only means to shore up his own weakness—prayer—occurred to him as he was weeping bitterly after his denials. But Peter learned his lesson about being watchful, and he exhorts us in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be on the alert, because your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Peter’s weakness had caused him to be “devoured” momentarily as he denied his Lord because he hadn’t been prepared through prayer and he underestimated his own weakness.
A second reason for Peter’s failure was fear. To his credit, although all the others had fled (Mark 14:50), Peter still followed Jesus after His arrest, but he kept his distance so as not to be identified with Him (Mark 14:54). There’s no question that fear gripped him. From the courtyard, he watched Jesus being falsely accused, beaten, and insulted (Mark 14:57–66). Peter was afraid Jesus would die, and he was fearful for his own life as well. The world hated Jesus, and Peter found that he was not prepared to face the ridicule and persecution that Jesus was suffering. Earlier, Jesus had warned His disciples as well as us today, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18; cf. Matthew 24:9). Peter quickly found he wasn’t nearly as bold and courageous as he had proclaimed, and in fear he denied the One who had loved him.
We might well wonder why Jesus allowed Peter to fail so miserably and deny his Lord three times that night. Jesus revealed to Peter that Satan had asked for permission to sift Peter like wheat (Luke 22:31). Jesus could have easily protected Peter and not allowed Satan to sift him, but Jesus had a higher goal. He was equipping Peter to strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:32). Not only did Peter strengthen the other disciples, but he became the pillar of the early church in Jerusalem, exhorting and training others to follow the Lord Jesus (Acts 2). And he continues to this day to strengthen us through his epistles, 1 and 2 Peter. As with all our failures, God used Peter’s many failures, including his three denials of Christ, to turn him from Simon, a common man with a common name, into Peter, the Rock.
Heaven’s Streets of Gold
are
often referenced
in
Song and Poetry,
But they’re harder to find in the Bible.
In fact, there is only one passage of Scripture that mentions
Streets of Gold,
and that refers to the
Holy City,
The
New Jerusalem
“The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21). Earlier, John had described the whole city as being “of pure gold, as pure as glass” (verse 18). Do these verses tell us that the streets (and the city) will be literally made of gold in heaven? If so, what is the significance of having literal streets of gold?
The Greek word translated “gold” in Revelation 21:21 is chrusion, which can mean “gold, gold jewelry, or overlay.” To translate it as “gold” makes perfect sense. Interpretative difficulties arise when attempting to determine which parts of the Bible to take literally and which parts to take figuratively. A good rule of thumb when studying the Bible is to take everything literally, unless it doesn’t make sense to do so. In this passage there’s no reason the gold must be figurative. John isn’t just throwing out random descriptive terms; his mention of a “gold” street seems meant to be taken literally.
Earlier in Revelation 21, John is given a rod to measure out the city (verse 15), and he records precise measurements. Then he says, “The wall was made of jasper” (verse 18) and describes the city as composed of pure gold (verse 18). The foundations of the city walls are garnished with many specific precious stones and jewels (verses 19–20). The gates are made of pearl, and the main street is made of gold (verse 21). Everything in the description is specific as to composition, and there are no similes used—the street is not said to be “like gold,” but “of gold.”
So, if heaven’s streets are made of gold, what is the point? Why is this an important detail? First, the gold is valuable. The streets of gold in the New Jerusalem indicate the worth of that place. In this world, we walk on gravel or pavement or asphalt. There, we will tread gold as if it were a commonplace building material. Everything in the New Jerusalem will be proportionately finer, richer, and more precious than anything we can imagine here.
Second, the gold is beautiful. The streets of gold and the whole city will gleam with an unmatched luster. Twice, John compares the purity of the gold in heaven to glass: the street is “as pure as transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21), and the city is “as pure as glass” (Revelation 21:18). Commentator Albert Barnes takes this to mean “that the golden city would be so bright and burnished that it would seem to be glass reflecting the sunbeams. . . . It is certain that, as nothing could be more magnificent, so nothing could more beautifully combine the two ideas referred to here—that of ‘gold and glass’” (Notes on the Bible, 1834).
Third, the gold is transparent. According to Revelation 21:21, the gold comprising the streets in heaven is “clear as crystal” (CEV) or “like transparent glass” (NET). This quality would set heavenly gold apart from earthly gold, to be sure. In our understanding, transparent cannot be a descriptor of gold. But heaven (the new earth) will be a place beyond our understanding. “Excellencies will be combined in the heavenly city which now seem incompatible” (Jamieson, R.; Fausset, A. R.; and Brown, D.; A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, 1882).
Fourth, the gold is pure. Everything about the new earth is pure, as God is pure. “The words of the Lord are flawless, . . . like gold refined seven times” (Psalm 12:6). The streets of gold in heaven reflect the pure light of God’s blazing glory. And God’s ability to purify is not confined to gold; God has purified all who will enter heaven through the blood of Jesus Christ. “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). Not only is God’s holy city pure by His design, but so are the citizens of that city.
Fifth, the gold will last. The streets of gold in heaven denote the solidity and eternality of the new earth. The new earth will be a place of freedom from all sin and corruption (see Isaiah 35:8 and Revelation 21:27). Nothing will tarnish, rust, or grow dim. Everything and everyone will be forever flawless and absolutely impeccable.
Of course, there are some good teachers and scholars who do not hold to the idea of literal golden streets in heaven. It is a detail open to debate. However, taking the text at face value within the context of the whole chapter, there seems to be no reason to doubt the gold is literal.
Our focus in the New Jerusalem will not be the streets of gold. Perspectives will change, and what we treasure here will be trod underfoot in heaven. We may amass gold on earth, but one day we will see it as nothing more than paving material. Heaven will be a beautiful place, but nothing will ever be more beautiful or of greater value than the God who loves us and died to save us.
Anyone Want these?
A Random Vendor
gave them to
My husband at work yesterday
and I tried one;
okay.
The REAL Questions is-
Annie, are YOU
Ok?
There is a difference
between the
kind of
pride that God hates
(Proverbs 8:13)
And the kind of pride we can feel about a job well done (Galatians 6:4) or the kind of pride we express over the accomplishment of loved ones (2 Corinthians 7:4). The kind of pride that stems from self-righteousness or conceit is sin, however, and God hates it because it is a hindrance to seeking Him.
Psalm 10:4 explains that the proud are so consumed with themselves that their thoughts are far from God: “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” This kind of haughty pride is the opposite of the spirit of humility that God seeks: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The “poor in spirit” are those who recognize their utter spiritual bankruptcy and their inability to come to God aside from His divine grace. The proud, on the other hand, are so blinded by their pride that they think they have no need of God or, worse, that God should accept them as they are because they deserve His acceptance.
Throughout Scripture we are told about the consequences of pride. Proverbs 16:18-19 tells us that “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.” Satan was cast out of heaven because of pride (Isaiah 14:12-15). He had the selfish audacity to attempt to replace God Himself as the rightful ruler of the universe. But Satan will be cast down to hell in the final judgment of God. For those who rise up in defiance against God, there is nothing ahead but disaster (Isaiah 14:22).
Pride has kept many people from accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. Admitting sin and acknowledging that in our own strength we can do nothing to inherit eternal life is a constant stumbling block for prideful people. We are not to boast about ourselves; if we want to boast, then we are to proclaim the glories of God. What we say about ourselves means nothing in God’s work. It is what God says about us that makes the difference (2 Corinthians 10:18).
Why is pride so sinful? Pride is giving ourselves the credit for something that God has accomplished. Pride is taking the glory that belongs to God alone and keeping it for ourselves. Pride is essentially self-worship. Anything we accomplish in this world would not have been possible were it not for God enabling and sustaining us. “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). That is why we give God the glory—He alone deserves it.
Biblically speaking, the rainbow is the sign of a covenant that God made with the whole earth: He will never destroy the earth again with a flood. The rainbow is literally correlated to rainfall.
God made this covenant, with the rainbow as the token, after the waters of the flood receded and Noah and his family exited the ark. God said, “I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. . . . This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth” (Genesis 9:11–15).
God made this promise, signified by the rainbow, not only to mankind but to “every living creature . . . the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark . . . every living creature on earth” (Genesis 9:9–10). The covenant is perpetual, enduring to all generations. Never again will there be a worldwide flood.
The colors of the rainbow are sometimes used as a symbol of “gay pride.” This began in 1978 when an artist named Gilbert Baker designed and made a flag for the homosexual community in San Francisco. Baker’s original design had eight colors, and he assigned a meaning to each one: hot pink (sexuality), red (life), orange (healing), yellow (the sun), green (nature), turquoise (art), indigo (harmony), and violet (spirit). Subsequent designs sported seven and then six colors. Rainbow flags and banners, as used by the LGBTQ+ community, represent diversity, hope, and social action.
There are other rainbow flags and banners that have nothing to do with the homosexual culture. For example, the Hawaii Ko Aloha Flag has nine colored stripes representing the islands that were inhabited before Western civilization arrived. Another example is the flag of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, a Masonic organization whose banner represents seven different virtues.
The Rainbow is God’s
Creation
We naturally delight in it. There is something awe-inspiring in the appearance of a rainbow after a storm. It is good and right that we rejoice in the rainbow as a God-ordained symbol of God’s faithfulness and mercy. The attempt of some to co-opt the colors for their own purposes does not diminish the beauty and wonder of what God has made.
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The Condemnan
you are
like
Whitewashed tombs
was part of
Jesus’ indictment of the
scribes and Pharisees
in Matthew 23.
An expert in the law tried to test the Lord Jesus by asking Him to declare what was the greatest commandment in the Law of Moses. In one masterful statement, Jesus condensed the entire law that God had given Moses: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).
When we read the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, we are struck with the realization that they focus on these two issues. Certainly we are to love God supremely. But what does it mean to love our neighbor as ourselves?
Jesus is quoting here from Leviticus 19. Let’s look at its context:
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the LORD your God. You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the LORD. You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD. You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:9–18).
Notice that loving our neighbor would include sharing with the poor and the alien; compassion and absolute honesty and justice in our relationships with others; impartiality; a refusal to be a party to gossip or slander; an absence of malice toward anyone and a refusal to bear a grudge; taking care never to put another’s life at risk and never taking private vengeance upon another. It is also interesting to note that when we have an issue with anyone, we should strive to make it right by going to him or her directly. James calls this the “royal law” (James 2:8). Our Lord taught that we should do to others as we would have them do to us (Matthew 7:12).
It is a fact that anyone who does not have a personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ will die in his sins and face eternity in hell. Therefore, we owe it to our neighbors to lovingly share with them the good news of the gospel. True believers have been forgiven, possess eternal life, and have blessings forever as the result of others who have shared the gospel with them. God’s love is evidenced in us as we communicate this precious gospel and love others as we have been loved.
It is one of seven woes Jesus pronounced on the religious leaders as He confronted them about their hypocrisy.
Whitewashed tombs means exactly what it sounds like: tombs or mausoleums that have been covered with white paint, so they “look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27). This speaks to the spiritual condition of the scribes and Pharisees. Outwardly, they were holy and clean, but inside they were spiritually dead.
The comparison to whitewashed tombs would have been quite offensive because the Mosaic Law states, “Whoever touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days” (Numbers 19:11, ESV). For a group of people who prided themselves on ceremonial cleanliness and following the law, the accusation that they were full of dead bodies would be insufferable. That was precisely Jesus’ point, though. They may have been ceremonially clean, but, inside, they were the highest level of unclean—full of the death and decay they tried so hard to avoid.
Such a harsh statement from Jesus reveals His anger at the hypocrisy in the religious leaders, who only cared about appearances. They took care of what people could see—and took pride in it—but they neglected what God could see. They “painted the outside,” leaving the inside full of greed and self-indulgence (Matthew 23:25). In their eyes, if they followed the law to the letter, they were holy, and the condition of their hearts wouldn’t matter. Jesus needed to confront the superficiality of these dangerous leaders who did not practice what they preached. The whitewashed tombs were leading themselves and others to death and separation from God (Matthew 23:15).
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained that the law was less about what to do and not do and more about changing the heart. One analogy is that the law is like a mirror, revealing the flaws in man and how much they need God, like a mirror showing the food stuck between one’s teeth. The law can reveal uncleanness, but it cannot be used to make a person righteous; only God can do that. The Pharisees were taking the mirror off the wall and trying to use it to pick their teeth. It simply does not work.
Whitewashed tombs work as a good contrast to Jesus Himself, the Son of Man, who came to bring life (John 10:10). He offered rest and grace instead of the impossible burden and condemnation of the Pharisees (Matthew 11:28–30). The superficial cleanness of whitewashed tombs cannot compare to the deep-cleaning blood of Christ (1 John 1:7). “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
All sin is a falling short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). So there’s either righteousness or unrighteousness, and righteousness—perfection—is an absolute. Broadly speaking, all sins are equal to God in that all sins are by definition “unrighteous” and “imperfect.” All things less than holy share the quality of unholiness.
We can picture man’s efforts to attain righteousness as a group of people trying to jump a chasm. Some get a running start; some try to pole vault; others flap their arms on the way across—but none of them reach the other side. It doesn’t matter if they fall short by two inches, two yards, or two miles—they all plunge downward. In a similar way, all sins are equal to God; it doesn’t really matter how short we fall. We all fall.
Jesus indicated that, by their nature, all sins are equal to God. In His Sermon on the Mount, the Lord mentioned two “big” sins—murder and adultery—and equated them with unjustified anger and lustful thoughts (Matthew 5:21–22, 27–28). Unjustified anger, lust, and adultery are all sins, and we need to take them all seriously.
Now that we’ve established the general rule that all sins are equal to God by nature, we can add some refinements. Although lust and adultery are both sinful, that does not mean they are equal in every respect. Having lust in one’s heart will have consequences in this world, but those consequences will not be as severe as committing the physical act of adultery. The same is true with harboring a grudge versus actually committing murder. Coveting has a lesser effect than thieving. Sin is sin, but not all sin bears the same penalties in this world. In that sense, some sins are worse than others.
Scripture singles out sexual sin as having worse consequences than other types of sin: “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). In this passage, immorality is considered apart from other sins such as dishonesty, pride, envy, etc. All sin will negatively affect the mind and soul of a person, but sexual immorality will immediately and directly affect one’s body. The destruction wrought by sexual immorality will have a physical impact. The extended warning against sexual sin in Proverbs 6 contains this warning: “A man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself” (verse 32).
All sins are equal to God in that any and every sin will keep one out of heaven. In the eternal state, the New Jerusalem will be inhabited by the righteous, the redeemed of the Lord. “Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie” (Revelation 22:15, NLT; cf. 21:8). At the same time, even in the final judgment, there seem to be degrees of punishment among the “dogs”: “Someone who does not know [the master’s will], and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly” (Luke 12:48, NLT). So not all sins carry the same weight of punishment in hell.
There is one other way in which all sins are equal in God’s eyes: all sins, no matter how “big” or “small,” can be forgiven in Christ. Scripture says that “where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5:20). No one can out-sin God’s grace. We are all equally sinful before God. But, in Christ, we are made righteous. We are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood” (Romans 3:24–25). By faith in Christ, we are born again and therefore victorious over sin: “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
There is so much suffering in the world, and it is felt by everyone to one degree or another. Sometimes, people suffer as the direct result of their own poor choices, sinful actions, or willful irresponsibility; in those cases, we see the truth of Proverbs 13:15, “The way of the treacherous is their ruin” (ESV). But what about the victims of the treachery? What about the innocent who suffer? Why would God allow that?
It is human nature to try to find a correlation between bad behavior and bad circumstances and, conversely, between good behavior and blessings. The desire to link sin to suffering is so strong that Jesus dealt with the issue at least twice. “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus” (John 9:1–3). The disciples made the mistake of assuming that the innocent would never suffer and assigned personal guilt to the blind man (or to his parents). Jesus corrected their thinking, saying, “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (verse 3). The man’s blindness was not the result of personal sin; rather, God had a higher purpose for the suffering.
Another time, Jesus commented on the deaths of some people killed in an accident: “Those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:4–5). In this case, Jesus again discounted the notion that tragedy and suffering are the result of personal sin. At the same time, Jesus emphasized the fact that we live in a world full of sin and its effects; therefore, everyone must repent.
This brings us to the consideration of whether such a thing as “the innocent,” technically speaking, even exists. According to the Bible, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Therefore, no one is “innocent” in the sense of being sinless. We were all born with a sinful nature, inherited from Adam. And, as we’ve already seen, everyone suffers, regardless of whether or not the suffering can be linked to a specific personal sin. Sin’s effects permeate everything; the world is fallen, and all creation suffers as a result (Romans 8:22).
Most heartbreaking of all is the suffering of a child. Children are as close to innocence as we ever see in this world, and for them to suffer is truly tragic. Sometimes, innocent children suffer because of the sin of others: neglect, abuse, drunk driving, etc. In those cases, we can definitely say that the suffering is the result of personal sin (just not theirs), and we learn the lesson that our sin always affects others around us. Other times, innocent children suffer because of what some might call “acts of God”: natural disasters, accidents, childhood cancer, etc. Even in those cases, we can say that the suffering is the result of sin, generally speaking, because we live in a sinful world.
The good news is that God did not leave us here to suffer pointlessly. Yes, the innocent suffer (see Job 1–2), but God can redeem that suffering. Our loving and merciful God has a perfect plan to use that suffering to accomplish His threefold purpose. First, He uses pain and suffering to draw us to Himself so that we will cling to Him. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Trials and distress are not something unusual in life; they are part of what it means to be human in a fallen world. In Christ we have an anchor that holds fast in all the storms of life, but, if we never sail into those storms, how would we know that? It is in times of despair and sorrow that we reach out to Him, and, if we are His children, we always find Him there waiting to comfort and uphold us through it all. In this way, God proves His faithfulness to us and ensures that we will stay close to Him. An added benefit is that as we experience God’s comfort through trials, we are then able to comfort others in the same way (2 Corinthians 1:4).
Second, He proves to us that our faith is real through the suffering and pain that are inevitable in this life. How we respond to suffering, especially when we are innocent of wrongdoing, is determined by the genuineness of our faith. Those with faith in Jesus, “the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2), will not be crushed by suffering but will come through the trial with their faith intact, having been “tested by fire” so that it “may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7, ESV). The faithful do not shake their fists at God or question His goodness; rather, they “consider it pure joy” (James 1:2), knowing that trials prove that they are truly the children of God. “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).
Finally, God uses suffering to take our eyes off this world and turn them to the next. The Bible continually exhorts us to not get caught up in the things of this world but to look forward to the world to come. The innocent suffer in this world, but this world and all that is in it will pass away; the kingdom of God is eternal. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), and those who follow Him do not see the things of this life, good or bad, as the end of the story. Even the sufferings we endure, as terrible as they can be, “are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
Could God prevent all suffering? Of course He could. But He assures us that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, KJV). Suffering—even the suffering of the innocent—is part of the “all things” that God is using to accomplish His good purposes, ultimately. His plan is perfect, His character is flawless, and those who trust Him will not be disappointed.
In Romans 10:4, the apostle Paul writes, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (ESV). 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.
Some people think they will go to heaven because, in their estimation, they are good people. Yet Psalm 14:3 says, “They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one” (NKJV). We have all sinned (Romans 3:23). As Jesus said, “No one is good—except God alone” (Luke 18:19).
When the Bible says that “there is none who does good,” it doesn’t mean that people are as bad as they can be or that people are morally incapable of doing anything right. People are capable of doing good things. They can be kind or thoughtful, give generous gifts, and care for the disadvantaged. Even an atheist can be a philanthropist. However, no amount of “good deeds” can change the fact that all people are sinful by nature. Psalm 14:2–3 explains: “The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Only God is good all the time and in all things (1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 25:8; Mark 10:18), and He declares that all people are sinful. “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). No one is naturally inclined to do what is good or to seek after God.
Paul affirms that Jews and Gentiles alike are under the power of sin (Romans 3:9). He quotes Psalm 14:3 in Romans 3:12: “There is none who does good, no, not one” (NKJV). All people are in need of God’s salvation; the unsaved will pay the consequence for their sin, which is death (Romans 6:23).
Salvation is not based on a person’s goodness; if it were, no one would be saved, since there is none who does good. The Bible teaches that we can never be good enough to get to heaven (see Matthew 5:20; Titus 3:5). We must recognize that we are sinners who fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Fortunately, God made a way for us to be forgiven of our sin and be saved through Jesus Christ. Salvation is based on Jesus’ goodness, and “in him is no sin” (1 John 3:5). While we were in our sinful state, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), and if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9). Christ alone was good enough to earn heaven, and He declares righteous those who trust in Him for salvation (Romans 1:17).
There is none who does good is a universal indictment of mankind. No one lives up to God’s standard of righteousness; everyone lives in a state of depravity. Everyone has turned from God and His rule, from truth into error, from rightness into sin, and from wisdom into foolishness. While people can do good things, none of their good deeds are inherently good, untinged or unaffected by sin, and none of those good deeds are good enough to undo the penalty of sin. The only One who is good, God Himself, offers the free gift of salvation to all who believe (Ephesians 2:8–9) and invites everyone to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).
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).
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.
People tend to judge the character and worth of others by looking at outward appearances. If a person is tall, good-looking, well-built, and tastefully dressed, then he or she possesses physical qualities that humans generally admire and respect. Often these are the physical qualities we seek in a leader. But God has the unique ability to see inside a person. God knows our true character because he “looks at the heart.”
In 1 Samuel 16, the time had come for Samuel to go to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint Israel’s next king. As Samuel looked at Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, Samuel was impressed with what he saw. “Surely, this is the man the Lord wants me to anoint,” said the prophet (verse 6).
But God told Samuel, “Don’t look at his appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. God does not see as humans see. Humans look at outward appearances, but the LORD looks into the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7, GWT).
Saul, Israel’s first king, was tall and handsome. Samuel may have been looking for someone like Saul, and Eliab’s appearance was quite striking. But God had a different man in mind to anoint as Israel’s king. The Lord had earlier revealed to Samuel that He sought a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).
Samuel looked at all seven of Jesse’s older sons, but the Lord rejected them all as His choice for king. God was looking for one who had a faithful heart. David, Jesse’s youngest son, whom they had not even bothered to call, was out tending the sheep. After Samuel passed over the other sons, they sent for David, and the Lord said, “This is the one” (1 Samuel 16:12).
David was God’s choice—imperfect but faithful, a man after God’s heart. Although the Bible says he was handsome (verse 12), David was not a striking figure. But David had developed a heart after God. In his time alone in the fields, shepherding the flocks, David had come to know God as his Shepherd (see Psalm 23).
Appearances can be deceiving. The outward appearance doesn’t reveal what people are really like. Physical looks don’t show us a person’s value or character or integrity or faithfulness to God. Outward qualities are, by definition, superficial. Moral and spiritual considerations are far more important to God.
God looks at the heart. The heart in Scripture is a person’s inner moral and spiritual life. Proverbs 4:23 explains that everything we do flows from our hearts. The heart is the core, the inner essence of who we are: “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45).
To everyone who saw him, Judas Iscariot looked like a faithful disciple, but his appearance was deceiving. The other disciples had no idea of what was going on inside Judas. Jesus was the only one who knew Judas’s heart: “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (John 6:70). God’s perspective is higher, deeper, and wiser than ours.
Second Chronicles 16:9 says the eyes of God are continually roaming throughout the earth to strengthen people whose hearts are fully committed to Him. God can peer into our hearts, examine our motivations, and know everything there is to know about us (Psalm 139:1). God knows if a person will be faithful. God sees what people can’t see.
King David was far from perfect. He committed adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11). But God saw in David a man of deep, abiding faith who was wholly committed to the Lord. God saw a man who would depend on the Lord for strength and guidance (1 Samuel 17:45, 47; 23:2). God saw a man who would recognize his sin and failure and who would repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness (2 Samuel 12). God saw in David a man who loved his Lord; a man who worshiped his Lord with all his being (2 Samuel 6:14); a man who had experienced God’s cleansing and forgiveness (Psalm 51) and had come to understand the depths of God’s love for him (Psalm 13:5–6; 106:1). God saw a man with a sincere and personal relationship with his Creator. When God looked at the heart of David, He saw a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22).
Like Samuel, we can’t see what the Lord sees, and we must rely on Him for wisdom. And we can trust that, when God looks at our hearts, He sees our faithfulness, our true character, and our value as individuals.
Psalm 139:14 declares, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” The context of this verse is the incredible nature of our physical bodies. The human body is the most complex and unique organism in the world, and that complexity and uniqueness speaks volumes about the mind of its Creator. Every aspect of the body, down to the tiniest microscopic cell, reveals that it is fearfully and wonderfully made.
Engineers understand how to design strong yet light beams by putting the strong material toward the outside edges of a cross-section and filling the inside with lighter, weaker material. This is done because the greatest amounts of stress occur on the surfaces of a structure when handling common bending or stresses. A cross section of a human bone reveals that the strong material is on the outside and the inside is used as a factory for blood cells of various kinds. When you examine a sophisticated camera with its ability to let in more or less light as needed and its ability to focus automatically over a vast range of field, you find repeated imitations of the operation of the human eye. And yet, having two eyeballs, we also have depth perception which gives us the ability to judge how far away an object is.
The human brain is also an amazing organ, fearfully and wonderfully made. It has the ability to learn, reason, and control so many automatic functions of the body such as heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing, and to maintain balance to walk, run, stand, and sit, all while concentrating on something else. Computers can outdo the human brain in raw calculating power but are primitive when it comes to performing most reasoning tasks. The brain also has an amazing ability to adapt. In an experiment, when people put on glasses that made the world seem upside down, their brains quickly reinterpreted the information they were being given to perceive the world as “right-side-up.” When others were blindfolded for long periods of time, the “vision center” of the brain soon began to be used for other functions. When people move to a house near a railroad, soon the sound of the trains is filtered out by their brains, and they lose conscious thought of the noise.
When it comes to miniaturization, the human body is also a marvel fearfully and wonderfully made. For instance, information needed for the replication of an entire human body, with every detail covered, is stored in the double-helix DNA strand found in the nucleus of each of the billions of cells in the human body. And the system of information and control represented by our nervous system is amazingly compact in comparison to man’s clumsy inventions of wires and optical cables. Each cell, once called a “simple” cell, is a tiny factory not yet fully understood by man. As microscopes become more and more powerful, the incredible vistas of the human cell begin to come into focus.
Consider the single fertilized cell of a newly conceived human life. From that one cell within the womb develop all the different kinds of tissues, organs, and systems, all working together at just the right time in an amazingly coordinated process. An example is the hole, called the foramen ovale, in the septum between the two ventricles in the heart of the newborn infant. This hole closes up at exactly the right time during the birth process to allow for the oxygenation of the blood from the lungs, which does not occur while the baby is in the womb and is receiving oxygen through the umbilical cord.
Further, the body’s immune system is able to fight off so many enemies and restore itself from the smallest repair (even repairing bad portions of DNA) to the largest (mending bones and recovering from major accidents). Yes, there are diseases that will eventually overcome the body as we age, but we have no idea how many times through a lifetime that our immune systems have saved us from certain death.
The functions of the human body are also incredible. The ability to handle large, heavy objects and to also carefully manipulate a delicate object without breaking it is also amazing. We can shoot a bow with the arrow repeatedly hitting a distant target, peck away quickly at a computer keyboard without thinking about the keys, crawl, walk, run, twirl around, climb, swim, do somersaults and flips, and perform “simple” tasks such as unscrewing a light bulb, brushing our teeth, and lacing up our shoes—again without thinking. Indeed, these are “simple” things, but man has yet to design and program a robot that is able to perform such a vast range of tasks and motions.
The function of the digestive tract and the related organs, the longevity of the heart, the formation and function of nerves and of blood vessels, the cleansing of the blood through the kidneys, the complexity of the inner and middle ear, the sense of taste and smell, and so many other things we barely understand—each one is a marvel and beyond man’s ability to duplicate. Truly, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. How grateful we are to know the Creator—through His Son, Jesus Christ—and to marvel not only at His knowledge but also at His love (Psalm 139:17-24).
Hebrews 6:18 builds upon preceding verses by affirming, “So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us” (NLT). The broader context of this discussion revolves around God’s promises, exemplified through Abraham. Verse 13 underscores how God solidified His promise to Abraham by taking an oath with His name, and He did this to “make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear.” We can trust in His promises because of His steadfastness. It is impossible for God to lie.
God’s truthfulness is tied to His holiness, a trait characterizing His absolute moral perfection. His holiness also embodies integrity, defined as “unwavering adherence to moral principles.” However, God does not conform to any moral standard; He is the ultimate standard. Due to God’s absolute goodness and complete separation from all forms of evil (including lying), we know His Word is truthful (see John 17:17).
The entire letter to the Hebrews aims to admonish, challenge, and uplift persecuted believers, particularly Jewish converts who might have been tempted to apostatize. Hebrews 6:18 serves as a source of encouragement, as it is God’s unwavering truthfulness and immutability that offer hope. That hope is called “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (verse 19). If God were to deceive us about His actions through Jesus, we would have no hope, no anchor. Hence, our confidence in God rests upon His unchanging nature.
Faith is only as valid as its object. As Timothy Keller stressed, “It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you. Strong faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a strong branch” (The Reason for God, Penguin Books, 2009, p. 244). We can have faith in God because it is impossible for Him to lie.
Consider two aircraft, one in good mechanical condition, and the other with a faulty engine. A person will reach his or her destination in the reliable aircraft regardless of the amount of faith he or she has. Even weak faith in the reliable plane is enough to reach the destination safely. Conversely, even strong faith in the faulty craft will not compensate for the plane’s broken condition. It’s not the faith that gets us to our destination, but the vehicle we are in. So it is with our salvation. It’s not the strength of our faith that saves us but the strength of our Savior. He is the Truth (John 14:6), and it is impossible for Him to lie.
Several other passages affirm God’s immutability and truthfulness. An example is Numbers 23:19, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" The apostle James also asserts that God “does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).
Because it is impossible for God to lie, we can have confidence in the gospel message. We know that, when God declares us forgiven and righteous, He can be trusted. We are welcomed into His kingdom and reconciled to Him because His word is absolute. This confidence permeates our lifestyle, motivating us to live for God. It also produces hope within us and resilience in the face of adversity. In moments of doubt, it is a valuable practice to reflect on God’s unchanging attributes, as revealed in Scripture.
Jesus stated plainly that the mark of a true disciple of Christ is that he remains faithful to His teachings. He told the Jews who believed in Him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32, ESV).
The word know in John 8:32 is translated from a Greek verb that means “to know experientially.” Understanding something with the mind or intellect, often called “head knowledge,” is different than knowing something experientially. We can know that something is bad for us yet still do it. But when we take Jesus at His word and practice “the truth that comes from him,” then we will “throw off [our] old sinful nature and [our] former way of life” and “let the Spirit renew [our] thoughts and attitudes” so that the truth we live by sets us free “to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:20–24).
We shall know the truth in a way that sets us free from our old sinful way of life when we know Jesus experientially, in word, deed, and truth (see Colossians 3:17; 1 John 3:18). “Our actions will show that we belong to the truth” (1 John 3:19, NLT).
Knowing the truth means experiencing Jesus Christ by accepting His teachings as absolute truth and then living in faithful obedience to them. We receive the message of the gospel and the teachings of Christ, and then we abide by them. The apostle John often framed the concept of true discipleship as knowing the truth of Christ experientially: “And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments” (1 John 2:3, NLT; see also 1 John 2:29; 3:16, 24).
Knowing the truth is a rock-steady way of life. John 8:32 upholds the biblical concept that truth is the only dependable foundation for constructing one’s life (see also Psalm 26:3). Jesus taught, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matthew 7:24–27, NLT). If we plant our feet firmly on Christ’s truth and follow the path of His teachings, nothing can shake, derail, or destroy us.
Jesus is the personification of truth (John 14:6). Only He embodies the truth that sets us free (Galatians 5:1; Romans 6:18; John 8:36). Those who know the truth are born-again believers who live in fellowship with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ: “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life” (1 John 5:20, NLT).
You will know the truth also expresses the moral commitment of genuine disciples to do the will of God (John 7:17; 14:21, 23; James 1:25). We know the truth in the person of Jesus Christ, who prayed to the Father for us to be “made holy” by His truth and gave His own life as the sacrifice that made it possible for us to live out that truth (see John 17:14–19). Moreover, Jesus asked the Father to send us “the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth” (John 14:16–17, NLT; see also Ephesians 1:13).
When Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth shall make you free,” He was telling His followers that obedience to God is the only way to experience true liberation—spiritual freedom from sin. The freedom Jesus offers is restored fellowship with the Father, who is the source of all true life. And the mark of one who has received this life is to remain faithful to His teachings.
https://indyencyclopedia.org/taylors-bakery/
The
"bigger barns"
refers to the
Parable of the Rich
Fool
in the Bible
(Luke 12:16-21)
In it, a wealthy farmer
tears down his old structures to build bigger ones to store an abundant harvest, but dies that very night. Jesus uses this to warn against greed.
Key Details of the Parable
The Situation: A rich man’s land produces an unexpectedly massive crop, leaving him with nowhere to store it.
The Plan: He decides to tear down his smaller barns and build much larger ones to hoard all his goods, intending to retire and just "eat, drink, and be merry".
The Twist: God calls him a "fool" because his life will end that very night, meaning all his hoarded wealth will be left behind for someone else.
The Moral: The parable concludes with a warning: "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." It teaches that life is about more than just accumulating material possessions.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
In this verse believers are commanded to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” This same command is echoed in other parts of Scripture as well. For example, in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 we find Paul exhorting the Christians to not “despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.”
These two passages are just a few of the many that warn Christians to test the message that people or spirits proclaim. This is true in all situations but most importantly when a person or spirit is claiming to speak for God. Christians are to be discerning hearers and readers of all messages. The reason for the admonition to “test the spirits” or “test all things” is that there are “many false prophets” or “wolves in sheep’s clothing” that try to lead Christians astray. Sadly, there are many people who claim to speak for God who are presenting a false gospel that is powerless to save. Such errant teaching leaves people with a false hope of salvation and, in a way, inoculates them from the true message. People who are deceived into thinking everything is fine will be more resistant to the truth.
Second Corinthians 11:13-15 warns us that “such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” So the reason for testing the spirits, for testing all religious teaching, is to see if it is truly from God or if it is a lie from Satan and his servants.
The test is to compare what is being taught with the clear teaching of the Bible. The Bible alone is the Word of God; it alone is inspired and inerrant. Therefore, the way to test the spirits is to see if what is being taught is in line with the clear teaching of Scripture. In Acts 17:10-11 the Berean Jews were commended because, after they heard the teachings of Paul and Silas, they “examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” The Bereans were called “noble” for doing so.
Testing the spirits means that one must know how to “examine the Scriptures.” Rather than accept every teaching, discerning Christians diligently study the Scriptures. Then they know what the Bible says and therefore can “test all things and hold fast to what is true.” In order to do this, a Christian must “be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The Word of God is to be “a lamp” and “a light” to our path (Psalm 119:105). We must let its light shine on the teachings and doctrines of the day; the Bible alone is the standard by which all truth must be judged.
The Parable of the Rich Fool can be found in Luke 12:13–21. The key to understanding this parable is in verse 15 (and later summarized in verse 21). Luke 12:15 says, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Jesus says this to the man who asked Him to arbitrate between him and his brother. In ancient times, the firstborn was guaranteed a double portion of the family inheritance. More than likely, the brother who was addressing Jesus was not the firstborn and was asking for an equal share of the inheritance. Jesus refuses to arbitrate their dispute and gets to the heart of the matter: Covetousness! Jesus warns this person, and all within earshot, that our lives are not to be about gathering wealth. Life is so much more than the “abundance of possessions.”
Jesus proceeds to tell the man the Parable of the Rich Fool. This person was materially blessed by God; his land “produced plentifully” (verse 16). As God continued to bless the man, instead of using his increase to further the will of God, all he was interested in was managing his increase and accumulating his growing wealth. So the man builds larger barns in place of the existing ones and starts planning an early retirement. Unbeknownst to him, this was his last night on planet earth. Jesus then closes the story by saying, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
So the point of the Parable of the Rich Fool is twofold. First, we are not to devote our lives to the gathering and accumulation of wealth. There is an interesting point made in the parable. God says to the man in the story, “And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” This echoes the thought expressed in Ecclesiastes 2:18 (“I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me”). You see it all the time in people who are singularly devoted to the accumulation of wealth. What happens to all that wealth when they die? It gets left behind to others who didn’t earn it and won’t appreciate it. Furthermore, if money is your master, that means God is not (Matthew 6:24).
The second point of the Parable of the Rich Fool is the fact that we are not blessed by God to hoard our wealth to ourselves. We are blessed to be a blessing in the lives of others, and we are blessed to build the kingdom of God. The Bible says if our riches increase, we are not to set our hearts upon them (Psalm 62:10). The Bible also says there is one who gives freely and grows all the richer (Proverbs 11:24). Finally, the Bible says we are to honor God with the first fruits of our increase (Proverbs 3:9–10). The point is clear; if we honor God with what He has given us, He will bless with more so that we can honor Him with more. There is a passage in 2 Corinthians that summarizes this aptly (2 Corinthians 9:6–15). In that passage Paul says, “And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that having all contentment in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” We are blessed by God, so we can in turn “abound in every good work” and be a blessing in the lives of others. So, if God has blessed you with material wealth “set not your heart on it” and “be rich toward God.” That is the message of the Parable of the Rich Fool.
On A Better
Note,
My Father GREW UP
on
Generational Family
Farm Land
He Cut
the Chickens heads
off
He was the
fifth
Child an a alter boy
Catholics! lol
Incarnation is a term used by theologians to indicate that Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh. This is similar to the hypostatic union. The difference is that the hypostatic union explains how Jesus’ two natures are joined, and the Incarnation more specifically affirms His humanity.
The word incarnation means “the act of being made flesh.” It comes from the Latin version of John 1:14, which in English reads, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” Because of the near-exclusive use of the Latin Vulgate in the church through the Middle Ages, the Latin term became standard.
Biblical support for Jesus’ humanity is extensive. The Gospels report Jesus’ human needs including sleep (Luke 8:23), food (Matthew 4:2; 21:18), and physical protection (Matthew 2:13-15; John 10:39). Other indications of His humanity are that He perspired (Luke 22:43-44) and bled (John 19:34). Jesus also expressed emotions including joy (John 15:11), sorrow (Matthew 26:37), and anger (Mark 3:5). During His life, Jesus referred to Himself as a man (John 8:40), and after His resurrection His humanity was still recognized (Acts 2:22).
But the purpose of the Incarnation was not to taste food or to feel sorrow. The Son of God came in the flesh in order to be the Savior of mankind. First, it was necessary to be born “under the law” (Galatians 4:4). All of us have failed to fulfill God’s Law. Christ came in the flesh, under the Law, to fulfill the Law on our behalf (Matthew 5:17; Galatians 4:5).
Second, it was necessary for the Savior to shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). A blood sacrifice, of course, requires a body of flesh and blood. And this was God’s plan for the Incarnation: “When Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering [under the Old Covenant] you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me’” (Hebrews 10:5). Without the Incarnation, Christ could not really die, and the cross is meaningless.
God did an incredible work in sending His only begotten Son into the world and providing us with a salvation we do not deserve. Praise the Lord for that moment in which “the Word became flesh.” We are now redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19).
Jesus was both human and divine. Please read about the divinity of Jesus here.
Most of the Bible was originally written to those living in an agrarian society, people familiar with working the land, managing livestock, and raising crops. Many of Jesus’ parables involve the farming life. Not surprisingly, then, the Bible contains many references to sowing and reaping, and here are some of the principles we learn:
Sowing and reaping is a law of the natural world. On the third day of creation, God commanded the earth to bring forth living plants “bearing seed” and fruit “with seed in it” (Genesis 1:12). These plants were then given to man for food (verse 29). Ever since the beginning, man has understood the process of sowing and reaping and has applied it to his benefit.
God uses the law of sowing and reaping to bestow His blessing. God’s blessing comes generally to the whole world as He sends sun and rain to the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). In some cases His blessing comes more specially to those of His choosing, such as Isaac. Genesis 26:12 says that Isaac sowed a crop and received a hundredfold in one season because the Lord targeted him for blessing.
Israel’s gratefulness for God’s yearly blessing was expressed in the Feast of Firstfruits, when the first of the harvest was brought to the Lord as an offering (Exodus 23:19a; Leviticus 23:10).
God warned Israel that, if they forsook Him and pursued idols, the law of sowing and reaping would be suspended and their crops would fail (Leviticus 26:16b). This happened to disobedient Judah on a couple occasions (Jeremiah 12:13; Micah 6:15).
Sowing and reaping is also a law of the spiritual world. It is more than just an agricultural principle. It is an axiom of life that we reap what we sow. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” There are natural consequences to our actions. The world operates under the law of cause and effect. There is no way around it: every time we choose an action, we also choose the consequences of that action.
Sowing and reaping implies a wait. Nothing good grows overnight. The farmer must be patient in order to see the fruit of his labors. When the Bible likens the ministry to planting, watering and reaping (1 Corinthians 3:6), it suggests a length of time. God will bring forth fruit to His glory in His time. Until then, we faithfully labor in His field (Matthew 9:38), knowing that “at the proper time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9; see also Psalm 126:5).
We reap in kind to what we sow. Those who plant apple seeds should expect to harvest apples. Those who sow anger should expect to receive what anger naturally produces. Galatians 6:8 says, “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Living a life of carnality and sin and expecting to inherit heaven is akin to planting cockle burrs and waiting for roses.
This principle works both positively and negatively. “The one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward” (Proverbs 11:18b), but “whoever sows injustice reaps calamity” (Proverbs 22:8a).
We reap proportionately to what we sow. The rule is, the more seed planted, the more fruit harvested. The Bible applies this law to our giving. Those who show generosity will be blessed more than those who don’t. “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). This principle is not concerned with the amount of the gift but with the spirit in which it is given. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7), and even the widow’s mites are noticed by our Lord (Luke 21:2-3).
We reap more than what we sow. In other words, the law of sowing and reaping is related to the law of multiplication. Jesus spoke of seed that brought forth “a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown” (Matthew 13:8). One grain of wheat produces a whole head of grain. In the same way, one little fib can produce an out-of-control frenzy of falsehoods, fallacies, and fictions. Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7). Positively, one kind deed can result in a blessing to last a lifetime.
Sowing and reaping is used as a metaphor for death and resurrection. When Paul discusses the doctrine of the resurrection of the body, he uses the analogy of planting a seed to illustrate physical death. “The body that 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” (1 Corinthians 15:42b-44a).
A seed may “die” when it falls to the ground, but that is not the end of its life (John 12:24).
Found throughout Scripture, the idea of sowing and reaping is an important principle imparting wisdom for both this world and the next.
In Genesis 3, God pronounces judgment against Adam, Eve, and the serpent for their sinful rebellion. To the serpent, God says, “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” (verse 15, KJV). This verse is known as the protoevangelium, or the “first gospel,” because it introduces the theme of a Savior who will redeem humanity from the curse of sin (Galatians 3:13). In Genesis 3, the Savior is called the “Seed” of the woman (NKJV and AMP).
The Hebrew word for “seed” here means “offspring,” which is how many translations render it (e.g., NIV, ESV, CSB). The figurative language in Genesis 3:14 (“dust you shall eat,” ESV) indicates that the subsequent verse speaks of a spiritual war between Satan (the serpent) and humanity (the seed of the woman).
The woman spoken of is Eve, the mother of humanity (Genesis 3:20). The prophecy is that her offspring would be continually harassed by Satan and his followers (the offspring of the serpent). Sin entered the world through Adam’s disobedience, and we all suffer because of it (Romans 5:12–14). The perpetual war Satan wages against humanity began in the Garden of Eden.
There is an indication of number in Genesis 3:15 that we cannot overlook. The woman’s offspring is denoted by a singular noun, translated “seed” in the KJV. That word is the substantive for singular pronouns translated “He” and “His” (NKJV). So, the seed of the woman is individualized. There is one Seed in particular who is to come. The sole tempter will be countered by the sole Savior.
Also, Genesis 3:15 speaks of the seed of a woman rather than the seed of a man. This unusual wording could indicate that the woman’s offspring would not have an earthly father. In that case, the protoevangelium is certainly fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Luke 1:34–35).
The enmity spoken of in Genesis 3:15 is ultimately between Satan and Christ. Satan “bruised the heel” of the Savior when Jesus was crucified—Jesus suffered in His flesh. But the story does not end there. On the third day, Jesus rose from the grave. In so doing, He crushed the power of Satan, sin, and death—He crushed the serpent’s head. Jesus is the Seed of the woman who has won the victory over the tempter and enemy of mankind. And, to His eternal praise, He grants victory to everyone who believes in Him (John 16:33). “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Revelation 3:21).
When we ask why God tests us or allows us to be tested, we are admitting that testing does indeed come from Him. When God tests His children, He does a valuable thing. David sought God’s testing, asking Him to examine his heart and mind and see that they were true to Him (Psalm 26:2; 139:23). When Abram was tested by God in the matter of sacrificing Isaac, Abram obeyed (Hebrews 11:17–19) and showed to all the world that he is the father of faith (Romans 4:16).
In both the Old and New Testaments, the words translated “test” mean “to prove by trial.” Therefore, when God tests His children, His purpose is to prove that our faith is real. Not that God needs to prove it to Himself since He knows all things, but He is proving to us that our faith is real, that we are truly His children, and that no trial will overcome our faith.
In His Parable of the Sower, Jesus identifies the ones who fall away as those who receive the seed of God’s Word with joy, but, as soon as a time of testing comes along, they fall away. James says that the testing of our faith develops perseverance, which leads to maturity in our walk with God (James 1:3–4). James goes on to say that testing is a blessing, because, when the testing is over and we have “stood the test,” we will “receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). Testing comes from our heavenly Father who works all things together for good for those who love Him and who are called to be the children of God (Romans 8:28).
The testing or trials we undergo come in various ways. Becoming a Christian will often require us to move out of our comfort zones and into the unknown. Perseverance in testing results in spiritual maturity and completeness. This is why James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2). The testing of faith can come in small ways and daily irritations; they may also be severe afflictions (Isaiah 48:10) and attacks from Satan (Job 2:7). Whatever the source of the testing, it is to our benefit to undergo the trials that God allows.
The account of Job is a perfect example of God’s allowing one of His saints to be tested by the devil. Job bore all his trials patiently and “did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (Job 1:22). However, the account of Job’s testing is proof that Satan’s ability to try us is limited by God’s sovereign control. No demon can test or afflict us with beyond what God has ordained. All our trials work toward God’s perfect purpose and our benefit.
There are many examples of the positive results of being tested. The psalmist likens our testing to being refined like silver (Psalm 66:10). Peter speaks of our faith as “of greater worth than gold,” and that’s why we “suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1:6–7). In testing our faith, God causes us to grow into strong disciples who truly live by faith and not by what we see (2 Corinthians 5:7).
When we experience the storms of life, we should be like the tree that digs its roots ever more deeply for a greater grip in the earth. We must “dig our roots” more deeply into God’s Word and cling to His promises so we can weather whatever storms come against us.
Most comforting of all, we know that God will never allow us to be tested beyond what we are able to handle by His power. His grace is sufficient for us, and His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10). “That is why,” Paul said, “for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
The Latin verb incarnare meant “to make flesh.” When we say that Jesus Christ is God “Incarnate,” we mean that the Son of God took on a fleshly, bodily form (John 1:14). However, when this happened in the womb of Mary, Jesus’ earthly mother, He did not stop being deity. Although Jesus became fully human (Hebrews 2:17), He retained His status as God (John 1:1, 14). How Jesus is able to be both man and God simultaneously is one of the great mysteries of Christianity but is nevertheless a test of orthodoxy (1 John 4:2; 2 John 1:7). Jesus has two distinct natures, divine and human. “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (John 14:11).
The Bible clearly teaches the deity of Christ by presenting His fulfillment of numerous Old Testament prophecies (Isaiah 7:14; Psalm 2:7), His eternal existence (John 1:1–3; John 8:58), His miraculous virgin birth (Luke 1:26–31), His miracles (Matthew 9:24–25), His authority to forgive sin (Matthew 9:6), His acceptance of worship (Matthew 14:33), His ability to predict the future (Matthew 24:1–2), and His resurrection from the dead (Luke 24:36–39). The writer of Hebrews tells us Jesus is superior to angels (Hebrews 1:4–5) and angels are to worship Him (Hebrews 1:6).
The Bible also teaches the Incarnation—Jesus became fully human by taking on human flesh. Jesus was conceived in the womb and was born (Luke 2:7), He experienced normal aging (Luke 2:40), He had natural physical needs (John 19:28) and human emotions (Matthew 26:38), He learned (Luke 2:52), He died a physical death (Luke 23:46), and He was resurrected with a physical body (Luke 24:39). Jesus was human in every way except for sin; He lived a completely sinless life (Hebrews 4:15).
When Christ took on the form of a human, His nature did not change, but His position did. Jesus, in His original nature of God in spirit form, humbled Himself by laying aside His glory and privileges (Philippians 2:6–8). God can never stop being God because He is immutable (Hebrews 13:8) and infinite (Revelation 1:8). If Jesus stopped being fully God for even a split second, all life would die (see Acts 17:28). The doctrine of the Incarnation says that Jesus, while remaining fully God, became fully man.
I Just Got This in the
Mail!
Anyone Interested?
I just got a
New Roof and the Visual
Communication
Cramps My Style
I Mean- Bone Dry Roofing? No
Thanks.
On a Much More Interesting
Note-
I Did Just buy this NEW NECKlace!
https://freedom250.org/media-center?v=america-is-back-a-kick-off-celebration-for-the-great-american-state-fair
Harvest Church
Pastor Doug wraps up
his series
on
A Glimpse of Heaven
tomorrow - you don't want
to miss it!
See you there -
Carmel at 9 and 11am, Westfield at
10am!
“For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for
life;
Weeping may endure
for a night,
But joy
comes in the morning”
(Psalm 30:5, NKJV).
Speaking of God’s discipline, the psalmist reminds us that the sorrows we face in this life are temporary. As painful as a season may be, it is only a season. Life has twists, turns, ups, and downs, and, although we may suffer through dark nights, morning will come. Verses 11 and 12 shed more light on this idea: “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.”
We are to sing to God and worship and praise Him (Psalm 30:4; 63:4; 104:33; 146:2). When we are silent and our hearts turn away from worship, we are not living up to our full potential. This sin-riddled world gives us many reasons to despair (John 16:33). Our own sin often brings God’s discipline (Hebrews 12:7–8; Revelation 3:19). Heartaches, disappointments, and betrayals can leave us feeling shattered, and we may wonder if hope will never come again. So God reminds us that joy comes in the morning. Dark nights can last a long time, but they are never permanent for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Instead of hopelessness, we have His promise that He will make all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Only God can take the very bad and transform it into something very good. Even when walking through “the valley of the shadow of death,” we need fear no evil (Psalm 23:4). Our Good Shepherd never abandons us, and our suffering is always purposeful (Psalm 56:8). The Lord can take the broken places in our lives and create a mosaic that blesses the world. It is often our darkest pain that becomes our brightest light when we entrust it to Him. Joy comes in the morning when we awaken to our purpose and see that even our mistakes, sorrows, and confusion have become the foundation upon which God builds a ministry.
David understood that. He was anointed king as a teenager (1 Samuel 16:13) but spent many years on the run from the reigning King Saul. But those years were not wasted. Hard as they were, it was during those years that David penned many of the psalms that now comfort millions. The apostle Paul heard the prison doors slam behind him, and for two long years, he sat in a jail cell for preaching the gospel. Those years may have seemed wasted, yet it was during his imprisonment that he wrote at least four books of the New Testament.
God allows pain and struggle into our lives to refine us like gold (1 Peter 1:6–7). Jesus was God in the flesh, yet He suffered terribly while on earth so that we would know He understands our pain (Hebrews 4:15; 5:7–8). As bad as it was in the moment, “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). We are told to “consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (verse 3). So Jesus models for us what it means that joy comes in the morning.
Many places in Scripture extol the faithfulness of God.
Lamentations 3:22–23 says,
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
So,
what is faithfulness?
The Hebrew word translated “faithfulness” means “steadfastness, firmness, fidelity.” The opposite of being faithful is to be ever-changing or wishy-washy. Psalm 119:89–90 says, “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations.” Here faithfulness is equated with God’s Word. God speaks never-ending truth. If God spoke something a thousand years ago, it still stands. He is faithful to His Word, because His Word is an expression of His character. The promises He made still hold true because He does not change (Malachi 3:6). We see this illustrated from a human perspective in a couple married for many years. When the wife lies on her deathbed, her husband sits nearby holding her hand. He won’t leave her, even though she no longer recognizes him. He is faithful to the promises he made to her. In the same way, God remains faithful to His promises, even though we are often unfaithful to Him (2 Timothy 2:13).
We learn to trust the character of a person by getting to know that person. We would not entrust our bank account to a stranger we met in line at the post office—we have no experience with him. We don’t know his character. Before we know God, we are afraid to trust Him. We don’t yet know who He is or what He may do. We learn to trust God by getting to know His character. There are three ways we can get to know Him: studying His Word, reviewing His working in our own lives, and learning to follow His voice.
When we study God’s Word, a pattern emerges. We learn that God never changes and never lies (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29). We learn through Scripture that God has never failed in the past (Isaiah 51:6). He was always true to His Word as He worked in the lives of the ancient Israelites. When He said He would do something, He did it (Numbers 11:23; Matthew 24:35). We begin to build trust upon His proven character. We can trust that God will be true to Himself. He will never cease acting like God. He will never cease being sovereign, being holy, or being good (1 Timothy 6:15; 1 Peter 1:16).
We learn through our own history that He has never failed us, either. One command God often gave the Israelites was: “Remember” (Deuteronomy 8:2; Isaiah 46:9). When they remembered all God had done for them, they could more easily trust Him for the future. We need to intentionally remember all the ways God has provided for us and delivered us in the past. Keeping a prayer journal can help with this. When we recall the ways God has answered our prayers, it equips us to continue asking and expecting answers. When we come to Him in prayer, we know that He always hears us (1 John 5:14; Psalm 34:15). He provides what we need (Philippians 4:19). And He will always make everything work together for our good when we trust Him with it (Romans 8:28). We learn to trust God’s future faithfulness by remembering His past faithfulness.
And we can also learn to trust Him by learning to distinguish His voice from the others that compete for attention. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). We who belong to Jesus need to cultivate the ability to hear Him. He speaks primarily through His Word, but He can also speak through other people, through circumstances, and through the inner confirmation of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16). As we carefully read and meditate upon Scripture, the Holy Spirit often quickens our hearts to a verse or passage and helps us claim it and apply it to our current situation. What the Spirit shows us in His Word is to be taken by faith as His message to us. We build trust by claiming His promises and applying them to our lives.
Above all things, God loves for us to demonstrate faith (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is trusting in the character of God before we see how He is going to work things out. He has given us His Word, and His promises still stand. As we see the ways He brings His promises to fulfillment, our trust in His faithfulness grows. Just as our trust in other people grows with daily interaction, our trust in God grows the same way. We trust Him when we know Him, and to know Him is to trust Him. When we know Him, we can rest in His goodness, even when we don’t understand the circumstances that seem to contradict it. We can trust that God’s plan for us will prevail (Proverbs 19:21). As a child trusts a loving father, we can trust our heavenly Father to always do what is right.
Paul often includes a note of thanksgiving in his letters, and 1 Corinthians 1:9 concludes his thanksgiving in his letter to Corinth with these words: “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Here, Paul glorifies God for the spiritual blessings and gifts bestowed upon the church of Corinth (verse 7) and affirms his trust in God to uphold them steadfastly until the end (verse 8). In this context, Paul’s trust stems from God’s faithfulness, the solid foundation for all believers.
The Greek word translated as “faithful” is pistos, which also conveys the concept of being trustworthy. Therefore, when Scripture declares that God is faithful, it signifies His trustworthiness. When God makes a promise, it is unwavering. God’s trustworthiness hinges on His attributes, specifically His love, justice, and holiness. He will not break His promise.
The fact that God is faithful is readily seen in the Old Testament. For instance, God promised Abraham, who was initially childless, that “all people on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). Despite seemingly impossible challenges, God fulfilled His promise by giving Abraham Isaac (Genesis 21:12). Through Isaac came Jacob, the forefather of Israelites, through whom the Messiah came, bringing the blessing of salvation to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles (see Galatians 3:6–9).
Another example of God’s faithfulness is His covenant with King David: “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). The Davidic Covenant appeared endangered by Solomon’s unfaithfulness (1 Kings 11:1–13), by Athaliah’s murderous rampage (2 Kings 11:1–3), and the Babylonian exile (2 Kings 24:8–17), but God was faithful. The promise to David is fulfilled in Christ, the Messiah (Luke 1:32–33). These examples prove God’s trustworthiness even when things seem unlikely.
We understand God’s faithfulness more when we know His character, revealed in His Word. Paul boldly proclaimed God’s faithfulness, especially in regards to our salvation. It is due to God’s faithfulness that Paul is assured that “he will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8). The church at Corinth faced numerous issues, including sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1–2), factions (1 Corinthians 1:10–13), misunderstandings concerning the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12), possible misuse of spiritual gifts (chapter 14), and spiritual immaturity (1 Corinthians 3:1–3). Paul handled these issues, sometimes with stern rebuke, but he never questioned the salvation of the church, and he believed God would sustain them till the end. In the epistle to Rome, Paul expressed a similar sentiment: “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 8:38–39).
God’s faithfulness in accomplishing His promises gives us confidence in Him and allows us to join in Jude’s doxology: “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen” (Jude 1:24– 25).
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).
The statement “love never fails” comes from best-known chapter in the Bible on love, 1 Corinthians 13. Among its many quoted phrases is a portion of verse 8, “Love never fails.”
Love never fails, and the English Standard Version adds to our understanding of these words, translating them as “Love never ends.” The next sentence contrasts love with other spiritual gifts: “But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” Prophecies, tongues, and knowledge are all temporary. Not so with love. Because love is a basic attribute of God (1 John 4:8) and because God is eternal, love will also be eternal. Love will never fail.
Scripture reveals God’s eternal love for us, a love that never fails. God chose us (John 17:24; Ephesians 1:4-5), died for us (Romans 5:8), and will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5). In fact, nothing at all can separate us from God’s eternal love: “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 8:38–39).
The Greek word translated “fails” in the NIV is related to a verb meaning “to fall.” By saying, “Love never fails,” the Bible means that God’s type of love will not fall or falter. It is constant forever. As God says in Jeremiah 31:3, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
The truth that love never fails is emphasized in some classical literature, too. During the famous balcony scene of the play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo begins to pledge his love for Juliet with these words: “Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear / That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops.” However, Juliet cuts him off: “O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, / That monthly changes in her circled orb, / Lest that thy love prove likewise variable” (II:ii). Juliet had it right. Love should not wax and wane; it should be steady and constant, a perpetual light in a dark world.
There is nothing mercurial about love. It is not based on whims, feelings, or passing fancies. Love is rock-solid, intent on benefitting the one loved, regardless of the cost. God’s love never fails, and it never ends.
In Luke 1:26–38, the angel Gabriel visits teenage Mary and foretells the birth of Jesus, Israel’s long-awaited Savior and Son of God. The angel reassures the young virgin, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus” (verses 30–31, ESV). Mary, understandably confused, asks the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (verse 34, ESV). Gabriel answers, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God” (verses 35–37, ESV).
God’s messenger announced two human impossibilities—divine miracles—that God was performing: Mary, a virgin, would conceive a child through the power of the Holy Spirit and bring the Son of God into the world. And Elizabeth, Mary’s elderly, barren cousin, was already miraculously in her sixth month of pregnancy with a son who would grow up to be John the Baptist. When Mary wonders, “How can this happen?” The angel redirects Mary’s focus from natural human prospects to God’s supernatural, wonder-working power. One explanation remains: “With God, nothing will be impossible!”
The Lord encouraged the faith of other saints with similar words. When Isaac’s birth was promised to Abraham and Sarah, God said, “Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son” (Genesis 18:14, NLT). Many Bible figures have declared that nothing will be impossible with God (see Job 42:2; Jeremiah 32:17). Jesus Himself testified, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26; see also Mark 14:36).
The Greek phrase ouk pan rhema, translated as “nothing” in Luke 1:37, expresses the idea of “no word or promise” in the original language. Thus, we can understand the saying, for nothing will be impossible with God, to mean “no word or promise of God will be impossible.” The New International Version renders Luke 1:37, “For no word from God will ever fail.” “For the word of God will never fail,” states the New Living Translation. The American Standard Version says, “For no word from God shall be void of power.” Mary believes and humbly embraces God’s plan, as improbable as these pregnancies sound, for she responds, “I am the Lord’s servant. . . . May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38).
If God declares it, He will do it. He fulfills His purposes through the power of His word: “For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command” (Psalm 33:9, NLT; see also Psalm 148:5). Our God created everything from nothing. He spoke, and life came into being (2 Peter 3:5). He sustains all things by His powerful word (Hebrews 1:3). God’s word always accomplishes what He desires and the purpose for which He sends it out (Isaiah 55:11).
The angel reminded Mary that her Savior, Redeemer, and Lord is the God of the impossible. The miracle He accomplished through Sarah, He was doing again through Elizabeth. And He would perform an even greater miracle through Mary.
As God worked in Mary’s life, He continues to work in ours today. He often chooses to do the unlikely and the humanly impossible to remind us that His purposes and power are not restricted. We must live each day with unwavering faith, knowing and believing that nothing—not one word or promise of God—will be impossible.
One of the
most difficult things
to recover from
is an abrupt loss without
Answers.
Its Shock- Right- that's Shock.
That's a steep Change
that didn't offer the clarity
we deserve
We all sin, what we
remember is The Heart.
Although one might be
out of
visibility now- its only temporary
That Greater
Everlasting investment
is already
accomplished and Secure,
Thanks to CJ
Genuine
Friendship and Love caries on into Eternity
Gods Ways are not our ways
and these boundaries and time networks
are not governed by
the same patterns that we currently know.
That's Good News
because it Sheds Light on how meniscal
our temporary heartache
is and how incredible our inheritance
What ultimately happened is that this "realm" If you will,
RESETS
God is not unattuned to your investments and heart,
Your Reward Is Great;
Regardless of How God directs things Now
This World is Rarely Great.
Our Joy comes from knowing TRUTH,
this current climate is
not governed by the same principals.
That's the Precisely
Reason why
trials can not affect something
Sure, and Stable
When A True Friend
is
Immediately taken from you;
Its Faith.
Faith because you're beautiful and aren't
hindered by
setbacks or bumps in the road.
You are
enough BECAUSE Christ is enough.
Our Faith in Christ Unites us
to let go of
things we can't make sense of
and do our best
to all work together in unity
Grief is a deep and powerful emotion caused by the loss of someone or something we held dear. Grief is part of loving and engaging with life. Loss is bound to come in this fallen world, and grief with it. Grief is not an emotion to be avoided, but one to acknowledge and walk through.
Death is often the impetus for grief, but we can grieve over loss of any kind. That may include loss of a dream, loss of a relationship, loss of health, a pet’s death, or even the sale of a childhood home. Sometimes grief feels more private when it is related to things like infertility, miscarriage, abortion, betrayal by a spouse, or even our own sinfulness. The things over which we grieve may be hard to express to others, but often sharing our losses and allowing someone else to mourn with us is a path through the pain (Romans 12:15). The family of God is vital in our lives and a key means by which God ministers to us (and uses us to minister to others). Of course, the first place we should take our grief is directly to God, both in prayer and in studying His Word. God can use grief to help us know Him more, both as we receive His comfort and as our grief prompts us to more fully appreciate the gift of life and more deeply understand the reality of sin’s effects on our world. Grief can connect us to the heart of God.
Psalm 34:18 says that “the LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” God understands our grief and offers to be with us and comfort us with promises from His Word and with the “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:6–7). He also included examples in His Word of godly people who suffered grief. Peter felt grief when Jesus asked him three times, “Do you love me more than these?” (John 21:17), and he grieved at the memory of how he had betrayed his best Friend (Luke 22:61–62). Paul was grieved over the unrepentant sin in the churches he loved (2 Corinthians 12:21). Jesus Himself was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief” (Isaiah 53:3, NLT). Our Lord grieved over the hardness of people’s hearts in refusing to accept Him as the Son of God (Mark 3:5; Luke 19:41). As His crucifixion approached, Jesus was deeply grieved at the tremendous ordeal He had to face (Mark 14:33–36).
We can grieve the Holy Spirit by our actions and attitudes (Ephesians 4:30). When we have been bought with the blood of Jesus, sealed forever as a child of God, the Holy Spirit takes the initiative to transform us into godly people (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:29). But He does not make us robots. We still have the freedom to obey or disobey Him. When we act in carnal, fleshly ways, we grieve the Spirit who lives inside us.
Death is always a season of grief for those left behind. Even so, Paul writes that Christians do not grieve the death of a fellow believer in the same way that unbelievers grieve. First Thessalonians 4:13–14 says, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” Paul reminds us to think of the death of a Christian as “sleep,” because it is a temporary state. Although we are sorrowful that we won’t share any more earthly experiences with our departed Christian loved ones, we can also look forward to an eternity with them.
Grief and hope can coexist. The hope we have in Christ helps us move forward through grief. Eternity for the believer will admit of no “death or sorrow or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4, NLT), as God Himself wipes away every tear from our eyes (Revelation 7:17). The losses endured in this world are real, and they impact us in many ways, but we do not live in bitterness or gloom. We live “in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised” (Titus 1:2). Our present experience will give way to the infinite goodness of God and our joy in His presence forevermore (see Psalm 16:11; 21:6).
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).
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).
Customary greetings and partings in Eastern cultures usually include a word of peace (Ephesians 1:2; Luke 10:5; John 20:19; 2 Thessalonians 3:16). But in John 14:27, as Jesus prepared the disciples for His departure, it was no ordinary “go in peace” farewell that He imparted: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
Rather than a routine, transient, worldly kind of peace, the spiritual peace that Jesus offers to His followers is a permanent gift. The New Living Translation renders John 14:27 like so: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” Jesus knew that the earthly journey awaiting His disciples and all future believers would not be easy. Many trials and sorrows lay ahead, so He left them with this assurance: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Shalom, translated as “peace,” is perhaps the most widely known word in the Hebrew language and conveys various meanings in Scripture. “Success,” “prosperity,” “completeness,” “wholeness,” “well-being,” and “welfare” are just some of its uses. In the Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words, we find this explanation: “When shalom is best translated as ‘peace,’ this peace is more than the mere absence of war or strife. It describes a peace that is positive; a time, place, and condition that features love, righteousness, calmness, political and moral uprightness and much more. It is a word reserved for those who walk with God in a positive relationship” (“Peace,” Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W., Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000, p. 135).
The Greek word for “peace” carries many meanings as well, including the traditional welcome and farewell. It can be used to describe the end of war and conflict, inner tranquility, and calm. But Jesus came to bring a different kind of peace on earth. At His birth, the angels declared, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).
The prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of this Prince of Peace, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
When the Messiah came, He brought with Him God’s kingdom peace. This same otherworldly peace was Jesus’ parting gift to His disciples. The ultimate endowment of peace was granted to us in God’s gift of salvation purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ through His sacrifice on the cross. By way of Christ’s death, we have been granted access to the throne of God and restored fellowship with our Heavenly Father: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1–2, ESV; see also Isaiah 53:5).
Paul told the Philippians to take their anxious thoughts and worries about this life to God in prayer, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7, ESV). By the power of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling inside us, our minds are now governed by God’s peace (Romans 8:6).
Jesus left us with His peace in another sense, as well, that we would become peacemakers for His kingdom (Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18; 1 Peter 3:10–11) and dwell in harmony with our brother and sisters in Christ: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone” (Hebrews 12:14; see also Colossians 3:15).
God’s peace reflects
His
divine character,
strength,
love, goodness, sovereignty,
dominion, and power.
It emanates from His presence in our lives
(Isaiah 26:12; 2 John 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:16).
The Lord
dispatches His peace to us
like
a troop of armed forces
sent to
stand watch over our hearts.
Although we cannot fully
fathom
this peace with our human minds,
it is real
and
obtainable in Christ.
Still today,
to
anyone who believes
in Jesus
and
commits to following Him,
He says,
“My peace I leave with you.”
Pray,
especially when
you’re
unsure of God’s will
for your life.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7). If you don’t know what to pray, you can always personalize and pray verses such as, “Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul” (Psalm 143:8) and, “Guide me in Your truth and teach me” (Psalm 25:5).
The primary way God commands us is through His Word. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). If Scripture commands something of us, there’s no need to hesitate and wonder if it’s really God’s will for us. He cares so much about us that He already gave a plain and clear guidebook to life – the Bible. “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). “The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word” (Psalm 119:9). Likewise, God never contradicts Himself, so He’ll never ask you to do something contradictory to Scripture. He will never ask you to sin. He will never ask you to do something Jesus Christ wouldn’t do. We need to immerse ourselves in the Bible, so we will know which actions meet God’s standards. “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth: meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything that is written in it” (Joshua 1:8).
Christians also have the Holy Spirit to discern what is, or is not, God’s will for our lives. “The Spirit of truth . . . will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Sometimes the Holy Spirit will either agitate our conscience if we’re making a wrong decision, or He will pacify and encourage us when we’re leaning toward the right decision. Even if He doesn’t intervene in such noticeable ways, we can have confidence that He’s always in charge. Sometimes God will alter a situation without us even realizing He has acted. “The Lord will guide you always” (Isaiah 58:11).
If God is calling you to take a leap of faith, be encouraged by His presence. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). And remember, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
What we are not to do is expect to hear voices from God. There is a dangerous trend today where people seek to hear a “word from the Lord,” extraneous to what He has already given us in the Bible. “The Lord told me . . .” has become the mantra of experience-driven Christianity. Unfortunately, what He “tells” one person often contradicts what He “tells” another, and these extra-biblical revelations have proven to be very divisive, tearing apart church after church as one person’s experience seeks to take precedence over another’s. This results in chaos, benefiting no one except Satan, who loves to sow discord among believers. We should make the apostle Peter our example in these matters. In spite of the miraculous experience on the Mount of Transfiguration, where he beheld the glorified Christ speaking with Moses and Elijah, Peter refused to rely on that experience, declaring instead that “We have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:18-19, NKJV).
Psalm 1 seems to present a choice that every person must make. There is a fork in the road of life: one route is the way of the righteous, which leads to blessings; the other is the “path of sinners,” and it ends in destruction. A prerequisite for experiencing a blessed life is described in the opening verses:
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in
the
counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in
the seat of the scornful;
But his delight
is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law
he meditates day and night
(Psalm 1:1–2, NKJV).
The blessed man does
not walk
“in the counsel of the ungodly.”
In the original Hebrew, the word translated “counsel” is a noun meaning “something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action.” The “ungodly” are wicked people, sinners, and those characterized by godlessness.
To walk not in the counsel of the ungodly means to reject any advice from the wicked. It includes avoiding any guiding influence that might shape or direct one’s way of life toward godlessness. Walking involves progress; thus, the verse instructs, “Don’t walk in the counsel, don’t stand in the path, don’t sit in the seat” of the ungodly. The apparent progression presents a picture of someone walking next to sin, then stopping to stand and take it all in, and then finally sitting right down in sin’s seat “to enjoy the fleeting pleasures” of it (Hebrews 11:25).
Not walking, standing, or sitting with the ungodly implies steering clear of sin by avoiding participation in every aspect of the sinner’s way of life. The apostle Paul warned, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Corinthians 15:33). “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared,” cautions Proverbs 22:24–25.
A Christian cannot expect to make forward progress if he seeks counsel from sinners or makes plans with unbelievers: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
The person who chooses the righteous way of life avoids thinking like the ungodly, behaving like the wicked, and associating with the godless. Instead, he will “walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20).
A believer who “walks not in the counsel of the ungodly” will apply biblical truth to his daily life, letting God’s Word be a lamp to guide his feet and a light for his path (Psalm 119:105). His “delight is in the law of the Lord,” and he “meditates on his law day and night,” says Psalm 1:2.
Such a person will grow in faith and spiritual maturity
(Romans 10:17).
God blesses the route of the righteous because they “fear the Lord and delight in obeying His commands” (Psalm 112:1). Rather than taking pleasure in sin and the things of the world, they “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).
Loving God and obeying His Word will result in abundant blessings (Joshua 1:8; Luke 11:28; John 14:21). As we read the Scriptures daily, study them, memorize them, and meditate on them night and day, our thinking changes. We no longer love the world or the things in it (1 John 2:15–17). We no longer walk in the counsel of the ungodly. We “don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world”; instead, God transforms us by changing how we think. Then we can experience God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2, NLT).
People who walk in the counsel of the ungodly listen to worldly advice, make plans with the wicked, and willfully participate in the sinner’s way of life. Romans 8:5–7 describes these people as those “who live according to the flesh” and “have their minds set on what the flesh desires.” By contrast, “those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.”
God calls His children to choose the way of righteousness—to be set apart, holy. He calls us out of darkness to walk in His light (1 Peter 1:15–16; 2:9). That is the path to the blessings of life and peace.
A theme of “light and darkness, day and night” runs throughout the apostle Paul’s writings. He fervently encourages believers to always live in the light of their salvation and behave as though Christ could return at any minute: “Now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy” (Romans 13:11–13, NKJV).
The night is “far spent” (KJV, NKJV) or “nearly over” (NIV) or “almost gone” (NLT), and the day is “at hand” (KJV, NKJV) or “almost here” (NIV)—these are Paul’s metaphorical ways of saying that the day when Jesus Christ returns for His church is imminent. Paul gave equivalent encouragement in 1 Thessalonians 5:4–8: “But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation” (NLT; cf. Ephesians 5:1–20).
As believers, we must recognize the times we live in. The Bible separates time into two periods or ages—this present (evil) age and the age to come (see Mark 10:30; Luke 20:34–36; 1 Corinthians 2:6–8; 10:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Titus 2:12; Ephesians 1:21; 2:7; Hebrews 6:5; 9:26). This present age is filled with darkness and evil, but a new day of righteousness is coming. The writers of the New Testament reveal that “the age to come” or “the kingdom of God” was introduced by Jesus, the King.
Christians live and wait in constant anticipation of that day “when Christ, who is [our] life, is revealed to the whole world,” and we “will share in all his glory” (Colossians 3:4, NLT). Paul describes us as having “the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us” (see Romans 8:21–23, NLT).
The believer’s salvation encompasses the past (justification), present (sanctification), and future (glorification). One day, when the night is over and the day dawns, the old, present evil age will finally end, and the new age of God’s glorious kingdom will be consummated. “Now,” in this present age, “we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then,” in the age to come, “we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that [we] know now is partial and incomplete, but then [we] will know everything completely, just as God now knows [us] completely” (1 Corinthians 13:12, NLT).
The night is far spent, and the day is at hand signifies that, every day, we are one step closer to our full inheritance as believers. Peter explained, “Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see” (1 Peter 1:3–5, NLT). Armed with this knowledge, we cast off all traces of darkness and live in the light of holiness. We experience every moment with a keen awareness that we are on the threshold of the bright and glorious sunrise of our Savior’s return.
Interconnection
of
Grace and Glory
Grace is
“undeserved favor.”
The grace of God is His granting of good things to those who only deserve punishment.
The word sufficient means “adequate” or “enough.” Sufficient grace speaks of the grace of God that grants salvation, preservation, and everything else that the believer needs in this life and in the life to come.
Sufficient grace is not a biblical term but rather a technical description of the grace of God as revealed in Scripture. The only time the two words are used together in Scripture is in 2 Corinthians 12:9. Paul had some form of physical affliction that caused him real difficulty. No doubt he thought he would be able to serve the Lord more effectively if he did not have this physical ailment to slow him down. He says he asked the Lord repeatedly to take it away from him, but the Lord’s answer was “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” In other words, in this case, God showed grace to Paul not by removing the ailment but by giving him the ability to endure it. In response Paul says, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
The concept of sufficient grace is that God’s grace is adequate (sufficient) for anything we need. First, we need salvation and forgiveness of sin. God’s grace provides that for all who will accept it. Then, the believer needs grace to live the Christian life. God’s grace is sufficient here whether the believer experiences poverty or plenty, pain or pleasure. Often, Christians wonder how they could possibly survive persecution and hardship they have read about in other times or hear about in other places. A Christian might wonder, “If had a gun to my head, would I deny Christ?” If all that was at work was human determination, it might be a toss-up at best. But the Christian can rely on the fact that God’s grace will be sufficient for the hardship when it arrives, even if it may not be in evidence before.
In reality, no Christian is inherently sufficient. Every Christian, left to his own devices, would fail miserably. “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5) expresses the idea beautifully without using the term sufficient grace. When the time comes, God’s grace will be sufficient to carry the believer through whatever he or she may encounter. By focusing on the sufficient grace of God rather than human frailties, Christians can face the future with confidence. With Paul, Christians can enthusiastically embrace their own insufficiencies, knowing that these insufficiencies will push them toward the all-sufficient grace of God.
The University of Michigan describes “equity” in the following manner:
Equity is a principle that centers on creating systems, organizations, and societies that are fair and just. It involves first recognizing when disadvantages and barriers exist, and then allocating resources and support to ensure equal access and opportunities for all. The pursuit of equity disrupts historic patterns of inequality and exclusion, dismantles barriers to advancement, and ends any systematic bias and discrimination against people based on their identity and background. (https://diversity.umich.edu/about/defining-dei/#:~:text=Equity%20is%20a%20principle%20that,access%20and%20opportunities%20for%20all, accessed 3/13/25)
Organizations like Black Lives Matter assert that equality and equity are used interchangeably, but the latter term suggests the need for addressing historical inequalities and ensuring everyone has the resources and opportunities to succeed.
As it pertains to social issues, equity has historically meant the opposite of discrimination or bias. Recent views suggest persons are not being treated fairly unless they arrive at the same outcomes as others. Critical race theory implies the only explanation for any difference in outcome is racism, prejudice, or discrimination.
The Bible weighs in on the topics of equality and equity. The New Testament condemns favoritism and partiality (Ephesians 6:9; James 2:1, 9). Paul treated a pastor’s responsibility to maintain a sense of equity as a weighty matter: “I charge you, [Timothy,] in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism” (1 Timothy 5:21). In fact, the Bible asserts that humans are intrinsically equal in value, dignity, and worth because we are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27). Even as the Bible acknowledges differences among people groups, gender roles, and social classes, it maintains the intrinsic dignity of each person as a creation of God.
Jesus was equal with God the Father, yet He didn’t use that position to benefit Himself. He is the one “who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:6–7). In other words, Jesus never took on a posture of entitlement or victimization. In this world, He had “no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Though He was God, He laid down all heavenly comforts to take on human form. In coming into our world, He experienced persecution, unequal measures, and suffering.
All unjust barriers and discriminatory exclusions exist because of sin. We are the cause of inequity and sinful bias. Peter struggled with accepting the Gentiles as equals in the early church, but God patiently worked with him to change his viewpoint. As Peter began to realize the heart of God, his testimony was, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34–35).
Jesus likened His globally diverse people to a body. In a body, every part serves a purpose, not in uniformity but in unity (1 Corinthians 12). If we were to modify the parts of our body to try to make everything an eye, an ear, or a pinky toe, we would be diagnosed as crazy. To assume everyone in the world is equipped with the same resources, gifts, and purpose is equally insane. Jesus designed people for different roles and gave them different gifts (see 1 Corinthians 12:8–11). These varying gifts indicate His good and gracious plan for our lives; they do not suggest an inequality of value.
The Scripture’s description of the body of Christ helps us discern the truth from the lies in the equity vs. equality debate. Is every part of the body vital and valuable (equality)? Yes. Is every part of the body the same (equity)? No. Therefore, consider the invitation. Jesus invites you into His family where you can truly embody humility and rejoice in what 1 Corinthians 12:5 says, “There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.” Amen to that.
The Bible does not directly address censorship because “freedom of speech,” “freedom of the press,” and “freedom of religion” are relatively modern concepts. In many places around the world today, these freedoms are still denied. Ancient rulers all exercised censorship in that a person could be killed for criticizing the king/emperor or any of his policies. Likewise, a person could be killed for going against the prevailing religious thought or practice. This “censorship” was considered normal and natural.
In ancient Israel, people were not allowed to worship any way they pleased, nor were they allowed to spread any teaching they wanted. False teachers in Israel faced the “ultimate censorship”: “But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death” (Deuteronomy 18:20). “If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, ‘Let us follow other gods’ (gods you have not known) ‘and let us worship them,’ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 13:1–5). False teachers and false teaching were supposed to be censored.
On the other hand, when the king was living in disobedience to God, he might try to censor God’s Word. In Jeremiah 36, Jeremiah’s scribe wrote the words that the Lord gave to Jeremiah. Subsequently, they were read to the king, who listened and periodically cut out a portion of the scroll that he had just heard and burned it. Even today, the Bible remains one of the books that is most often the target of censorship.
The church today is to “censor” false teaching. Church leaders should maintain control over what is taught in the church, making sure it is in accordance with Scripture. Many fear that, if Christians ever became a majority in the United States, they would impose something like Old Testament Law on the population at large and people would no longer be free to express their ideas. Indeed, some branches of Christian theology would view this condition as ideal. In the most strident of these groups, some would say that, if the United States were constituted as a biblical theocracy, the proper response to certain cults would not be evangelism but execution for blasphemy and false teaching. This is an extreme position, and most Christians today would reject it, even if they do long for society to be ordered along biblical priorities.
In reality, every organization and society exercises censorship on some level. Today, certain things are simply not allowed. For instance, child pornography is illegal and punishable by imprisonment. Other things may be legal but are socially unacceptable. Anyone who utters certain words or ideas may be “cancelled.” Even with lax social standards, there are still some things that are not allowed on broadcast television because the airwaves belong to the public and therefore must maintain some semblance of public decency. These standards are much more relaxed than they were a generation ago, and more and more obscenity, vulgarity, and profanity is allowed on broadcast television. There are no restrictions on cable, internet, or movies shown in a theatre.
Public libraries have long stood against censorship, but every library makes decisions about what to put in, what to take out, and what to keep out. There is simply not enough room or budget to put everything in, and collection development decisions will inevitably be influenced by the beliefs and values of the librarian who is making those decisions. Christians are often accused of censorship because they want filters to be placed on computers at the public library or object to certain materials being made available to children.
As far as Christians censoring other materials, there is fine line to walk, especially in Western-style democracies. On one hand, it is best that people be protected from certain images and ideas like pornography. On the other hand, censoring something often has the effect of making it more interesting and desirable. Christianity seems to thrive in the “free marketplace of ideas,” in which ideas have to be refuted by sound argumentation and the loving presentation of truth rather than censored. Likewise, Christian parents have to walk a fine line between protecting their children from harmful content and over-protecting them so that they are unprepared to make good decisions when they are on their own.
Increasingly, biblically based positions on public behavior are considered intolerant by society at large, and there is an increased call for censorship of Christian ideas that are labeled “hate speech.” Merely expressing certain ideas based on biblical truth is increasingly considered hateful or even violent. Obviously, when the powers that be attempt to censor truth, Christians must stand against it. In many cases this may involve political and legal action, but it should always involve a bold proclamation of the truth, both publicly and privately. Peter and John set the example when they refused to stop preaching in the name of Jesus even when they were threatened by the authorities (Acts 5:28–29).
Perhaps most importantly, Christians are supposed to censor what they put into their minds and what comes out of their mouths. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29).
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated “integrity” means “the condition of being without blemish, completeness, perfection, sincerity, soundness, uprightness, wholeness.” Integrity in the New Testament means “honesty and adherence to a pattern of good works.”
Jesus is the perfect example of a man of integrity. After He was baptized, He went into the wilderness to fast for forty days and nights, during which time Satan came to Him at His weakest to try to break His integrity and corrupt Him. Jesus was wholly man and wholly God at the same time, and He was tempted in every way we are, yet He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15); that is the definition of integrity. Jesus is the only one who was ever without blemish, perfect, completely truthful, and always showing a pattern of good works.
Christians are called to be like Jesus. In Christ, we are new creations and can be considered without blemish before God (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Ephesians 1:4–8). In Christ, we also have the indwelling Holy Spirit at work in us, sanctifying us and making us more like Jesus (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). We are also to strive to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12–13). It is by God’s power that we become increasingly people of integrity. We are called to obey God and, in so doing, to be people of uncompromised morality and integrity. Christians should be those who adhere to the truth and who do good works.
“Integrity” in our world today implies moral incorruptibility. Christians should be those who cannot be bribed or compromised because we serve God rather than men (Colossians 3:17, 23; Acts 5:29). We are to be people who keep our word (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12). We are to love those around us in both word and deed (1 John 3:17–18; James 2:17–18; Ephesians 4:29). We are called upon to believe in God and therefore to follow Him in all our ways (John 6:19; 15:1–17). Our lives should line up with our belief in God and evince a trust that His ways are best (Proverbs 3:5–6).
Living with integrity in a world where the corrupt seem favored, not to mention our battle with our own sin nature, is challenging. First Peter 3:13–18 gives this encouragement: “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” To live with integrity is to follow the example of Christ. And we can only live with true integrity by His power, which He graciously and freely gives to all who are His (John 16:33; Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 1:13–14).
The concept of "The Gift of Grace and Glory" is deeply rooted in Christian theology and is a central theme throughout the Bible. It encompasses the unmerited favor of God bestowed upon humanity and the ultimate glorification of believers. This entry explores the biblical foundation and theological significance of grace and glory as gifts from God.
Grace
Grace, in the biblical context, refers to the unearned and undeserved favor of God towards humanity. It is a fundamental aspect of God's character and His dealings with mankind. The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, emphasizes the transformative power of grace. In Ephesians 2:8-9 , Paul writes, "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." This passage underscores that salvation is a gift from God, not a result of human effort or merit.
The grace of God is also evident in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. John 1:14 states, "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." Jesus embodies grace, offering forgiveness and redemption to all who believe in Him. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, believers receive the gift of grace, leading to eternal life.
Glory
Glory, in the biblical sense, refers to the divine presence and majesty of God. It is often associated with the manifestation of God's holiness and power. The glory of God is a recurring theme in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the glory of God is revealed in various ways, such as the pillar of cloud and fire that guided the Israelites (Exodus 13:21) and the glory that filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34).
In the New Testament, the glory of God is most fully revealed in Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:3 declares, "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word." Jesus, as the incarnate Word, reflects the glory of God and makes it accessible to humanity.
The gift of glory is also promised to believers. Romans 8:17 states, "And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him." This passage highlights the future glorification of believers, who will share in the glory of Christ as co-heirs in the kingdom of God.
Interconnection
of
Grace and Glory
The gift of grace and glory are interconnected in the Christian life. Grace is the means by which believers are justified and sanctified, while glory is the ultimate end of this transformative process. 2 Corinthians 3:18 illustrates this connection: "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." Through the work of the Holy Spirit, believers are progressively transformed into the likeness of Christ, moving from grace to glory.
In summary, the gift of grace and glory encapsulates the essence of the Christian faith. Grace is the unmerited favor that initiates and sustains the believer's relationship with God, while glory is the culmination of this divine journey, where believers are fully conformed to the image of Christ and partake in the eternal glory of God.
https://www.youtube.com/live/pKgR9ugan1Q?si=OgWa4GCSzZhHLGjG
Join With
Neighbors And Friends
From
Every State In The Union
A patriotic opening ceremony launching the Great American State Fair and celebrating America’s 250th birthday.
Beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Washington, D.C., the event will feature military flyovers, ceremonial presentations, performances by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” Armed Forces choirs, and special musical performances by Lee Greenwood and Christopher Macchio.
President Donald J. Trump will headline the celebration with remarks officially launching the Great American State Fair and kicking off a nationwide tribute to the people, traditions, history, and spirit that make America the greatest nation on Earth.
We find the law of liberty
first
mentioned in James 1:25,
“But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” James here refers to the gospel, which, although it is called here a law, is not, strictly speaking, a law comprised of requirements and enforced by sanctions. Rather, it is a declaration of righteousness and salvation by Christ, an offer of peace and pardon by Him, and a free promise of eternal life through Him. The juxtaposition of the two contradictory terms—“law” and “liberty”—made the point, especially to the Jews, that this was an entirely new way of thinking about both. Paul uses this same technique when he refers to the “law of faith” in Romans 3:27.
The perfect liberty found in Christ fulfills the “perfect law” of the Old Testament because Christ was the only one who could. Those who come to Him in faith now have freedom from sin’s bondage and are able to obey God. Christ alone can set us free and give us true liberty (John 8:36).
The phrase “law of liberty” is found again in James 2:12. In this portion of his epistle, James is discussing the sin of showing partiality within the church. He reminds his hearers that to show favoritism toward others is a violation of the command to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Jesus Himself reminded us that all of the Law that God gave to Moses could be summed up into one concise principle—to love God with all the heart, soul and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–40).
God’s Word teaches plainly that all have sinned and stand condemned before God (Romans 3:10, 23; 6:23). No one but Jesus Christ has ever fully obeyed the law of God. He who knew no sin became sin for us (Isaiah 53:5–6; 2 Corinthians 5:21)! Christ’s sacrifice on the cross has redeemed from the curse of the Law all who trust in Him by faith (Galatians 3:10–14). Believers have been justified (declared righteous) by His grace (Romans 3:24–28) and are no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). All who have trusted Christ have received the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). It is His power in us that gives us the ability to please God (Galatians 5:13–16).
Christ’s perfect sacrifice brings release from the eternal death sentence that the Law brings upon all sinners, and it gives believers the ability to please God as we put off the works of the flesh (Colossians 3:1–9), put on love (Colossians 3:12–17), and walk in (or by) the Spirit day by day. It is by the Spirit’s filling and control (Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 5:17–21) that we can walk in love and please our Heavenly Father.
What perfect
liberty
we now enjoy!
What a blessed privilege to have received mercy, to be redeemed (liberated) from the bondage of sin, and to be empowered for service by our Creator! Our love for others proves the reality of our faith (1 John 4:7–11).
Let us love one another even as He has loved us
(1 John 4:19).
DEI is an acronym for “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” DEI is a concept in the business world designed to value people’s individual differences, ensure everyone has equal opportunities, and create work environments in which everyone feels welcomed and respected. The stated intention of DEI programs is to support people who come from varying backgrounds and give them the resources they need to thrive in the workplace.
Taken at face value, DEI aligns with biblical principles. It is good to value and respect people, support fairness, and allow opportunities. It’s the implementation of DEI that often causes problems, as the baseline for “fairness” fluctuates from merit to skin color or the “opportunities” are weighted more toward one demographic than another.
DEI acknowledges and appreciates individual differences, and a foundational biblical principle is the recognition of individual gifts and callings. Passages such as Romans 12:6–8 and 1 Corinthians 12:4–11 illustrate the diversity within the body of Christ and highlight that different individuals are endowed with various gifts for the purpose of serving the community. At the same time, the emphasis in such passages is on an individual’s God-given abilities and qualifications rather than his or her background or identity markers. Roles and responsibilities, both within the church and society, should align with one’s gifts and abilities.
When selecting leaders, Moses was advised to choose capable men who feared God and trustworthy men who hated dishonest gain (Exodus 18:21). There were no incapable leaders considered in the name of “diversity.” There was no “inclusion” of untrustworthy individuals. Similarly, when the apostles needed to delegate responsibilities in the early church, they chose individuals who were full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3). In both Old and New Testaments, there was a preference for qualification and merit as criteria for leadership roles.
Selecting individuals based on race or identity markers, rather than on qualifications or merit, directly contradicts the biblical teaching that God looks at the heart rather than the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). When DEI initiatives prioritize race or identity over qualifications, they risk enacting a form of discrimination that Scripture unequivocally condemns. “Forced equality” in DEI initiatives unlocks the potential for undermining meritocracy—a system in which positions and opportunities are accorded based on demonstrated ability and merit. When DEI overlooks character, God-given talents, and proven qualifications, individuals could be placed into roles they are poorly suited for.
Scripture affirms the diversity of gifts, callings, and contributions within the body of Christ, emphasizing that equality does not mean uniformity (Romans 12:4–8). Efforts to enforce uniform outcomes, rather than provide equal opportunities, stifle individuality and the expression of God-given talents. This approach, sometimes seen in DEI programs, not only neglects the biblical celebration of diversity within unity but also risks imposing unjust and unattainable standards that overlook personal choice and agency.
Imagine the application of DEI principles to the NFL. What if general managers had to construct teams based on racial quotas rather than on the skillset and physical prowess necessary for the sport? If teams were mandated to select their players solely to achieve racial parity, regardless of individual merit or suitability for the sport, it would lead to a complete distortion of the game’s competitive integrity and spirit. The NFL thrives on the excellence of its athletes, the majority of whom happen to be non-white (www.statista.com/statistics/1167935/racial-diversity-nfl-players, accessed 9/9/24). This predominance is not a matter of policy but a reflection of the individuals who excel most in the sport’s specific demands. To impose an artificial standard of racial composition on teams would not only undermine the principle of meritocracy that defines the competitive nature of sports but also detract from the genuine celebration of diversity that arises naturally from a system based on ability.
Many people have voiced concern that DEI efforts are more concerned with the optics of diversity than with genuine inclusion and equity. If DEI programs are guilty of such superficiality, then a correction is in order. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their focus on external appearances rather than the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23). Authentic engagement with diversity and inclusion seeks to address root issues of injustice and inequality, rather than merely adjusting superficial metrics for appearance’s sake.
Some argue that DEI can exacerbate divisiveness and prejudice rather than foster genuine understanding and unity. This outcome is antithetical to the unified body of Christ, in which diverse members work together for the common good, valuing each other’s unique contributions (1 Corinthians 12:12–27). By focusing on external differences to the exclusion of shared humanity and common goals, DEI initiatives can unintentionally undermine the Bible’s imperative to pursue unity and love.
The Bible upholds
justice,
mercy, and individual dignity.
It also offers a framework
for
diversity and inclusion
that
transcends superficial metrics
and the
ideological conformity of DEI.
INDIANAPOLIS
A suburban Indianapolis church held services on Sunday for the first time in more than a month, taking care to ensure that worshippers adhered to social-distancing best practices and limiting attendance to conform to the governor’s coronavirus guidance.
The iTOWN Church
in Fishers
held 40-minute services
in which only 10 people were allowed to attend, including the pastor. They started on the hour, leaving 20 minutes in between for cleaning crews to sterilize the inside of the church before the next group of worshippers arrived, the Indianapolis Star reported.
Pastor David Sumrall said in a Facebook post Thursday that the church would resume services while adhering to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb’s executive order prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people, adding that the church made its decision after consulting with “local government leaders and our lawyers.”
“Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
(Amos 5:24).
Justice is a major theme in Scripture, which contains many calls for justice and commands to worship God for His justice. Justice has to do with conduct in relation to others. Just behavior accords with what is morally right and fair. Justice is the quality of doing what is right.
The Justice of God
God is just (Deuteronomy 32:4). The justice of God can be defined as “that essential and infinite attribute which makes his nature and his ways the perfect embodiment of equity, and constitutes him the model and the guardian of equity throughout the universe” (ATS Bible Dictionary, 1859).
God’s rule over the universe is grounded in justice and righteousness (Psalm 89:14). There is never a time when God has been unjust; it is against His unchanging nature to be anything but perfectly just. “The King is mighty, he loves justice—you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right” (Psalm 99:4).
“The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:9, NKJV). Adam and Eve saw the justice of God when they were punished for their sin in the Garden. Even in that judgment, however, they experienced mercy, as “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). God’s justice requires Him to deal with sin. Scripture records many instances of God’s justice meted out for mankind’s rebellion: the flood of Noah’s day, the plagues in Egypt, the destruction of Ahab and Jezebel’s house, and the Babylonian Captivity, just to name a few.
The justice of God is also demonstrated at the cross. As Jesus was crucified, the sins of the world were laid on Him (Isaiah 53:4–5), and Jesus’ death became the propitiation, or the satisfaction, of God’s justice: “God put [Christ] forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness” (Romans 3:25). God could not just ignore sin; justice requires a penalty. To our eternal benefit, that penalty for sin fell on Jesus Christ: “It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).
Of course, it was also at the cross where God’s mercy and love were on full display. “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, NLT). The cross is the intersection of God’s justice and mercy; God’s justice was meted out in full (upon Christ), and God’s mercy was extended in full (to all who believe). He is truly “a just God and a Savior” (Isaiah 45:21, NKJV).
The Mandate for Justice
Because God is just, He demands that mankind, created in His image, also display justice (Micah 6:8). Before Israel had a king, God ensured that His people had justice, as the whole book of Judges attests. Deborah the prophetess set up court beneath a palm tree (Judges 4:5), and Samuel presided over a circuit court, traveling from place to place to hear cases and administer justice (1 Samuel 7:16). Later, the king became the nation’s chief justice.
Scripture is full of commands that humans act justly. This includes acting on behalf of those whose rights are being denied and those who are powerless to defend themselves:
• “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause” (Isaiah 1:17, ESV).
• “Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place” (Jeremiah 22:3, ESV).
• “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:3–4).
God’s desire for justice extends to crime prevention and the punishment of evildoers:
• “For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong” (Isaiah 61:8, ESV).
• “When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers” (Proverbs 21:15, ESV).
• “Whoever says to the wicked, ‘You are in the right,’ will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations, but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them” (Proverbs 24:24–25, ESV).
The Mosaic Law specifically forbade unjust weights and measures (Leviticus 19:35–36) and condemned the taking of bribes (Exodus 23:8). God places a special responsibility on judges and other authorities to provide justice, warning them in Psalm 82 that they will themselves face judgment. Every human tribunal is under God’s order to do what is right:
• “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:15, ESV).
• “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another” (Zechariah 7:9, ESV).
• “Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God” (Deuteronomy 1:17).
• “In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor” (Exodus 23:6, NLT).
• “Justice, and only justice, you shall follow” (Deuteronomy 16:20).
Justice is linked to a right relationship with God, and those who know God will act justly:
• “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Proverbs 29:7).
• “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely” (Proverbs 28:5, ESV).
• “The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice” (Proverbs 17:23).
• “Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!” (Psalm 106:3, ESV).
Man’s Injustice
We live in a world of injustice. Because of the fall of mankind and the sinful nature we inherited from Adam, we all tend toward what is morally wrong instead of toward what is morally right. The result is that we live amid partiality and unfairness, and, even as we honor the concept of justice, we see many examples of the corruption of justice.
Isaiah the prophet decried the state of Jerusalem in his day, as the city “once was full of justice;
righteousness used to dwell in her--
but now murderers!
Your silver has become dross,
your choice wine is diluted with water.
Your rulers are rebels,
partners with thieves;
they all love bribes
and chase after gifts.
They do not defend the cause of the fatherless;
the widow’s case does not come before them” (Isaiah 1:21–23).
And Isaiah continues, “Justice is far from us. . . . We look for justice, but find none. . . . Justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance. . . . The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice” (Isaiah 59:9, 11, 14–15).
As the world drifts further from God, justice becomes a rarer commodity. When sin is redefined as a virtue, and righteousness becomes offensive, then justice is twisted, the wicked go unpunished, and innocent people are victimized.
God Will Bring Justice
Believers look forward to the day when the Lord returns and establishes true justice on the earth. Whatever the injustice in this world, God has promised, “I will repay” (Romans 12:19). A world pining for justice will finally see it administered when the King of Righteousness comes:
• “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 they have done” (Matthew 16:27; cf. Psalm 62:12).
• “With righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:4).
• “Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness” (Psalm 96:13).
• “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” (Revelation 19:11).
• “Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve” (Jeremiah 32:19).
The Lord has promised to return and set things right. Truth will win in the end. In the meantime, we wait, and we do not lose hope: “The Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18, ESV). And we praise Him for His justice: “I will thank the LORD because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High” (Psalm 7:17, NLT).
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28, ESV). This translation, along with the NASB, KJV, and NKJV, uses the phrase “Jew nor Greek.” The NIV translates it less literally as “Jew nor Gentile.” Either way, this verse relates a wonderful message concerning the unity we have in Christ.
In New Testament times, Greek culture was dominant in the Roman Empire of which Israel was a part, so there was a basic distinction made between Jews and Greeks. (Greeks could refer to those who lived according to the practices of Greek culture, whether they were ethnically Greek or not. Today there are many non-Jews who are not Greeks and who do not follow Greek culture, so the word Gentile may give a better sense of what the passage is saying.) The Jews were the people of God, and the Greeks/Gentiles were not.
In addition to Jew and Greek, Galatians 3:28 lists two other contrasting pairs: male and female, and slave or free. When Paul says that “there is neither Jew or Greek,” male or female, or slave and free, we know that he is not speaking literally, for all of these types of people existed in Paul’s day as well as in our day (modern gender-bending notwithstanding). Paul is not saying that the differences do not exist but that, in Christ, they do not matter. Again, this is not an absolute statement that the differences have been completely abolished, as some interpret it, because the New Testament spends a good bit of time telling how men and women should act in their unique roles as men or women and of the proper behavior of slaves and masters, even Christian slaves and Christian masters (see Ephesians 5:21—6:9 and Colossians 3:18—4:1, for example). But within the context of the discussion of Galatians 3, these differences do not matter. When these differences are taken outside the context of Galatians 3, they might matter a great deal. Galatians 3:28 cannot be quoted in isolation to “prove” that there are or should be no differences.
For example, if a family is attending an amusement park, they may encounter different prices for different people: kids, teenagers, adults, teachers, students, senior citizens, military veterans, etc. However, on Tuesday everyone is admitted for the same low price. So, if the family approaches the ticket window on a Tuesday, and Grandma says to the ticket agent, “Don’t forget, I am a senior citizen,” the ticket agent might respond, “It doesn’t matter.” He is not attempting to be rude or say that all of the life experience that Grandma has accumulated is worthless. Nor is he saying that the aches and pains of age will not affect her today. What he is saying is that, within the context of the issue at hand—ticket prices—the fact that she is a senior citizen (or that Dad is a veteran or that Junior is a college student) does not matter; that is, those facts, as important as they may be in other contexts, simply do not affect the ticket prices on Tuesday. The distinctions do not matter.
Galatians 3:26–29 gives the fuller context: “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
The specific consideration is the identity of Abraham’s offspring, those who are children of God and eligible to inherit the promises God made to Abraham. It would be normal to think that Jews were Abraham’s descendants and thus the only ones eligible to receive the promises God, but Paul says that, in Christ, Greeks or Gentiles can also be Abraham’s children and heirs. It would be normal to think of men as heirs, because in that culture women generally did not inherit property. It would be normal to think that only free people could be heirs, because slaves did not inherit—they were given as an inheritance. However, Paul says that in Christ slaves, women, and Greeks can all be heirs to the promises of God.
In Christ, it doesn’t matter about your ethnic identity, your gender, or your station in life. If you are in Christ, you are one of God’s chosen people and you stand to inherit all that God has promised. It is only through Christ that anyone can inherit God’s kingdom (John 14:6). While there may still be ethnic, gender, and social distinctions that carry weight in other contexts, those distinctions do not affect one’s standing as a child of God by faith in Christ.
On the last day of creation, God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Thus, He finished His work with a “personal touch.” God formed Adam from the dust and gave him life by sharing His own breath (Genesis 2:7). Accordingly, humanity is unique among all God’s creations, having both a material body and an immaterial soul/spirit.
Having the “image” or “likeness” of God means, in the simplest terms, that we were made to resemble God. Adam did not resemble God in the sense of God’s having flesh and blood. Scripture says that “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and therefore exists without a body. However, Adam’s body did mirror the life of God insofar as it was created in perfect health and was not subject to death.
The image of God (Latin, imago dei) refers to the immaterial part of humanity. It sets human beings apart from the animal world, fits them for the dominion God intended them to have over the earth (Genesis 1:28), and enables them to commune with their Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally, and socially.
Mentally, humanity was created as a rational, volitional agent. In other words, human beings can reason and choose. This is a reflection of God’s intellect and freedom. Anytime someone invents a machine, writes a book, paints a landscape, enjoys a symphony, calculates a sum, or names a pet, he or she is proclaiming the fact that we are made in God’s image.
Morally, humanity was created in righteousness and perfect innocence, a reflection of God’s holiness. God saw all He had made (humanity included) and called it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Our conscience or “moral compass” is a vestige of that original state. Whenever someone writes a law, recoils from evil, praises good behavior, or feels guilty, he or she is confirming the fact that we are made in God’s own image.
Socially, humanity was created for fellowship. This reflects God’s triune nature and His love. In Eden, humanity’s primary relationship was with God (Genesis 3:8 implies fellowship with God), and God made the first woman because “it is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Every time someone marries, makes a friend, hugs a child, or attends church, he or she is demonstrating the fact that we are made in the likeness of God.
Part of being made in God’s image is that Adam had the capacity to make free choices. Although they were given a righteous nature, Adam and Eve made an evil choice to rebel against their Creator. In so doing, they marred the image of God within themselves, and passed that damaged likeness on to all their descendants (Romans 5:12). Today, we still bear the image of God (James 3:9), but we also bear the scars of sin. Mentally, morally, socially, and physically, we show the effects of sin.
The good news is that when God redeems an individual, He begins to restore the original image of God, creating a “new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). That redemption is only available by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior from the sin that separates us from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Through Christ, we are made new creations in the likeness of God (2 Corinthians 5:17).
God’s sovereignty is one of the most important principles in Christian theology, as well as one of its most hotly debated. Whether or not God is actually sovereign is usually not a topic of debate; all mainstream Christian sects agree that God is preeminent in power and authority. God’s sovereignty is a natural consequence of His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. What’s subject to disagreement is to what extent God applies His sovereignty—specifically, how much control He exerts over the wills of men. When we speak of the sovereignty of God, we mean He rules the universe, but then the debate begins over when and where His control is direct and when it is indirect.
God is described in the Bible as 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.
The fact that God is sovereign essentially means that He has the power, wisdom, and authority to do anything He chooses within His creation. Whether or not He actually exerts that level of control in any given circumstance is actually a completely different question. Often, the concept of divine sovereignty is oversimplified. We tend to assume that, if God is not directly, overtly, purposefully driving some event, then He is somehow not sovereign. The cartoon version of sovereignty depicts a God who must do anything that He can do, or else He is not truly sovereign.
Of course, such a cartoonish view of God’s sovereignty is logically false. If a man were to put an ant in a bowl, the “sovereignty” of the man over the ant is not in doubt. The ant may try to crawl out, and the man may not want this to happen. But the man is not forced to crush the ant, drown it, or pick it up. The man, for reasons of his own, may choose to let the ant crawl away, but the man is still in control. There is a difference between allowing the ant to leave the bowl and helplessly watching as it escapes. The cartoon version of God’s sovereignty implies that, if the man is not actively holding the ant inside the bowl, then he must be unable to keep it in there at all.
The illustration of the man and the ant is at least a vague parallel to God’s sovereignty over mankind. God has the ability to do anything, to take action and intervene in any situation, but He often chooses to act indirectly or to allow certain things for reasons of His own. His will is furthered in any case. God’s “sovereignty” means that He is absolute in authority and unrestricted in His supremacy. Everything that happens is, at the very least, the result of God’s permissive will. This holds true even if certain specific things are not what He would prefer. The right of God to allow mankind’s free choices is just as necessary for true sovereignty as His ability to enact His will, wherever and however He chooses.
Hebrews 1:8 speaks of the “scepter of righteousness” (NKJV) associated with the kingdom of God’s Son. The description follows the declaration that Jesus is the “heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2) and “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus is “at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 1:3) and is worshiped by the angels (Hebrews 1:6). Undoubtedly, the scepter of righteousness that He wields is one of unmatched power.
Quoting Psalm 45:6, Hebrews 1:8 says, “But to the Son He says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom’” (NKJV).
As far back as Genesis 49:10, we have prophecies of the rule and reign of the Messiah. In the words of Jacob (i.e., Israel), “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.”
Jacob frames the idea of God’s scepter as coming through the tribe of Judah (cf. Psalm 60:7). Both of Jesus’ genealogies in the New Testament record that Jesus is a descendant of Judah. He is later proclaimed to be the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5). At His second coming, Jesus will act like a lion entering the battle unafraid (see Isaiah 31:4; Revelation 19:11–16). He will be able to crush all power that earthly rulers may exert (Isaiah 14:5). With His scepter of righteousness, He brings an end to the kingdoms of this world (Zechariah 10:11; Revelation 11:15).
The prophet Daniel had a vision of one “like the Son of man” standing before God (Daniel 7:13, NKJV). As Daniel watched, “to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14, NKJV). Isaiah predicted that the Prince of Peace “will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever” (Isaiah 9:7). This is the prophecy that Gabriel alludes to when announcing the birth of Jesus Christ to Mary (Luke 1:32–33).
One of Jesus’ titles is King of kings (Revelation 19:16). All authority has been granted to Him (Matthew 28:18), and one day “at the name of Jesus every knee [will] bow, . . . and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10–11). The scepter this King holds will be a scepter of righteousness.
A scepter is a rod symbolizing authority. The fact that Jesus holds the scepter of righteousness means that He will wield His authority justly, producing righteousness on the earth. Other translations of Hebrews 1:8 speak of a “scepter of justice” (NLT) or a “scepter of uprightness” (ESV). His will be a kingdom in which true righteousness prevails. And where there is righteousness, there is peace. The world has never seen a kingdom truly established in justice and goodness.
When the Lord Jesus sets up His kingdom on earth and rules from Zion, the results will be beneficial to all: “He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist” (Isaiah 11:3–5). The Lord will handle the scepter of righteousness with wisdom and grace. Corruption, injustice, oppression, and everything else associated with earthly governments today will never be part of His perfect kingdom.
At His first coming to earth,
the
King of kings, the Lion of Judah,
laid down
His scepter to take the role of a servant
(Mark 10:45; Philippians 2:7).
He showed us
the great love He has for
His people.
He isn’t a power-hungry
God
living far off in the skies.
He chose to dwell among us.
One day
He’s coming again, and this time
He won’t be setting aside the scepter.
“Here is my servant, whom
I uphold,
my chosen one in whom
I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will
bring justice to the nations”
(Isaiah 42:1).
A scriptural understanding
of truth
encompasses more than simple
Honesty
The Bible reveals truth as a moral concept rooted in God’s character (Psalm 43:3; 25:5; 26:3; 86:11; Isaiah 65:16). He is the “God of truth” (Isaiah 65:16, NLT), and His truthfulness embraces His steadfastness, trustworthiness, and eternal faithfulness (Psalm 117:2).
Most commonly, discussions of truth have to do with speaking the truth (Psalm 15:2; Proverbs 12:17). Lying is the opposite of telling the truth (Jeremiah 9:3), and God never lies (Titus 1:2). The Bible says that God is not only truthful, but He Himself is the essence of truth. The reliability and trustworthiness of His being were highly significant to the biblical writers in expressing God’s truthfulness. When Scripture speaks of truth, it refers to a completeness of moral integrity that influences how one thinks and behaves (Psalm 86:11; 119:30, 43–44; Malachi 2:6).
God demonstrates that He is truth in the faithfulness and dependability of His words, actions, and dealings: “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” (Numbers 23:19, NLT; see also 1 Samuel 15:29). God’s Word holds true, and we can trust everything He does (Psalm 33:4). He is completely reliable (Psalm 31:5). The Lord is a rock-solid, trustworthy foundation for life because He is entirely reliable and consistent in His character (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 145:13; 2 Timothy 2:13).
God’s laws and instructions outline the way of truth that is meant to lead people to Him (Psalm 19:7; 119:30, 42–45; Malachi 2:6–7). The Bible says God’s Word is truth: “The entirety of Your word is truth” (Psalm 119:160, HCSB). As the Logos—the living, incarnate Word of God—Jesus Christ is truth (John 1:14, 17; John 6:32). Jesus Himself said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Scripture also says that the gospel message is truth (Galatians 2:5, 14; Ephesians 1:13). That message is the good news of salvation—that Jesus is the only way to everlasting life with God. Through Jesus, “we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life” (1 John 5:20, NLT). Likewise, the Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of truth” who dwells within believers and leads them “into all truth” (John 14:17, NLT; see also John 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 5:6).
The truth of God’s Word also holds sanctifying power for the believer. In His High Priestly Prayer, Jesus asked the Father, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 17:17, NLT). Since the Bible is truth, Christians ought to study it, working hard to understand and correctly apply it to their lives (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16–17). As we deepen our knowledge and insight into God’s Word, its truth will set us free (John 8:32).
God desires His followers to be people of the truth (Ephesians 4:25). He loves those who tell the truth and detests those who lie (Proverbs 12:22; 6:16–19). The Lord underscores the importance of truth by presenting us with “the belt of truth” as the first piece of our spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10–17). The rest of our armor is held secure when the truth is wrapped around us. Otherwise, we are defenseless against the lies of our adversary, the devil, who is the father of lies (John 8:44).
The Bible says that God delights in truth. “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth,” declares the psalmist (Psalm 145:18, NLT). Because of truth’s high value, Solomon counsels, “Buy the truth and do not sell it—wisdom, instruction and insight as well” (Proverbs 23:23). God takes pleasure in seeing His truth reflected in the character of His children (Psalm 15:1–5; 51:6).
He calls believers to
worship
Him in truth
(John 4:24),
love others in truth
(1 John 3:18),
and always speak the truth
(Ephesians 4:15, 25; Zechariah 8:16).
Unity is a state
of
oneness and harmony
All believers in Christ
are
united in Christ
We are in a relationship
that
unites us with Him
and
with every other believer
Jesus prayed for His disciples—all who would believe in Him for all the ages—“that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:21). Some look at the great divisions among Christian denominations and refer to this as Christ’s great “unanswered prayer.” However, Scripture is clear that all believers are united with Christ because of our relationship with Him and with all other believers. We are all in the same family, even it at times we do not act like it. Therefore, unity in Christ has two aspects—one is objective fact, and one is subjective experience.
Objective and subjective unity can be true for any number of groups, teams, or even families. All the members of a football team are unified by their membership in the group. They do not win or lose games individually. The individuals contribute to the group, but it is the group that wins or loses—that is the objective fact. However, there may be times that the team does not act in a unified way. Selfishness and rivalry may creep up, and, when it does, it is impossible for the team to act as a unit—this is the subjective aspect. The behavior of individuals on the team is not matching the fact of their unity with every other member of the team.
All who believe in Christ are part of His body, the church. The New Testament is clear on this. Ephesians 5:30 says it plainly: “For we are members of his body.” Whether a Christian feels like it or not, he or she is part of Christ’s body and therefore unified with every other believer. Paul uses the analogy of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:12–21:
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
“Now if the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’”
The human body is a unified whole. If one part does not work right, the whole body suffers. If a person smashes his thumb with a hammer, it is not just the thumb in isolation that hurts. Other parts of the body may hurt, too, and the functioning of the whole body is impaired. This is true even when a person does not know about the malfunctioning part. If an internal organ is not functioning properly, damage may be done to the body before any pain or obvious illness is present.
In the same way, the church has unity in Christ. As part of His body, each member has a particular job to do and a place to belong. When any individual member is not fulfilling his or her purpose in the body, the whole body suffers. All the members are united, and because of that unity, when one acts in an individualistic or selfish manner (i.e., acts as if he is not part of the body), the whole body suffers because, regardless of his actions, the individual member is still in unity with all the others in the body.
Many of the commands in the New Testament direct Christians to live up to their position and demonstrate their unity in Christ. Christians are not commanded to become one in Christ—that is already an objective reality. Christians are told to make their subjective experience match the objective fact. Paul pleads with the Philippians for this kind of unity: “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:1–4). If Christians, who are members of the same team, see themselves in competition with each other, then they are not playing as teammates. They are not living in light of the unity that exists.
Unity in Christ means that all believers are in a relationship with Christ and, by extension, to every other believer. All believers are united with each other whether they know it or not, like it or not, or feel like it or not. The challenge of Christian unity is to live up to the truth of that reality. Since we are all members of one body, we need to live like it. This means subordinating our individual needs to the needs of the body at large and using our individual gifts for the good of the whole body.
Unity in Christ does not mean that all differences between churches or denominations need to be abolished. Individual churches and denominations can keep their individual distinctives and emphases while still working together in areas where they agree. For instance, an evangelical Baptist church and an evangelical Presbyterian church will be in agreement on the gospel and the essentials of the faith, but because of different beliefs about baptism, it would be impossible for these two churches to simply unite as one church. It might be possible for a church to take a neutral position on infant baptism; however, it is hard to see how a church could teach that parents should baptize their babies (as do Presbyterian churches) and simultaneously teach that parents should not baptize their babies (as in Baptist churches). While these two groups could never unite as a single local church or denomination, they can still cooperate in other ministry endeavors, and individuals within each local body can fellowship with and love each other.
The coupling of grace and truth is found in numerous places in the Bible, including Colossians 1:6 and 2 John 1:3 in the New Testament, and 2 Samuel 15:20 and Psalm 86:15 in the Old Testament. Then there is John 1:14, 17, which says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
There is a strong possibility that John is referencing the Hebrew terms hesed (“mercy” or “lovingkindness”) and emet (“truth” or “faithfulness”), found together in Exodus 34:6: “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.’” Note that the attributes of God in the Old Testament are applied to Christ in the New. At the beginning of his gospel, John is making a subtle statement regarding the divinity of Jesus. The rest of John’s gospel will expound on that truth.
It is important for grace and truth to work in tandem. An emphasis on grace alone can dissipate into a shallow and sentimental foundation where justice or truth is discarded. However, a focus only on truth can devolve into a cold, hardened dogma. Jesus’ character demonstrates the perfect balance of both grace and truth. He is “full” of both.
Grace and truth meld together in the gospel message to form a key distinction of Christianity over other religions. In all other religions, grace and truth are never balanced. Instead, the deity being worshiped either dispenses justice at the expense of grace or dispenses grace at the expense of justice and truth. Christianity is unique in that God delivers grace through His justice and truth.
The truth is, everyone has fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and deserves God’s justice. However, God’s justice is satisfied, and His truth upheld, through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. That act delivers God’s grace to those who will accept it by faith.
In this way, Christianity stands alone as an ontological faith—one that is fully dependent on a person—Jesus Christ—who perfectly balances and embodies both grace and truth in His very being.
In many people’s minds, fairness is everyone receiving exactly what he or she deserves. If God were completely “fair,” by this definition, we would all spend eternity in hell paying for our sin, which is exactly what we deserve. We have all sinned against God (Romans 3:23) and are therefore worthy of eternal death (Romans 6:23). If we “fairly” received what we deserve, we would end up in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14–15). But God is merciful and good, so He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross in our place, taking the punishment that we deserve (2 Corinthians 5:21). All we have to do is believe in Christ and we will be saved, and we will receive an eternal home in heaven (John 3:16). With the sacrifice of Christ, God maintains His “fairness” in that sin is adequately punished.
A synonym for fair is just, and the Bible is unequivocal that God is just: “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; see also 2 Chronicles 19:7; Romans 9:14; and 2 Thessalonians 1:6). God is “fair” in that He is unbiased, honest, and just. Peter, standing in a Gentile’s home and seeing the work of the Holy Spirit, said, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34–35). God is eminently fair. He treats no one wrongly.
Despite God’s loving grace, no one would believe in Him on his own (Romans 3:10–18). According to Romans 8:29-30, God predetermined that certain individuals would be conformed to the likeness of His Son, be called, justified, and glorified. Numerous scriptures refer to believers in Christ being chosen (Matthew 24:22, 31; Mark 13:20, 27; Romans 8:33, 9:11, 11:5-7, 28; Ephesians 1:11; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; 1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:10; Titus 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1-2, 2:9; 2 Peter 1:10). Some argue that this does not seem “fair” in the eyes of those who believe fairness requires everyone to be treated exactly the same way. In election, it appears that God is not treating all people equally. While it might appear this way, the Bible also says that we must respond to what God has revealed about Himself. Romans 1:20 tells us: "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
All who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10). All who turn to Him based on what they know of Him, as Rahab did, will be saved. The Bible never describes God rejecting anyone who believes in Him or turning away anyone who is seeking Him (Deuteronomy 4:29). The truths of God’s sovereign predestination and also man’s responsibility are not mutually exclusive. Somehow, in the mystery of God, predestination works hand-in-hand with a person being drawn by God (John 6:44) and believing unto salvation (Romans 1:16). God predestines who will be saved, and we must also choose Christ in order to be saved. Both facts are equally true. While this might seem unfair in the eyes of man, it is not. God saving some is not unfair to those who remain unsaved. Those who refuse to turn to Him receive precisely what they deserve and desire.
Those whom God has chosen are receiving God’s love and grace. But, when God draws our hearts and opens our minds, we have the opportunity to respond to the revelation of the creation around us (Psalm 19:1–3) and the conscience within us (Romans 2:15) and turn to God. Those who do not respond will receive what they truly deserve because of their rejection of Him. Their punishment is fair (John 3:18, 36). Those who believe are receiving far better than they deserve. No one, though, is being punished beyond what he or she deserves. Is God fair? Yes. He is also gracious, merciful, and forgiving.
We can judge with righteous judgment—we can judge rightly—by submitting to God in faith and seeking to understand His Word. This is one possible application of Jesus’ words in John 7:24: “Do not judge by the outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (NASB). While this statement is pithy and quotable, it is not simply an isolated proverb. It is a line of dialogue from a historical narrative. Jesus said these words to a specific group of people at a specific time, so the context of John 7:24 deserves be explored before a modern application is made.
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 Gospel According to John, William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Co., 1991, p. 316).
How do we apply the exhortation to “judge with righteous judgment” in modern times? At the very least, Jesus’ words should humble us, as we recognize that we are capable of distorting and misapplying God’s commands due to our own pride and self-righteousness. We are supposed to be discerning, but our judgments should be based on God’s revealed truth and our relationship to Him. When we judge a situation, do we allow our own pride to dictate our understanding, or do we in humility present our judgments to God and seek His direction? Faith in God is required to truly know Him and understand His ways (Hebrews 11:6).
Jesus’ command to judge with righteous judgment also invites us to reflect on our own legalism and treatment of others. Do we ever dismiss others based on our own standards? When we quote God in order to evaluate someone else’s life or behavior, do we ever miss the true intention of what God has told us? We should evaluate our man-made traditions and values. If we had been present, would we have been part of the crowd that condemned Jesus for failing to follow their own self-invented rules?
When we fail to demonstrate love and mercy, but instead condemn others for failing to follow standards we have invented, we are missing the entire point of God’s instructions (Matthew 9:13). Carson ends his assessment of John 7:24 with a timely application: “In an age when Matthew 7:1 (‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged’) has displaced John 3:16 as the only verse in the Bible the man in the street is likely to know, it is perhaps worth adding that Matthew 7:1 forbids judgmentalism, not moral discernment. By contrast, John 7:24 demands moral and theological discernment in the context of obedient faith (7:17), while excoriating self-righteous legalism and offering no sanction for censorious heresy-hunting” (ibid., p. 317).
Confirmation bias is the tendency to interpret evidence and reality in such a way as to affirm what we want to believe. A simple example of confirmation bias can be seen when two people are watching a football game but are supporting the opposite teams. A play is made in which a wide receiver catches a ball near the sideline, and there is some uncertainty whether he caught the ball inbounds or out of bounds. The person supporting the offensive team will be looking for proof that the receiver caught the ball inbounds and will argue for this interpretation of the various replays. The person supporting the defensive team will be looking for proof that the receiver caught the ball out of bounds and will argue for that interpretation of the replays. Each of them is looking for confirmation of what he wants to be true. Each is biased toward a particular interpretation of the evidence so as to confirm his desired outcome.
Are Christians sometimes guilty of confirmation bias? Are Christians perhaps unknowingly interpreting evidence in such a way as to “prove” what they want to believe is true? The simple and quick answer to these questions is, yes, Christians are sometimes guilty of confirmation bias.
However, a more helpful and realistic way to address this topic is to rephrase the question this way: “Are people influenced by confirmation bias?” Another helpful way to address the issue would be with this question: “Are people perhaps unknowingly interpreting evidence in such a way as to prove what they want to believe is true?” The answer to both of these questions is a strong “yes.” Realistically, no one ever views a situation or evidence from a completely objective or neutral frame of mind. In fact, it would be helpful to remove the concept of “guilt” from the discussion. Confirmation bias isn’t necessarily good or bad. It simply is a reality of the human condition.
Thomas Nagel, an atheist philosopher who has taught at New York University, strongly affirms the reality of confirmation bias as being a part of the human condition. In 2003, Nagel wrote an essay entitled “Evolutionary Naturalism and the Fear of Religion.” In this essay, he makes this honest statement of his own confirmation bias: “I speak from experience, being strongly subject to this fear [of religion]. I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It isn’t just that I don’t believe in God and, naturally, hope that I’m right in my belief. It’s that I hope there is no God! I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that” (The Last Word, Oxford University Press, 1997, p. 130). It would be helpful for all people to be as aware of and as forthright concerning their own confirmation bias.
How, then, should a Christian confront the reality of confirmation bias? First, a Christian needs to honestly admit this reality, not just for himself, but for all of mankind. We need to be striving to live truthful, honest lives before God and men (Psalm 51:6).
Second, we need to recognize that a person apart from the miraculous work of God in his or her life has a confirmation bias against the truth of God’s Word. Psalm 14:2–3, which Paul references in Romans 3, makes this reality clear: “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” In Romans 8:7, Paul informs us that “the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will” (NLT). Most Christians can recall the time before they were saved when they were in this place, hostilely opposed to God, His ways, and His Word.
Third, we should not deny the reality of confirmation bias in our defense and proclamation of the gospel. Rather, we should gently and respectfully convince our neighbors and friends of the reality of the life of Christ and the truth of God’s Word.
Last, knowing that all people everywhere are subject to confirmation bias, we should be praying for God to show our neighbors and friends their own bias against God and the biblical worldview. We should ask for God to show them their sin, need, and hostility toward God; we should ask God to show them how forgiveness, reconciliation, and renewal are available in Christ.
In summary, Christians should recognize that all people are subject to confirmation bias. The believer should strive to recognize his or her own biases and make sure that these biases are in line with the truth of God’s Word (Psalm 139:23–24). And the believer should be praying for and gently pointing out the confirmation biases in the lost. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18), and we should be pointing all people to the ultimate reality of truth in Christ and God’s Word.
Shortly before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed for unity among His followers: “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11).
Later in the same prayer, Jesus asked “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us. . . . I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity” (John 17:21–23). Obviously, Christian unity is important to our Lord.
Jesus not only prayed for unity, but He gave the reasons that Christian unity is important: He asked that all believers may be in the Father and the Son, “so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21). And then Jesus prayed for “complete unity” so that “the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (verse 23). When Christians are united in Christ, the world sees two things clearly: Jesus was sent by the Father, and Jesus loves His church.
In Romans 15:5–6, we see another, more general reason that Christian unity is important: “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (ESV). The bottom line is God’s glory. God’s people should be speaking with one voice in glorifying God.
Christian unity comes with Christian maturity, and it is always something that we strive to attain. Paul instructs us to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Helping us toward that unity are the gifts of the Spirit. God has given each Christian different gifts, and their exercise in the edification of the church leads to more and more unity. One purpose of the gifts is that “we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).
To promote Christian unity, God presents the church in 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 as a living body. The body has many members, each with specialized work to do, but all the parts are united in the Head of the Body, which is Christ (see Ephesians 4:15).
Christians naturally form local communities in which no one needs to rejoice or suffer alone (Romans 12:15; 1 Corinthians 12:26). Christians from many different backgrounds working in unity display the power of the gospel and the universality of its saving message (Galatians 3:26–28). Christians bring honor to God’s name by pursuing unity in the power of the Holy Spirit who brings us together as one through faith in Christ.
Christian unity is a virtue, but there are some things that can and should limit unity. We don’t pursue unity simply for the sake of unity; it is Christ and His truth that unite us. Scripturally, we are to separate from professed brothers and sisters in Christ who live in persistent, unrepentant sin (Matthew 18:15–17; 1 Corinthians 5:1–2) and from those who teach false doctrine (Revelation 2:14–15). “Watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them” (Romans 16:17).
As Ephesians 4:13 intimates, we won’t reach full Christian unity until we attain “to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” So we probably won’t fully realize Christian unity in this world. But we strive for it. The unity that faith in Christ brings extends God’s love on earth and demonstrates the truth of who Jesus is. Unity in the church also foreshadows the worship in heaven, where a great multitude “from every nation, tribe, people and language” stands before God and cries out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9–10).
Christians
often talk about the
need to
“speak the truth in love,”
a command found in
Ephesians 4:15
Many times what they mean is the need to share difficult truths in a gentle, kind, inoffensive manner. From a practical standpoint, we know that difficult things are best heard when our defenses are not up. In a loving, non-threatening environment, hard truths are more readily received. So it is biblical to share hard truths with others “in love,” in the manner that the phrase is commonly used. Looking at the context of Ephesians 4:15, however, gives us deeper insight on what it means to “speak the truth in love.”
In the verses prior to the command
to speak the truth in love,
Paul writes about
unity in the body of Christ.
He urges the Ephesians, and all Christians by extension, to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). He describes this life as one in which we are humble, gentle, patient, bearing with one another in love, and making efforts toward unity. Paul reminds his readers that we all serve the same Lord and are part of the same body. He talks about Christ giving apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12–13). Having reached maturity, we will not be spiritual infants, easily deceived, and tossed to and fro “by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14).
In this context—of church unity and spiritual maturity—Paul writes, “Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). Rather than be spiritually immature and easily deceived, we are to speak the truth to one another, with love, so that we can all grow in maturity. We are to train one another in truth—the foundational gospel truths, truths about who God is and what He has called us to do, hard truths of correction, etc.—and our motivation to do so is love.
The “love” referred to in this verse is agape love, a self-sacrificial love that works for the benefit of the loved one. We speak truth in order to build up. Several verses later Paul writes, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). Our words should be beneficial to the hearers of those words. We should speak truth in love.
Paul also counsels “to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of you minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Ephesians 4:22–25). As members of the same body, we should not deceive one another. We cannot defraud each other through lies. Nor should we attempt to hide things about ourselves out of shame or in an effort to manage our images. Rather, as those who are part of the same body intended for the same purpose and united by the same love, we should be characterized by honesty. Those who love must speak the truth: “Love . . . rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6). Dishonesty is unloving and abusive.
Speaking the truth in love is not as much about having a gentle demeanor as it is about the way truth and love go hand-in-hand. Because we love one another, we must speak the truth. Because we know the truth, we must be people characterized by love (John 13:34–35; 15:1–17). Jesus “came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). As His followers who are being conformed to His image (Romans 8:29), we should also be characterized by grace and truth.
Importantly, we are also called to love those who do not know Christ. The best way we can show love is to share with them the truth of the gospel. Apart from Christ, people are dead in their sins and destined for an eternity in hell (John 3:16–18; Romans 6:23). But in Christ they can receive new life and eternal salvation (Romans 10:9–15; 2 Corinthians 5:17). This is a message we must share. Peter wrote, “In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). We share the gospel because we love the people for whom Christ died. We speak God’s truth because of His love and in a way that clearly and unapologetically communicates both truth and love (1 John 4:10–12).
Favoritism is partiality or bias. To show favoritism is to give preference to one person over others with equal claims. It is similar to discrimination and may be based on conditions such as social class, wealth, clothing, actions, etc.
The Bible is clear that favoritism is not God’s will for our lives. First, favoritism is incongruent with God’s character: “God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11). All are equal before Him. Ephesians 6:9 says, “There is no favoritism with him.” Colossians 3:25 teaches God’s fairness in judgment: “Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.”
Second, the Bible teaches Christians are not to show favoritism: “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism” (James 2:1). The context concerns the treatment of rich and poor in the church. James points out that treating someone differently based on his financial status or how he is dressed is wrong.
The Old Testament provides similar instruction regarding favoritism. Leviticus 19:15 teaches, “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” Exodus 23:3 likewise commands, “Do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.” Justice should be blind, and both rich and poor should be treated equally before the law.
Third, the Bible calls favoritism sin: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (James 2:8-9). Favoritism is a serious offense against God’s call to love one’s neighbor as oneself.
Fourth, church leaders are especially charged not to show favoritism. Paul commanded Timothy, a young church leader, “I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism” (1 Timothy 5:21).
Fifth, it is difficult to avoid showing favoritism. Even Christ’s closest followers struggled with bias against people different from them. When the apostle Peter was first called to minister to non-Jewish people, he was reluctant. He later admitted, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34-35). The fact that James specifically addresses the sin of favoritism implies that this was a common problem within the early church.
Favoritism is a problem we still deal with. Favoritism and partiality are not from God, and Christians are called to love. As humans, we tend to form judgments based on selfish, personal criteria rather than seeing others as God sees them. May we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and follow His example of treating every person with God’s love (John 3:16).
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Jesus spoke this during His famous Sermon the Mount. So what did He mean by “pure in heart?”
The Greek word for “pure” in Matthew 5:8 is katharos. It means to be “clean, blameless, unstained from guilt.” Interestingly, the word can refer specifically to that which is purified by fire or by pruning. John the Baptist told people that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). Malachi speaks of the Messiah as being like a “refiner’s fire” (Malachi 3:2). Jesus refers to believers as being the branches and to Himself as being the vine (John 15:1-17). For a vine to produce fruit, it must be pruned. Those who are truly “pure,” then, are those who have been declared innocent because of the work of Jesus and who are being sanctified by His refining fire and His pruning.
The Greek word for “heart” in Matthew 5:8 is kardeeah. This can be applied to the physical heart. But it also refers to the spiritual center of life. It is where thoughts, desires, sense of purpose, will, understanding, and character reside. So, to be pure in heart means to be blameless in who we actually are.
Being pure in heart involves having a singleness of heart toward God. A pure heart has no hypocrisy, no guile, no hidden motives. The pure heart is marked by transparency and an uncompromising desire to please God in all things. It is more than an external purity of behavior; it is an internal purity of soul.
The only way we can be truly pure in heart is to give our lives to Jesus and ask Him to do the cleansing work. Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” God is the one who makes our hearts pure – by the sacrifice of His Son and through His sanctifying work in our lives (see also 1 John 3:1-3).
To better understand the causes and solutions for a hardened heart, it’s important to understand the broad biblical meaning of the word “heart.” The Bible considers the heart to be the hub of human personality, producing the things we would ordinarily ascribe to the “mind.” For example, Scripture informs us that grief (John 14:1); desires (Matthew 5:28); joy (Ephesians 5:19); understanding (Isaiah 6:10; Matthew 13:15); thoughts and reasoning (Genesis 6:5; Hebrews 4:12; Mark 2:8); and, most importantly, faith and belief (Hebrews 3:12; Romans 10:10; Mark 11:23) are all products of the heart. Also, Jesus tells us that the heart is a repository for good and evil and that what comes out of our mouth – good or bad – begins in the heart (Luke 6:43–45).
Considering this, it’s easy to see how a hardened heart can dull a person’s ability to perceive and understand. Anyone’s heart can harden, even faithful Christians’. In fact, in Mark 8:17–19 we see Jesus’ own disciples suffering from this malady. The disciples were concerned with their meager bread supply, and it was clear that each of them had forgotten how Jesus had just fed thousands with only a few loaves. Questioning them as to the hardness of their hearts, Christ spells out for us the characteristics of this spiritual heart condition as an inability to see, understand, hear, and remember. Regarding this last criterion, too often we forget how God has blessed us and what He has done for us. Similar to the disciples in this instance or the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, when a new calamity arises in our lives, our hearts often fill with fear and concern. Sadly, this simply reveals to God the little faith we have in His promise to take care of us (Matthew 6:32–33; Philippians 4:19). We need to remember not only the many times God has graciously provided for us in our time of need, but also what He has told us: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5).
Sin causes hearts to grow hard, especially continual and unrepentant sin. Now we know that “if we confess our sins, [Jesus] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). However, if we don’t confess our sins, they have a cumulative and desensitizing effect on the conscience, making it difficult to even distinguish right from wrong. And this sinful and hardened heart is tantamount to the “seared conscience” Paul speaks of in 1 Timothy 4:1–2. Scripture makes it clear that if we relentlessly continue to engage in sin, there will come a time when God will give us over to our “debased mind” and let us have it our way. The apostle Paul writes about God’s wrath of abandonment in his letter to the Romans where we see that godless and wicked “men who suppress the truth” are eventually given over to the sinful desires of their hardened hearts (Romans 1:18–24).
Pride will also cause our hearts to harden. The “pride of your heart has deceived you . . . you who say to yourself, ‘who can bring me down to the ground’ . . . I will bring you down declares the LORD” (Obadiah verses 3-4). Also, the root of Pharaoh’s hard-heartedness was his pride and arrogance. Even in the face of tremendous proofs and witnessing God’s powerful hand at work, Pharaoh’s hardened heart caused him to deny the sovereignty of the one, true God. And when King Nebuchadnezzar’s “heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory . . . until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone He wishes” (Daniel 5:20–21). Accordingly, when we’re inclined to do it our way, thinking we can “go it on our own,” it would be wise to recall what King Solomon taught us in Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”
So, what then is the antidote for a heart condition such as this? First and foremost, we have to recognize the effect that this spiritual disease has on us. And God will help us to see our heart’s condition when we ask Him: “Search me O God, and know my heart…see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23–24). God can heal any heart once we recognize our disobedience and repent of our sins. But true repentance is more than simply a resolute feeling of steadfast determination. Repentance manifests itself in a changed life.
After repenting of our sins, hard hearts begin to be cured when we study God’s Word. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart. . . . I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9–11). The Bible is our manual for living as it is “God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). If we are to live life to the fullest as God intended, we need to study and obey God’s written Word, which not only keeps a heart soft and pure but allows us to be “blessed” in whatever we do (Joshua 1:8; James 1:25).
Hearts can also become hardened when we suffer setbacks and disappointments in life. No one is immune to trials here on earth. Yet, just as steel is forged by a blacksmith’s hammer, so, too, can our faith be strengthened by the trials we encounter in the valleys of life. As Paul encouraged the Romans: “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 has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Romans 5:3–5).
Trees are frequently mentioned in the Bible and often have significance as a metaphor. In Psalm 1:3, a person who steers clear of the ungodly and delights in God’s Word is like “a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” Likewise, the book of Jeremiah says that those whose confidence is in the LORD are “like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jeremiah 17:8).
To be like a tree planted by streams of water is to be one who has a regular supply of nourishment and refreshment. Plants growing near water are easily sustained and can thrive. Water is the ultimate source of life for a tree, so to be planted by water is to have a regular supply of life itself. This means that a tree planted by the water will grow to be strong and sturdy and have a good root system. Also, such a tree will consistently bear fruit, which is one of its primary purposes. Finally, the well-watered tree has the ability to provide shade (and therefore rest) to anyone who is in need.
The simile of a thriving tree is used
elsewhere
to picture the godly person:
“The righteous
will flourish like a palm tree,
they will
grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted
in the house of the Lord,
they will
flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock,
and there is no wickedness in him’”
(Psalm 92:12–15).
When we delight in and meditate
on
the Word of God
(i.e., the Bible),
as the
blessed
man does in Psalm 1,
we, too, will be like
a tree
planted by streams of water
We will be firmly rooted, and Jesus, our ultimate source of life, will bring nourishment and refreshment.
We will regularly bear fruit, as Galatians 5:22–23 teaches. And we, as a tree planted by streams of water, will provide shade and rest to others who are burdened or are in need (Galatians 6:2, 10).
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). It is in giving our burdens to Jesus that we find true rest and, as a result, true strength. As the tree planted by streams of water “does not fear when heat comes” (Jeremiah17:8), so does the one rooted in Jesus have peace when troubles or trials come.
As the leaves
of the
tree planted by
streams of water
are
always green, so will
the one
“rooted and grounded in love”
always be alive
(Ephesians 3:17, ESV).
There are three accounts in the Gospels in which Jesus states that a kingdom divided against itself is laid waste or a house divided cannot stand (Luke 11:17; Mark 3:25; Matthew 12:25). All three instances of this statement are spoken in response to the Pharisees’ accusation that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Satan—a blasphemy that Jesus said would not be forgiven them.
Jesus’ argument to the Pharisees was logical: a kingdom that is at cross-purposes with itself will fall. Any household driven by infighting will tear itself apart. Jesus was obviously casting demons out of people. If Jesus was in league with Satan, or if Satan was somehow working through Jesus, it is unlikely that exorcisms would be a priority, because why would Satan cast himself out? Satan has more practical wisdom than to allow his demonic underlings to group themselves into warring factions.
By saying that a house divided cannot stand, Jesus is illustrating the fact that success relies on congruency. This is something we see in daily life all the time. Whether it is a machine, a sports team, a government party, or one’s own mind, things have to work together if anything is to be accomplished. The Bible says that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8), and Paul appeals to the churches that there be no divisions among the believers (1 Corinthians 1:10). In fact, churches should be unified in their purpose and judgment, avoiding people who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to sound doctrine (Romans 16:17). Christians are not to quarrel but to be unified around a common understanding of truth. “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).
God commands unity among believers because, once conflict enters the midst of any assembly or entity, productivity and usefulness inevitably grind to a halt and the whole organization is weakened and becomes vulnerable to attack. As Jesus said, “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.”
A fruit of the Spirit is peace (Galatians 5:22). Christians are, as followers of the Prince of Peace, peaceful people (Matthew 5:9). We are called to live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16) and, as far as it depends on us, to be at peace with everyone (Hebrews 12:14). Jesus Christ is building His church (Matthew 16:18). His “house” will stand; “his kingdom will not be destroyed, / his dominion will never end” (Daniel 6:26).
Anchors are nautical devices that provide stability to ships during harsh storms, protecting them from being tossed around at sea. Throughout history, anchors have served as a much-needed device for sailors. In the Bible, an anchor is used as a symbol of our hope in Jesus that gives us stability and steadfastness in life. In ancient days, the anchor was used in artwork and engravings as a symbol of Christianity. Anchors appear in the Roman catacombs on the tombs of Christians, showing the Christians’ steadfast hope in eternal life.
The word anchor is mentioned only in the New Testament. It refers to a literal anchor in some passages but is used as a metaphor in others. Anchors are mentioned in the account of Paul’s voyage to Rome during a severe storm and subsequent shipwreck (Act 27:13, 17, 29–30, 40). Jesus and His disciples are also said to have anchored their boat in Gennesaret (Mark 6:53).
The Bible uses an anchor figuratively to depict the hope we have as the anchor of our soul: “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:17–20). According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary, sailors would often carry the anchor in a smaller boat away from the ship to where it could be dropped (Victor, 1983, p. 797), and this is a good image of Jesus, our forerunner, who has entered heaven and made our hope secure. Instead of an anchor that reaches down into the sea, the Christian’s anchor reaches up into heaven where Jesus continually intercedes for us (Hebrews 6:20; Romans 8:34). We are anchored to the Holy of Holies.
According to Hebrews 6:19, the anchor of our souls is our hope of God’s inheritance in Christ. Unlike the feelings-based, doubt-infused definition of hope common in our world, the Christian’s hope is “a strong and trustworthy anchor” (NLT). Our hope is “firm and secure” because it is based on Jesus and the promises of God. Our hope anchors us during the stormy seasons of life. We have been given an anchor for the soul, a lasting hope “both sure and unshakable” (BLB). All else is fleeting and changing, but Jesus remains the same (Hebrews 13:8).
When the storms of life flood the Christian with fear, worry, or doubt, he or she can hold onto God’s promises and find stability in the salvation Jesus has provided. No matter what happens, God’s promises remain. He does not want His children to be set adrift; He wants them to be fixed in a secure place. Just as an anchor grounds a ship to protect it from going adrift at sea, so also does our hope in Jesus keep us grounded and secure during the difficult, uncertain, and often painful tempests of life.
Ark Encounter
The long protrusion at the stern is not meant to
be a moveable
rudder to manually steer the Ark,
as some have imagined.
The stern projection assists the bow fin in turning
the ship to point with the wind.
This skeg-like structure reflects design elements found
on many of the
earliest large ships of the Mediterranean
Faith and hope
are distinct yet related.
That there is a difference between faith and hope is evident in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Two of the three greatest gifts are faith and hope, listed separately. That faith and hope are related concepts is seen in Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for.”
Faith is a complete trust or confidence in something. Faith involves intellectual assent to a set of facts and trust in those facts. For example, we have faith in Jesus Christ. This means we completely trust Jesus for our eternal destiny. We give intellectual assent to the facts of His substitutionary death and bodily resurrection, and we then trust in His death and resurrection for our salvation.
Biblical hope is built on faith. Hope is the earnest anticipation that comes with believing something good. Hope is a confident expectation that naturally stems from faith. Hope is a peaceful assurance that something that hasn’t happened yet will indeed happen. Hope must involve something that is as yet unseen: “Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?” (Romans 8:24). Jesus’ return is our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13)—we can’t see Him yet, but we know He’s coming, and we anticipate that event with joy.
Jesus said He is coming again (John 14:3). By faith, we trust Jesus’ words, and that leads to hope that we will one day be with Him forever. Jesus was resurrected from the dead, “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). That is the basis for our faith. Then we have Jesus’ promise: “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). That is the basis of our hope.
The relationship between faith and hope can be illustrated in the joy a child feels when his father tells him they are going to an amusement park tomorrow. The child believes that he will go to the amusement park, based on his father’s word—that is faith. At the same time, that belief within the child kindles an irrepressible joy—that is hope. The child’s natural trust in his father’s promise is the faith; the child’s squeals of delight and jumping in place are the expressions of the hope.
Faith and hope are complementary. Faith is grounded in the reality of the past; hope is looking to the reality of the future. Without faith, there is no hope, and without hope there is no true faith. Christians are people of faith and hope. We have “the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time” (Titus 1:2).
Christ has conquered death
refers to
His resurrection.
Agnus Dei
is a Latin term.
Translated into English, it is
“Lamb of God.”
The biblical basis for this imagery is found in John 1:29: “John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” and in Revelation 5:9–14, where the Lamb who has been slain is worshiped: “‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on 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, for ever and ever!’ The four living creatures said, ‘Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshiped.”
The imagery in Revelation 5 captures both the sacrifice and the victory of Christ, the Lamb. He is not only the slain Agnus Dei but also the victorious, risen, conquering Agnus Dei.
The term Agnus Dei has become semi-technical in church history and liturgy and can refer to two things:
1. A figure of a lamb with a halo and bearing a cross or banner. This symbol for Christ is often found in church artwork and stained glass windows.
2. A prayer to Christ, which is part of the Roman Catholic liturgy.
• In Latin: “Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.”
• In English: “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.”
Singer and songwriter Michael W. Smith has written and arranged a modern hymn that bears the name Agnus Dei. The song, which contains the refrain, “Worthy is the Lamb,” has become quite popular in churches.
While Catholics and Evangelicals agree that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, there is a difference in application that is worth noting:
In Roman Catholic theology, the Agnus Dei is a prayer for mercy as one would plead for leniency before a judge, not knowing the final outcome. For the faithful Catholic, this prayer is part of the cycle of sin, confession, and penance by which grace is gradually infused so that, over time, the sinner becomes righteous enough so that God may be justified in saving him or her.
For the Evangelical who has trusted in Christ for salvation, the Agnus Dei prayer as it is worded in the liturgy would take on a different meaning. The Evangelical knows that he or she has already been shown mercy and is at peace with God though faith in Christ. So, for him, this prayer would take on a tone of thanksgiving for the blessings already received. Perhaps the following wording would reflect better theology: “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, thank you for your mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, thank you for your peace.”
He who was dead is now alive (see Revelation 1:18). These three words—Christ conquered death—define the most important difference between Christianity and all other religions. No other religious leader ever predicted his own death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21), based his claims about himself and his teaching on that prediction (John 2:18 –22; Matthew 27:40), and then kept that promise (Luke 24:6).
Jesus’ resurrection marks the first time in history that someone rose from the dead never to die again. Others who were raised from the dead eventually died a second time (see 1 Kings 17:17–24; 2 Kings 4:32–37; Mark 5:39–42; John 11:38–44). Jesus’ resurrection was a true and total defeat of death. As the Holy Son of God, Jesus overcame death once and for all, as Peter explained: “It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him” (Acts 2:24). The triumphant, risen Christ said, “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” (Revelation 1:18). Keys are a symbol of authority. Jesus is sovereign over death. Christ’s conquest of death was permanent and eternal.
Christ conquered death because He was sinless. The curse upon mankind in the Garden of Eden, brought about by their sin, was plainly stated: “You will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). Ever since, we have seen the truth of Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death.” But Jesus Christ had no sin (1 Peter 2:22); therefore, death had no power over Him. Jesus’ death was a voluntary sacrifice for our sin, and, given His sinless perfection, His resurrection logically followed. “I lay down my life,” Jesus said, “only to take it up again” (John 10:17).
The fact that Christ has conquered death has eternal consequences for us. The good news—the gospel—is grounded in Christ’s victory over death. Without the resurrection, there is no gospel; indeed, there is no hope for us at all: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). But Christ has risen, and, as fellow conquerors with Him, Christians “have passed from death to life” (1 John 3:14). Christ “has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10).
The fact that Christ has conquered death means that believers have also been granted victory over death. We are “more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Christ is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20), which means that Jesus’ resurrection is the first of many: believers who have “fallen asleep” (died) will be likewise resurrected. Jesus promised His followers, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19).
The fact that Christ has conquered death is a fulfillment of prophecy. The psalmist predicted the Messiah would overcome death: “You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay” (Psalm 16:10). Other prophets filled God’s people with the hope that the Lord would one day abolish death: “He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25:8), and “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?” (Hosea 13:14; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:54–55).
Death is the devil’s most powerful, terrifying weapon against us. At the cross, Christ defeated Satan on behalf of us helpless sinners: “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out” (John 12:31; cf. Colossians 2:15). With the empty tomb, Christ destroyed the devil’s most powerful weapon, death. Satan, our accuser, is now powerless to condemn Christians. We will not share his fate (Revelation 12:9–11; 20:10, 14).
When Christ conquered death for us, He removed the “sting of death,” sin (1 Corinthians 15:56)—that is, we will not be judged by God according to our sins; rather, we will stand before God robed in Christ’s own perfect righteousness. That is why believers in Christ “will not be hurt at all by the second death” (Revelation 2:11), and “the second death has no power over them” (Revelation 20:6). Christ has received our death penalty for sin and, through His death, has conquered death (Revelation 20:14).
Believers “are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). What can separate us from the love of God in Christ? “Neither death nor life” (verse 38). Christ has conquered death, and believers stand firm on Jesus’ words: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25–26, BSB).
The Bible doesn’t tell us how the apostle Peter died. The most commonly accepted church tradition is that Peter was crucified upside-down in Rome. Tradition says that, when Peter was put to death, he requested to be crucified on an inverted cross. The reason for his request was that, because he had denied Jesus on the night of the arrest, he did not consider himself worthy to die as Jesus had (see Matthew 26:33–35, 69–75). Again, this is only a tradition, and the Bible doesn’t confirm or deny the story.
What we do know for sure about Peter’s death is Jesus’ prophecy in John 21:18–19. “‘Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went 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.”
Jesus foretold the manner of Peter’s death, perhaps to prepare him for the circumstances he would face now that his Lord had been resurrected and would no longer be with him physically. Jesus reminded Peter that, in the past (“when you were younger”), Peter had a certain amount of freedom to come and go as he pleased. The day was coming when that would no longer be the case. “When you are old” does not necessarily mean Peter would live to a ripe old age. In fact, ancient writers say that Peter was put to death about thirty-four years after Jesus’ prophecy. Peter’s precise age at that time is not known.
The means of death for Peter—crucifixion—was also predicted by the Lord. “Stretching out” his hands could easily be interpreted as Peter dying on a cross with his arms outstretched. Some historians point to the fact that the Romans also used stocks as an instrument of torture; in the stocks, a prisoner’s hands were stretched on the crosspiece. Whatever the manner of his execution, it is clear that Peter was at the mercy of others who in some way tied him and carried him to his death.
Peter’s love for Jesus and his desire to obey and glorify Him were evident throughout the rest of his life and ministry. For Peter to die a martyr’s death clinging to the hope of heaven testifies to the courage, faith, patience, and perseverance of this great man of God who rejoiced to be counted worthy to die for the name of Jesus.
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.
Hebrews 12:2 says that we should be “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
In Hebrews 11, the writer goes through a long list of faithful examples that the readers of the letter would do well to follow. He begins chapter 12 with this: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” So believers are pictured as being in a race. They can look at the examples that have gone before them. The people in Hebrews 11 are the “cloud of witnesses” mentioned in Hebrews 12:1. In order to “run” effectively, believers need to get rid of sin and other entanglements. People who are serious about running races do not carry extra baggage—you have never seen an Olympic runner carrying a suitcase or talking on a cell phone during the race. Everything that is not absolutely essential is left behind. And to win the race, the runner must finish. The athlete must not give up before finishing. Perseverance is required.
The author of Hebrews then calls believers to consider the ultimate example of perseverance—Jesus. Runners in an athletic competition cannot be distracted by peripheral objects. As runners in the race of life, we must “fix our eyes on Jesus.” As we run, we must be looking at Him in faith. He is more than our example; He is our final destination. We must run toward Him with all our might, in the promise that we will be conformed to His image.
Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus is the “pioneer” of our faith. He is the one who blazed the trail. He is the one who made the way into the Holy of Holies so that the rest of us could follow into God’s presence (Hebrews 10:19–20). Jesus is also the “perfecter” of our faith—He is the one who brought it to completion. He did not just start it; He finished it. The verse goes on to explain just how He finished.
First, Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus endured the cross. There in Gethsemane, He determined to carry out the will of the Father (Matthew 26:39). He did this by focusing on the joy that was to come. He knew that He would be resurrected and restored to the place of glory that He had with the Father from the beginning (John 17:5). He looked forward with joy to the people He would save. He willingly gave His life to save His sheep (John 10:10–11).
Second, Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus scorned the shame of the cross. Crucifixion was a gruesome, tortuous death, and it included public humiliation and shame. Jesus was ridiculed as He was hanging on the cross. The sign hung above Him read “King of the Jews,” a cruel irony since it was true, but those who murdered Him did not believe it. Others on the ground mocked Him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One” (Luke 23:35). The cruel irony is that He could only save others by not saving Himself. He was truly the Messiah, and this prevented Him from coming down off the cross. He was the Chosen One, and He had been chosen for the very purpose of dying as God’s sacrifice for sin. It is also an irony that God would deliver Him, but only after He endured the cross.
Third, Hebrews 12:2 says that, after Jesus’ death, God raised Him from the dead, and Jesus ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father. This signifies Jesus’ authority (at the right hand) and the fact that His work is finished (He sat down). This position is contrasted with the priests at the time who were standing and offering daily sacrifices (Hebrews 10:11–13).
The original audience of the book of Hebrews seems to have been Jews who had professed faith in Christ but who were now facing persecution from the unbelieving Jews. They were tempted to turn back, to renounce Christ and to go back to the temple and the sacrificial system. Believers who read the book of Hebrews today are faced with a similar temptation: the world and what we have left behind are always calling to us, wanting us to go back—if not to permanently return, at least to go back for visits as often as possible. But we are running a race. There is no time to backtrack or dillydally. The race we are running is probably more like a military-style obstacle course than a nice and neat Olympic race. There are real dangers along the way, but we must keep moving forward. We have the examples of past saints to follow, but our supreme example is Jesus Himself, the one who blazed the way, finished the race, paid for our sins, and is now seated in the place of highest honor and authority. We look to Him, not only as our example but as our source of strength.
The Bible informs us that Lord God Himself is our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer. In Him, we can take refuge because He is our shield of protection, our horn of salvation, and our stronghold (Psalm 18:2). Over and again, Psalms compares God to a high and strong tower of protection and a shelter where His people can safely hide. But Proverbs 18:10 reveals a similar truth about God’s name: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe” (ESV).
In ancient times, a person’s name was much more than a random identifier or title. A name expressed the person’s nature and individual attributes. Thus, God’s name represents His essential character and authority. The person of God and the name of God cannot be separated.
The Lord’s name is a strong tower because the infinite heights and depths of His person, presence, and power are apprehended in that name. The righteous—those who are made right with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ—can run to Him in all His revealed perfection, faithfulness, power, authority, mercy, and love, and be set on high, barricaded inside His tower of protection, safe from all harm.
The name of the Lord is equivalent to the Lord Himself. It speaks of the revealed essence of God or the revelation of Himself in the history of salvation. The Lord shows Himself faithful and trustworthy to all who confide in Him: “From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me” (Psalm 61:2–3, NLT). The ESV renders the phrase “for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy” (verse 3). The name of the Lord is a strong tower because He is our defense. As we discover what God has revealed about His character, we can trust in Him (Psalm 91:2).
The name of the Lord and the character of God are interchangeable phrases. David said, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you” (Psalm 9:10). God makes His character known to us through His Word, through the person of Jesus Christ, and through the multi-faceted revelations expressed through His many names.
As Elohim, He is Creator; as Yahweh, He is the covenant-keeping, eternal I AM; as El Shaddai, He is the all-sufficient, all-powerful, God Almighty; as Jehovah Jireh, He is our Provider; as Yeshua, He is Savior. He is the Good Shepherd, who leads, guides, and protects; He is the Lamb of God, who lays down His life for us; He is Jesus, the Incarnate Son and Christ the Risen Lord; and He is the eternal, glorious, highly exalted, King of Heaven! Psalm 8:1 rightly acknowledges, “LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens.”
The name of the Lord can also be understood as His nature representing itself. One aspect of that nature is a strong, high tower offering a citadel of safety capable of holding off every hostile attack. Into this tower, the righteous can run and hide, safely guarded above all danger: “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock” (Psalm 27:5).
The name of the Lord is a strong tower because it is capable of safeguarding all who call upon that name. When the prophet Joel foresaw the Lord’s return, he saw a terrifying day of judgment and terror. Yet he declared, “And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved” (Joel 2:32). That same promise of salvation in the name of the Lord echoes in the New Testament (Romans 10:13; Acts 2:21). When we call upon the name of the Lord, we call upon God Himself.
The Lord’s name signifies everything that God is in Himself—His compassion, lovingkindness, mercy, grace, power, judgment, holiness, perfection, knowledge, and more. Everyone who knows and trusts in Him discovers that He is indeed a strong tower.
The Message of the
Cross
is unmistakably clear.
The Son of God came into the world to bear witness to the truth, not to judge the world but that the world might be saved through Him (Mark 10:45). This is the power and wisdom of God. The gospel evokes very different responses from its hearers: “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).
God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, the weak things of the world to shame the strong, and the “low and despised” things of the world to be raised up for His glory (1 Corinthians 1:27–29, NET). This is the wisdom of God. Wisdom is the power of insight to use knowledge to one’s advantage, and God definitely has the advantage. “God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who would believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).
The message of the cross is that the Son of God was crucified to atone for the sins of mankind and secure pardon and salvation for all who would believe in Him. It is this message that is considered folly by those who are perishing—those who disbelieve God’s sentence of death on humanity and prefer human ideas over God’s truth. The message of the cross is divinely inspired, holy, and eternal. It is the love of God come into the world through the Son to destroy the works of the devil (John 18:37; 1 John 3:8). The message of the cross is the wisdom and power of God to keep the promise of John 3:16, to give eternal life to all who believe in the Son. It is also the grace of God rendering to the believer the gifts of repentance, justification, and sanctification, all of which find their meaning in Christ crucified (Luke 23:33–43).
If the message of the cross is the power and wisdom of God, then why is the cross foolishness to some? Here are some reasons:
1. The cross is foolishness to some because in their wisdom they judge the Bible as an antiquated, mystical book. They see Scripture as irrelevant, silly, and valueless in a post-Christian era. They reject the teaching that they are wretched, poor, miserable, blind, and naked before a holy God (Revelation 3:15–19). “They knew God, [but] they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:21–22, KJV).
2. The message of the cross is foolishness to some because it fails the “cleverness test” when compared to the philosophies of men (Colossians 2:8). Some mock, despise, and reject the message of the cross as meaningless and unimportant. Blinded by arrogance and lacking wisdom, they see no beauty in Christ and no value in the cross. God is not mocked by such as these: “For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?’” (1 Corinthians 1:19–20, NASB).
3. The message of the cross is foolishness to some because wealth and status can erase the felt need for God and the hope of glory. Though the world is their focus, “all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16).
4. The message of the cross is foolishness to some because in their pride they will not bend the knee at the foot of the cross. They do not allow their hearts to be broken from having sinned against a good, holy, and loving God. They have no godly sorrow driving them to seek forgiveness and restoration with God (Psalm 34:18; 51; Luke 18:13; 2 Corinthians 7:9–11; Romans 10:13).
5. The cross is foolishness to some because they love their sin and do not want to change. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24–25). This is a radical call to turn around and go in a new direction. This requires repentance, a change of mind about God and the things of God.
6. The cross is foolishness to some because they reject the idea that a loving God would crucify His own Son to appease His own wrath. They view the cross as slaughterhouse religion, declaring the wisdom of God objectionable. They are mistaken. They do not know the love and goodness of God that condescended to step out from glory (John 1:1–4) to take their place on the cross.
7. The cross is foolishness to some because they are deceived and misled “by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8, ESV). Church movements abandoning the message of the cross are misled by deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1). The outcome is another gospel and a Jesus that cannot save. The apostle Paul warned of this eventuality: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8).
8. The cross is foolishness to some because they do not know the Scriptures. They lack a rudimentary understanding of the Bible, having no foundation. “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Timothy “from childhood” knew the Holy Scriptures, and they were able to make him “wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). Timothy knew the prophecies, promises, and doctrines of Scripture, and that knowledge was foundational to his faith in the Son of God, the Messiah.
The story of Barabbas’s pardon is a remarkable comparison to the life granted to a believer in Christ. For Barabbas, pardon meant Jesus would take his place on the cross to endure the wrath of Rome (Matthew 27:16–22). For the believer, pardon means Jesus took our place on the cross to endure the wrath of God (Romans 3:24–26). With Rome appeased, Barabbas was released to walk free. With God appeased, we are released to walk in newness of life (Romans 3:25, 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:1; 1 Peter 3:18).
Those who are blind to the wisdom and power of God need a work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14). They need to see the message of the cross as a loving invitation from God to walk in newness of life (John 14:6). If they continue in unbelief, labeling the message of the cross as foolishness, the tragic result will be fully experienced condemnation from God (John 3:18). There is only one name whereby they can be saved, and that is the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
For Further Study
1 Corinthians: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament by Paul Gardner
In writing to his “dear children” in the Lord, the apostle John tells them that “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The contrast here is between the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of antichrist; in short, God is greater than Satan.
First John 4 begins with an exhortation for believers to test the spirits of prophets or teachers: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). What a prophet or teacher proclaims reveals whether he is of God or a false prophet of the world. John tells us how to recognize a false prophet: “Every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist” (verse 3). Anyone who teaches or proclaims falsehood about Jesus, such as denying His divinity, is a false prophet. These false prophets are actually speaking in the spirit of the antichrist on behalf of “the one who is in the world,” Satan.
The word antichrist means “against Christ.” Satan is the ultimate spirit against Christ. He is the father of lies and is against truth (John 8:44). He is called “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) and “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). He is “the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2). Satan uses false prophets to lead people away from Christ by deceiving them with a false view of Jesus. Twisting who Jesus is perverts the gospel. It keeps people in the bondage of sin and in darkness. Yet Satan is not as powerful as God, and John reminds the believers in 1 John 4:4 that greater is He that is in believers than he that is in the world.
The bodies of believers are the temples of the Holy Spirit who dwells within them (1 Corinthians 6:19). John encourages those in whom God lives: “You are from God” (1 John 4:4, ESV). They are not of the world. John reassures them that they have “overcome” those who teach false doctrine and who can rightly be called “antichrists.”
John uses the concept of “overcoming” five other times in 1 John: believers have overcome the evil one (1 John 2:13, 14) and have overcome the world (three times in 1 John 5:4–5). The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now indwells believers in Christ (Romans 8:11). The Holy Spirit is far stronger than Satan or any of his minions, the Spirit’s wisdom is greater than any of Satan’s schemes, and the Spirit’s protection is more than enough to thwart any of Satan’s attacks. Because he who is in us is greater than he who is in the world, we have confidence in God and at the same time put no confidence in the flesh. The power is not ours but the Holy Spirit’s.
By these encouragements believers can have peace and rejoice because Jesus has “overcome the world” (John 16:33). Believers need not fear Satan; rather, they trust in the Lord and obey Him. By the living Spirit of God within them, believers can overcome the lies and temptations of the powers of darkness. Those who are of God can boldly say, “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.”
Faith is so vital to the Christian life that Scripture tells us that, without it, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Yet faith is such a powerful gift from God (Ephesians 2:8–9) Christ told His disciples that, with just a tiny measure of it, the size of a mustard seed, they could move mountains. So, what does it mean to have “mustard seed faith”?
We see the reference to “mustard seed faith” twice in Scripture. First, in Matthew 17:20, we see Christ’s disciples unable to exorcise a demon from a young boy, even though Jesus had previously given them the authority to do this very thing (Matthew 10:1). When they inquired of Jesus why they were not able to drive the demon out, the Master replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’ and it will move; Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:14–20). Next, in Luke 17:6, Jesus tells His disciples, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” By using the uncommonly small mustard seed as an example, Jesus is speaking figuratively about the incalculable power of God when unleashed in the lives of those with true faith.
We know that this statement about moving mountains and uprooting trees by faith is not to be taken literally. The key to understanding the passages is the nature of faith, which is a gift from God. The power of faith reflects the omnipotent nature of the God who bestows faith on His own. The mustard seed is one of the tiniest seeds found in the Middle East, so the conclusion is that the amount of faith needed to do great things is very small indeed. Just as in the parable of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31–32), Jesus uses rhetorical hyperbole to make the point that little is much when it comes from God. The mustard seed in the parable grows to be a huge tree, representing the tiny beginnings of Christianity when just a few disciples began to preach and teach the gospel. Eventually, the kingdom grew to huge proportions, encompassing the entire world and spreading over centuries.
So, too, does the tiniest bit of faith, when it is true faith from God, grow to immense proportions in the lives of believers and spreading out to influence all they come into contact with. One has only to read histories of the great men of the faith, such as Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, to know that superhuman feats were performed by those whose faith was, at one time, only the size of a mustard seed.
In John 15:3,
Jesus
says to
His Disciples,
“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (NKJV). To grasp the profundity of this statement, it is necessary to review the context of John 15 and related passages.
In the preceding verses
of John 15,
Jesus
employs a metaphor
of the
Vine and the Branches
The Father is the vinedresser; the Son is the “true vine” (John 15:1). Believers are the branches (verse 5). To ensure maximum fruit production, the Father does two things: 1) He removes unfruitful branches, and 2) He prunes fruitful branches (verse 2; cf. Hebrews 6:7–8).
The word prune means “to cut back or trim.” In horticulture, pruning is a necessary practice in which dead or overgrown branches are removed from a plant to promote growth and fruitfulness. Figuratively, the Father prunes believers to shape them into the image of his Son: “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son” (Hebrews 12:6; cf. Deuteronomy 8:5).
The idea is that the Father, as the vinedresser, lovingly prunes or disciplines those who are already bearing fruit—not for punishment, but to increase fruit production. The disciples are “already clean because of the word” (John 15:3). In this context, that means they were “in a condition fit to bear fruit” (The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Nicoll, W. Robertson).
Here, it is helpful to compare John 13:10 and John 15:3. Earlier, Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, signifying the washing away of sins. Peter, initially resistant, is told by Jesus, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” At that point Judas Iscariot is still with the group, and that is why not all of the disciples were “clean.”
In John 15:3, Jesus speaks again of the disciples’ being “clean,” this time in the context of abiding in the True Vine. At this point, Judas has departed, and Jesus can declare to the rest that “you are already clean.”
The disciples’ cleanness comes through the word spoken by Jesus, underscoring the transformative power of God’s Word. The Word of God sanctifies (John 17:17). The eleven disciples, having been changed by Jesus’ teachings, commands, and promises, are prepared for the next step in their spiritual walk—to bear much fruit.
The concept of cleansing through the Word is found throughout Scripture. In Ephesians 5:26–27, for instance, the apostle Paul writes that Christ has cleansed the church “by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (ESV).
In Psalm 119:9, the psalmist draws a connection between cleansing and obedience to the Word of God: “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word” (NKJV).
The writer of Hebrews says that “the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). How we need the Word to keep our thoughts true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8)!
As we meditate on John 15:3, we are reminded of the Father’s pruning technique, the Son’s transformative Word, and the need to bear much fruit (verse 5). In Christ, we can do all things (Philippians 4:13), but apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
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).
John 3:16 presents Bible readers with what is likely the purest, most straightforward summary of the good news of God’s saving love that Jesus Christ brings to the world: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus, speaking with the Jewish Pharisee Nicodemus, continued, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17).
Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save the world was an important truth and a new revelation that Jewish believers would need to wrap their heads around. The Jews had no problem accepting the idea of God’s special love for Israel, but the notion that “God so loved the world” was groundbreaking theological material to the Jewish mindset. With this statement, Jesus revealed the all-embracing scope of God’s love under the New Covenant.
God’s agape love does not discriminate between Jew and Gentile, enslaved person or free, male or female (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11). The Father sent His Son to destroy prejudices and break down barriers of division to bring God’s great love and salvation to every man, woman, and child in the entire world (Matthew 28:19). And His plan of salvation has been a global strategy all along (See Revelation 5:9; 7:9; 14:6).
Jesus did not come to condemn the world because the world was already condemned. The Greek word (krinō) translated as “condemn” in John 3:17 means “to declare guilty; to pronounce guilt and a punitive sentence on someone in a legal sense; to judge.” The Bible says that all people are born in sin inherited from Adam (Romans 5:12; Psalm 51:5). We come into this world already pronounced guilty and condemned to die (Romans 5:17–19; 6:23).
In Romans 3:21–31, the apostle Paul teaches that Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sin upon Himself when He sacrificed His life on the cross. He died so that we could be “made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are” (verse 22, NLT). Anyone who puts his or her faith in Jesus Christ is restored to fellowship with God (verse 26). Those who belong to Christ Jesus are no longer condemned because “the power of the life-giving Spirit” frees them “from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:1–2, NLT).
Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to escape a guilty sentence: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18). Rejecting Jesus results in condemnation and death (John 3:36). Ultimately, salvation for everyone in the world, from the beginning of history until the end of time, is rooted in faith in Jesus Christ (see Romans 4:1–24; Hebrews 11:6, 13, 26; John 1:12). There is no other way to be saved (John 3:14–15; 11:25; 14:6; Acts 4:12).
God sent His one-and-only Son to die, not just for the people of Israel, but as a loving Savior for everyone. He is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save those who believe in Him. Our Savior’s mission was not to sentence people to death: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Christ laid down His life to take away the curse of sin that separates sinners from God (Romans 8:33–34). Jesus came to bring His Father’s gift of salvation so that all who believe in Him might enjoy fellowship in His presence for all eternity.
In John 16:8, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit: “When [the Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (ESV). In this verse, we see a three-fold ministry the Spirit will perform in relation to the unsaved world. He will “convict” the world; that is, He will reprove it or show it to be wrong. This reproof will target three areas in which the world needs admonishing: sin, righteousness, and judgment.
Jesus
went on
to explain:
“Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged”
(John 16:9–11, ESV).
The world is a sinful place, and one of the Holy Spirit’s tasks is to convict the world of its sin. No amount of preaching, pleading, or pointing of fingers will bring about the conviction of sin, unless the Holy Spirit is at work in the sinner’s heart. It is the Spirit’s job to convict. And what is the most basic sin of which the world is guilty? Jesus specifies it as unbelief. The convicting power of the Holy Spirit is at work in the world “because they believe not in [Christ].” Once a person responds to the Spirit’s conviction and turns to faith in Christ, the other sins he practiced will be taken care of. It is the sin of unbelief—a refusal to trust in Jesus—that is primary.
The world must also be convicted of righteousness, and this, too, is something the Holy Spirit does. There is a righteous standard we are all held to, despite the world’s stubborn denial of absolute truth. And who is the standard-bearer of righteousness? Jesus points to Himself as that standard: “Because I go to the Father.” There is only one Person who came down from heaven, lived a life of sinless perfection, and who ascended back to heaven—the Son of Man, who lives to be our Intercessor (John 3:13; 1 Timothy 2:5). The righteousness that the world tries to deny is found demonstrated in Christ. Everything He ever said and did was the consummate expression of God the Father (John 8:28; Colossians 2:9). He is righteousness personified, and none can measure up to Him (Romans 3:23).
The world is facing judgment, and the Holy Spirit also convicts them of this truth. There is a day of reckoning scheduled—a day in which the holy God will mete out justice and rid His creation of sin. In fact, this judgment has already begun. With whom did it begin? Jesus identifies Satan as the one on whom judgment fell: “Because the ruler of this world is cast out.” Jesus had earlier indicated that His death on the cross was when “the prince of this world will be driven out” (John 12:31). It was on the cross that Jesus redeemed sinners for God and utterly vanquished Satan. “That by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). Three days later Jesus rose from the dead, showing to all the world that Satan’s rule has been overthrown. All who reject Christ and remain in their sin will be condemned along with Satan, and this is the warning that the Holy Spirit sounds in the hearts of the unsaved.
The influence of the Holy Spirit in an unsaved person’s life will lead that person to the realization that he is guilty, that God is just, and that all sinners are deserving of judgment. Once a sinner has been awakened to his soul’s great need, the Spirit will point him to Christ, the one and only Savior and Refuge from judgment (John 16:14). In all of this, the Spirit uses His “sword,” the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17), and the result is a regenerated heart. “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17).
The overarching message of Psalm 119 is that great blessings belong to those who love, honor, and obey the Word of God. In the second stanza, the psalmist turns his focus to the purifying power of God’s Word, asking and answering this question: “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word” (Psalm 119:9, NKJV).
The New Living Translation renders this verse like so: “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.” Personal holiness is apprehended by living according to the commands and precepts found in Scripture. The passage goes on to affirm, “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:10–11). Outward obedience flows from an inward heart that seeks after God.
When we delight in God’s law and have it hidden deep in our hearts like a priceless treasure, our steps will not falter (Romans 7:22; Psalm 37:31). We will take pleasure in doing God’s will (Psalm 40:8). Our ways will be clean because God’s Word is a lamp to light our path (Psalm 119:105).
God’s Word has a purifying effect (John 17:17). The apostle Paul taught that Jesus Christ sanctifies the church “to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word” (Ephesians 5:26). The apostle Peter attested to a purification or soul-cleansing that comes through obedience to the truth—“the living abiding word of God” (1 Peter 1:22–23). When Jesus spoke about being the true Vine, He told His disciples, “You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you” (John 15:3, NLT).
The Lord’s message is His truth, His teachings, and His commands in Scripture. He reveals His Word to us that we may live by it entirely, wisely, securely, and well. The Word of God is a purifying force for both young and old. Paul instructed the Colossians to “let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” (Colossians 3:16, CSB).
A young man can cleanse his way by making the pursuit of God’s Word a way of life. Scripture promises that those who are directed on the path of God from an early age will never depart from it (Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4; Deuteronomy 11:19). Paul told his protégé, Timothy, “You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15, NLT).
God’s Word must become our counselor (Psalm 119:24), healer (Psalm 107:20), encourager (Acts 20:32), and provider of hope, faith, truth, and life (Romans 15:4; Colossians 1:5–6). Peter said, “For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God” (1 Peter 1:23, NLT).
The writer of Hebrews describes the powerful and purifying influence of God’s Word in our lives: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
Scripture overflows with practical wisdom for young men who wish to stay pure. The first cleansing step in our faith journey is repentance and confession of sin, not just once but whenever we fall into sin (1 John 1:9; James 5:16). The Bible instructs us to flee temptation (James 1:14; 1 Corinthians 10:13) and every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), renew our minds (Romans 12:2; Philippians 4:8), treat young women as sisters with all purity (1 Timothy 5:2), and surround ourselves with godly mentors and influencers who will hold us accountable (Galatians 6:1–5; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:25). These are just a handful of biblical guidelines for keeping our way pure.
How can a young man cleanse his way? By the same means all believers do—by accepting God’s Word and letting it continue to do its work in us (1 Thessalonians 2:13). If we delight in God’s Word, study it, reflect on it, and meditate on it day and night, we will keep our lives pure through obedience (2 Timothy 2:15; Psalm 1:2; 119:15, 97).
Second Corinthians 2:15 says, “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.”
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.
In Hebrews 11, we learn about faith from the Bible’s Old Testament heroes. One crucial detail stands out in their lives: they placed their whole confidence in God, entrusting themselves into His hands. The actions and accomplishments of these men and women proved that faith pleases God, and He rewards those who seek Him: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
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 Galatians 5:1,
Paul reminds the Galatian
believers that “it is
for
freedom
that Christ has set
us free.”
Believers’ sins are forgiven on the basis of Christ’s perfect sacrifice. Now believers can live in freedom from the law, and they can live in freedom from the consequences and power of sin. The NLT says, “Christ has truly set us free”; believers are “truly free” to live for the things of God.
The occasion of Paul’s letter to the Galatians was that false teachers had come into the churches there. These teachers promoted legalism and tried to require Christians to observe the Old Testament rules, laws, and ceremonies, especially circumcision (Galatians 2:3–5). Paul, in no uncertain terms, says that “for freedom Christ has set us free” and that Christians should not be placed back under the law’s yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1). The law’s purpose was to reveal our sinfulness (see Romans 3:20) and to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24).
Before Christ’s sacrifice, we lived under bondage to the law (Galatians 4:3). We were burdened by demands we could not keep (Acts 15:10). Christ’s death and resurrection broke our bondage to the law. Jesus’ perfect life and holy sacrifice on the cross was the complete fulfillment of the law, and anyone who trusts in Him for salvation is made right with God. Only Christians have true freedom from the law. John 8:36 confirms, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
In Christ, we are free from the Mosaic Law’s oppressive system, and we are also free from the penalty and power of sin. Before Christ, we lived as slaves to sin (John 8:34). We sought to gratify our desires and lived for ourselves. We were dead in our sins (Colossians 2:13) and were destined to face the consequence of our sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). Yet, when we trusted in Christ for our salvation, our course in life completely changed. We were released from the law’s bondage because for freedom Christ has set us free.
Believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and are characterized by a joyous freedom to follow Christ and God’s design for life (Galatians 2:20). The Bible is clear that Christian freedom is not a license to sin. Instead, believers are free not to live for sin and are free to live holy lives in Christ. For this freedom Christ has set us free: to live in relationship to God and others the way He intended (Galatians 5:13). Believers are free to live an abundant life (John 10:10), and we have been given everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
Jesus did what the law could not do—He took away our sin and saved us, and in doing so He set us free from the penalty and power of sin. For freedom to follow His design of life He set us free. “The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit” (Romans 8:3–4, NLT). Now we who have this freedom can live in God’s ways and love others well in the power of the Spirit (Galatians 5:13–26).
In Galatians 5:1, Paul reminds the Galatian believers that “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Believers’ sins are forgiven on the basis of Christ’s perfect sacrifice. Now believers can live in freedom from the law, and they can live in freedom from the consequences and power of sin. The NLT says, “Christ has truly set us free”; believers are “truly free” to live for the things of God.
The occasion of Paul’s letter to the Galatians was that false teachers had come into the churches there. These teachers promoted legalism and tried to require Christians to observe the Old Testament rules, laws, and ceremonies, especially circumcision (Galatians 2:3–5). Paul, in no uncertain terms, says that “for freedom Christ has set us free” and that Christians should not be placed back under the law’s yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1). The law’s purpose was to reveal our sinfulness (see Romans 3:20) and to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24).
Before Christ’s sacrifice, we lived under bondage to the law (Galatians 4:3). We were burdened by demands we could not keep (Acts 15:10). Christ’s death and resurrection broke our bondage to the law. Jesus’ perfect life and holy sacrifice on the cross was the complete fulfillment of the law, and anyone who trusts in Him for salvation is made right with God. Only Christians have true freedom from the law. John 8:36 confirms, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
In Christ, we are free from the Mosaic Law’s oppressive system, and we are also free from the penalty and power of sin. Before Christ, we lived as slaves to sin (John 8:34). We sought to gratify our desires and lived for ourselves. We were dead in our sins (Colossians 2:13) and were destined to face the consequence of our sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). Yet, when we trusted in Christ for our salvation, our course in life completely changed. We were released from the law’s bondage because for freedom Christ has set us free.
Believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and are characterized by a joyous freedom to follow Christ and God’s design for life (Galatians 2:20). The Bible is clear that Christian freedom is not a license to sin. Instead, believers are free not to live for sin and are free to live holy lives in Christ. For this freedom Christ has set us free: to live in relationship to God and others the way He intended (Galatians 5:13). Believers are free to live an abundant life (John 10:10), and we have been given everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
Jesus did what the law could not do—He took away our sin and saved us, and in doing so He set us free from the penalty and power of sin. For freedom to follow His design of life He set us free. “The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit” (Romans 8:3–4, NLT). Now we who have this freedom can live in God’s ways and love others well in the power of the Spirit (Galatians 5:13–26).
Twice the apostle Paul informed believers at Corinth, “You were bought with a price.” In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul was making a passionate appeal against sexual immorality. He concluded his argument, stating, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20, ESV).
A Christian’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. At salvation, the Holy Spirit takes up residence, transforming the believer’s body into a sanctified place, a home for God’s holy presence (Hebrews 10:10). In union with Christ, the Christian receives a new nature and a new identity (2 Corinthians 5:17). When a believer engages in sexual immorality, he or she violates that new creation, which was purchased at a very high price.
The price we were bought with is disclosed in 1 Peter 1:18–19: “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (NLT).
When Paul said, “You were bought with a price,” he meant that believers were purchased and paid for with the sinless, spotless perfection of Jesus Christ’s blood. Jesus Himself said that He came to give His life as a ransom for us (Matthew 20:28). Since we were obtained at such a tremendous expense, we are to use our bodies to honor God with good deeds: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).
Paul reminded the Corinthians that ownership of their bodies had been transferred to Christ. They no longer had the right or freedom to use their bodies any way they wished. Just as slaves were purchased in the ancient world, we were bought with the price of Christ’s blood on the cross. We now belong to Him (1 Corinthians 7:22). We don’t have the right to rebel against our Master by using our bodies in ways He forbids.
Paul repeated this teaching in 1 Corinthians 7:23, but with an emphasis on spiritual freedom: “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.” Believers are set free from the dominion of sin through the death of Christ (Galatians 1:4). Our spiritual freedom comes at the price of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). Consequently, since we now belong to Christ, we must not let ourselves come under the control of other humans.
Paul’s phrase become slaves of human beings was meant metaphorically. We are not to let human ideas and worldly systems rule over us. Legalism, for example, should not rule us; we are not bound by the rules of men. Rather, we are “responsible to God” (1 Corinthians 7:24). Jesus Christ alone is our Master.
In one sense, the blood of Christ paid for our liberation, setting us free from sin; but in another inference, His sacrifice changed our ownership, making us slaves to God alone. “You were bought with a price” means God was willing to obtain possession of us on Calvary by paying the ultimate price—the blood of His own Son (Acts 20:28).
Jesus declared,
“No one is good—except God alone”
(Luke 18:19).
First John 1:5 tells us that “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” To say that God is good means that God always acts in accordance to what is right, true, and good. Goodness is part of God’s nature, and He cannot contradict His nature. Holiness and righteousness are part of God’s nature; He cannot do anything that is unholy or unrighteous. God is the standard of all that is good.
The fact that God is good means that He has no evil in Him, His intentions and motivations are always good, He always does what is right, and the outcome of His plan is always good (see Genesis 50:20). There is nothing unpleasant, evil, or dark in Him. The Bible teaches that God’s goodness extends from His nature to everything that He does (Psalm 119:68). “The Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:5).
Everything that God made was originally good: “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31; cf. 1 Timothy 4:4). God’s goodness is showcased in the law He gave to Israel; the law is holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12). “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). God can create only what is good, because He is fully good.
God did not create evil (Habakkuk 1:13; 1 John 1:5). Rather, evil is the absence of goodness; it is whatever God is not. Because of His goodness, God abhors sin and will judge it some day (Romans 2:5). It is never the will of our good God for us to sin: “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone” (James 1:13).
God’s goodness should lead to thankfulness on our part: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1; cf. 1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 118:1; 136). However, people do not naturally want to follow or thank God. Instead, “people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). In the Old Testament, the Israelites repeatedly rejected God’s good law, forgot His goodness toward them, and were unfaithful to Him: “They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them” (Psalm 78:11).
Ultimately, God’s goodness is seen in His plan to redeem us from sin. The gospel is “good news.” In His goodness, God sent His Son to become the perfect and blameless sacrifice so we could be forgiven of our sins. God does not want “anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), and it is “the goodness of God [that] leadeth thee to repentance” (Romans 2:4, KJV).
There is only One who is fully and truly good—God. This good God invites us to seek him and to “taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8).
Paul defends his apostleship for the sake of the Corinthians so they can be encouraged and built up in the certainty of the gospel (2 Corinthians 12:19). In his letter Paul recounts some of the difficulties and persecutions he and other apostles were facing. In this context he notes that they were “persecuted, but not forsaken” (2 Corinthians 4:9, ESV).
Paul was thankful to be proclaiming a message of grace and freedom rather than law and bondage (2 Corinthians 3), and, because of the importance of that ministry, he and the other apostles would not lose heart. Rather, they would be bold in their proclamation of the truth (2 Corinthians 4:1–2). They had clear consciences as they fulfilled the ministry of proclaiming that truth to everyone, even though there were many who were blinded and would not accept that message (2 Corinthians 4:3–4). They were not proclaiming this message in their own power or by their own wisdom; they were proclaiming Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5–6). They readily recognized their own weakness and limitation—they were merely earthen vessels for a heavenly message of grace (2 Corinthians 4:7)—and the power of the message was not of themselves. Consequently, the Corinthians could have confidence in the apostles’ message because it was true and originated from God.
The apostles were not the source of the power; they were simply ministers of it. Paul underscores their own limitations and weakness when he explains that they are afflicted in every way, but not crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8a)—they had hardship, but that hardship could not defeat them because they were standing in the truth. They were perplexed, but not in despair. They struggled with perhaps even a degree of anxiety but would not fall into depression because of the certainty of their hope (2 Corinthians 4:8b). They were persecuted but not forsaken (2 Corinthians 4:9a)—though many had rejected their message and even did so violently at times, Paul knew they were not alone. God had not left them, no matter how severe the rejection by some. They had even been literally struck down, but they were not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:9b). No matter the difficulty they faced, the apostles recognized it was nothing as severe as Christ had encountered, and they were simply fulfilling what He had commissioned them to do (2 Corinthians 4:10–11). Even in their weakness and the difficulties they faced, they kept in mind the reason for their ministry: that people could receive Christ by faith and have life (2 Corinthians 4:12).
Everything Paul and the other apostles faced, they did so for the sake of those who would receive their message (2 Corinthians 4:15). So, even in difficult and painful situations, they would not lose heart (2 Corinthians 4:16). They were not focused on the temporal difficulties; instead, they set their minds on the eternal value of the ministry God had given them (2 Corinthians 4:16–18).
In some ways, we also may face persecution and difficulty, but, if we are suffering for that which has eternal value, then we are not forsaken. God never deserts or forsakes those who are His (John 10:27–31; Hebrews 13:5). We can focus on Him—like the apostles did—and not lose heart (see Hebrews 12:1–3).
A mediator is an official “go-between” who acts as a link between two parties to reconcile their differences. The term literally means “one who stands in between.” In legal disputes, a mediator represents the interests of both parties, working as an intercessory agent to negotiate a settlement. In global conflicts, a mediator intervenes between opposing world powers to try to achieve peace.
The apostle Paul writes In 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” Humanity is born into sin (Psalm 51:5). Sin is a problem because it stands in the way, blocking the relationship between humans and God. All people enter this world separated or estranged from the Holy God (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 5:10, 12) and deserving of His wrath (Ephesians 2:3). Romans 6:23 explains that the penalty for sin is death, not only physical death but spiritual, eternal death (Revelation 20:11–15).
Because of our sinful condition, human beings need a mediator to negotiate peace with God—and that person is Jesus Christ: “Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1, NLT).
Scripture reveals Moses as mediator of the Old Testament covenant (Galatians 3:19; cf. Exodus 20:19, 21–22; Deuteronomy 5:5, 22, 23, 27, 31; Acts 7:38). Moses entered God’s presence on behalf of the people of Israel. He drew near to God, speaking and interceding as their representative. Moses was God’s chosen mediator to lead the Israelites in the way of salvation through a relationship with God.
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ became the mediator of a new, superior covenant: “But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6, NLT).
Jesus, God’s incarnate Son, is the perfect intermediary, better than Moses because He alone is appropriately qualified to be the one mediator between God and man. Only Jesus Christ is fully human and fully divine (John 1:1, 14; Hebrews 2:17). As man and God, Jesus is uniquely equipped to represent both sides. He alone stands in the gap between God and man. He alone meets the righteous requirements of the law, opening the way into God’s presence once and for all through His death on the cross and resurrection to life (John 1:17; Hebrews 3:1–6; 9:15, 22; 10:10; 12:24).
Only the sacrifice of the sinless, spotless Lamb of God could fully pay the ransom required to set people free from sin and eternal death. Jesus took our punishment on Himself, making it possible for us to experience forgiveness of sin and freedom from its destructive control.
There is one mediator between God and man means that Christ is the only way to God the Father. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). If we want to experience peace with God and a restored relationship of joy in His presence, we must come “by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body” (Hebrews 10:19–20).
Jesus Christ is the one mediator—the one and only Savior of the world (John 1:29; 1 Timothy 1:15). There is no other go-between. We come to God through faith in His Son, who is the only means of salvation. Religion cannot save us. Good works won’t make us right with God. Nothing but faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient to bridge the gap between sinful humanity and a Holy God.
As the one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ now rules in the hearts of believers and “is at the right hand of God . . . interceding for us” (Romans 8:34, ESV). We can live in the secure knowledge that, in the end, Christ will put every enemy “under his feet,” including “the last enemy,” which is death itself (1 Corinthians 15:24–27).
The author of Hebrews writes to inform readers of the superiority of Jesus and to urge them to follow Him closely. In Hebrews 4:16 the author explains that we can come boldly to the throne of grace: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” So, following Jesus is about confidence, not timidity. The author explains how: because of Jesus, our High Priest.
Jesus is described as a merciful and faithful high priest in Hebrews 2:17, and He accomplished propitiation for sin (or the satisfaction of God’s wrath because of sin). In the Mosaic Law, the high priest would intercede on behalf of the people and was at least a symbolic head of the current priestly administration (Numbers 25, 28). The priest would bring sacrifices to God on behalf of the people of Israel and would do so repeatedly, as the law prescribed. While ordinarily the high priest would bring the sacrifice, Jesus Himself was the sacrifice. His personal sacrifice was an incredible act of mercy, and He could be the sacrifice because He had become like those for whom He was giving Himself up (Hebrews 2:17). Because of Jesus the High Priest, we can come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Elsewhere in the epistle, Jesus is the “High Priest of our confession” (Hebrews 3:1). Jesus is a trustworthy high priest, as God the Father counted Him faithful (Hebrews 3:2). If the Father counts Him as faithful, then we can, too.
In the Mosaic Law, that which was sacrificed died, and so new sacrifices were necessary to (temporarily) cover sin. But Jesus as high priest brought a different kind of sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed Himself, and He was resurrected and ascended into heaven (Hebrews 4:14)—another evidence that He is faithful and had the ability to accomplish salvation for all who would believe in Him. Because of Him we can come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). He is a high priest who sympathizes with our weakness (He knows our weaknesses because He became like us when He became a man)—He even has been tempted in all things as we have, yet He remained sinless (Hebrews 4:15).
Because Jesus was a man, He could be our substitution—He could stand in our place to pay the price for sin: death. None of us can finish paying the price because our debt is so great and we have nothing left with which to pay it. He could pay the price in our place as a man. Because Jesus was God, He had no sin of His own and He could arise from the grave showing that He conquered sin and death. His one-time sacrifice was enough (Hebrews 9:26). Because of Him we can now come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16)—not on our own merits, bringing our own sacrifice—but on His merit and His sacrifice. Now that He has made it possible for us to come to God, we come to Him by faith—for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Because of what Jesus has done for us, we can come boldly and with confidence to the throne of grace—it is no longer a throne of judgment for us; rather, it is where we have received forgiveness in mercy and righteousness in grace.
Jesus, our High Priest, intercedes on our behalf even today (Romans 8:34). Not only can we come boldly to the throne of grace for forgiveness and salvation (Hebrews 4:16), but we can also come to that same throne in prayer knowing that we are no longer enemies of God but beloved children who can call Him “Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15).
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.
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).
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.
All four gospels
present an account
of Jesus
being anointed
by a
woman with a
costly jar of perfume
(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50; John 12:1–8).
Matthew and Mark relate the same event but
do not give the woman’s name;
Luke tells of a different woman, also anonymous, on an earlier occasion; and, in yet another event, the woman in John is identified as Mary of Bethany (John 11:2), sister to Martha and Lazarus. To understand the significance of Jesus being anointed on these three occasions, we’ll look at each account separately and then compare and contrast them in conclusion.
The anointing of Jesus in Matthew takes place two days before Passover in the town of Bethany at Simon the leper’s home: “Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table” (Matthew 26:6–7, ESV).
Matthew focuses on the anointing of Jesus as a teaching episode for the disciples, who react with anger because of the woman’s wasteful extravagance. But Jesus defends her, saying, “She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Matthew 26:10). Christ explains that the anointing is to prepare His body for burial and that the woman’s act of love will forever be remembered wherever the good news is preached.
Mark tells the same story in similar terms, with an anonymous woman with an alabaster box interrupting a meal in Simon the leper’s home to anoint the head of Jesus with expensive perfume. Again, the woman’s critics describe her gift as excessive, complaining that it could have been sold for more than a year’s wages (Mark 14:5). But Jesus receives the woman’s gift as a selfless act of love and devotion—an appropriate way to honor the Messiah. Jesus reveals that He will not be with them much longer, which references His impending death and burial.
Both Matthew and Mark’s accounts emphasize the prophetic significance of the anointing of Jesus, alluding to His death and burial. There may also be an implication of Jesus’ kingship, since, in the Old Testament, the anointing of the head was often associated with the dedication of kings (1 Samuel 9:15—10:1; 16:12–13; 1 Kings 1:38–40).
In Luke’s account of a similar, yet different, instance, Jesus uses the occasion of being anointed to tell a parable about forgiveness (Luke 7:39–50). About a year before His death, Jesus was dining in the home of Simon the Pharisee, who had arrogantly neglected to extend the customary respect and hospitality to his guest, while a sinful woman anoints Jesus’ feet, lavishing her love and gratefulness upon Jesus.
In John’s gospel, Lazarus’ sister Mary is the woman who anoints Jesus with a high-priced perfume at a dinner in Bethany. The story is similar to those in the other gospels, although this anointing takes place six days before Passover, and Judas is named as the disciple who objects to the “waste.” On this occasion, “Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair”(John 12:3, NLT). Jesus defends Mary from Judas’s criticism by pointing out the unique opportunity Mary had: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” (John 12:8).
Mary’s anointing again points to Christ’s identity as Messiah-King, but it also points to His humble position as Servant-King. When Mary anoints Jesus’ feet and then wipes them with her hair, she foreshadows Jesus’ actions at the upcoming Last Supper when the Lord washes the disciples’ feet and teaches them how to love one another through sacrificial, humble service (John 13:1–20).
In each account, a woman pours out a precious and costly perfume in an extravagant act of worship. The three women who anointed Jesus recognized Christ’s unequaled value and expressed their gratitude with unreserved love and devotion. Two anointings of Jesus happen during the week of Passover and are linked with His imminent death and burial. The earlier anointing, in Luke’s account, is in the middle of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee and draws a different lesson on forgiveness and love.
In each case, the woman’s actions signal more than she knows. But, although she may not fully comprehend the messianic significance of her anointing, each woman had come to appreciate Christ’s worth more than anyone else at the table.
Jesus Christ is God’s anointed Messiah. The word Messiah means “anointed one” and derives directly from the Hebrew word for “anointed.” Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, also meaning “anointed one.” Thus, Christ is the Greek equivalent to Messiah. When Jesus receives the Holy Spirit at His baptism, He is “anointed” by God in preparation for His life’s work (Luke 3:22; cf. Acts 10:38; Luke 4:18).
On three separate occasions,
Jesus
is anointed
with
fragrant ointment
in
His work as the
Savior,
the King of heaven
who
was in preparation
to die
to save His people.
After Paul
explains to the Colossians their
new
position in Christ,
he exhorts them to keep seeking the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God the Father (Colossians 3:1).
This means that believers
should
value what Christ values,
and one of those
things that believers should highly
value is to
“let the word of
Christ
dwell in you richly”
(Colossians 3:16, ESV).
Believers should be setting their minds on things above, not on the things of earth because of where Christ is and because our lives are hidden in Him (Colossians 3:2–3). One day we will be revealed with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4), but in the meantime we ought to consider the members of our bodies as dead to sinful things (Colossians 3:5–9). We ought to put on the new self—to actually walk according to our new natures—and be renewed according to the true knowledge of Christ (Colossians 3:10).
The lives of believers ought to reflect newness of life in every area of our lives (Colossians 3:10–13), and we especially ought to be exhibiting Christlike love (Colossians 3:14). We ought to be filled with His peace, which is part of our calling, and we ought to be filled with thankfulness (Colossians 3:15). Paul urges his readers to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” God’s Word—His message about Christ—should be at home in us. It should be overflowing in us.
To let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, we must spend a great deal of time in the Bible learning about Him. We must cherish His Word in our hearts, as the psalmist put it in Psalm 119:11. Paul adds that there are some ways that we ought to express the word of Christ dwelling richly in us. We ought to be teaching and challenging each other with thanksgiving and songs (Colossians 3:16). Ultimately, letting the word of Christ dwell richly in us should help us to do everything in the name of Jesus, that is, according to what He has communicated that He desires (Colossians 3:17). Paul explains in the context what it looks like to let the word of Christ dwell richly in us.
In the exhortation to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” Paul provides a vital way to assess whether we are walking according to God’s design. Recall that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10). God has a design for our lives, and He has revealed that design in His Word. If we aren’t spending time in the Bible, listening to what God has said there, then we are missing out on the riches of walking according to our calling (see Ephesians 4:1). We ought to be known as people in whom God’s Word dwells richly.
The glory of God is the beauty of His spirit. It is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, but the beauty that emanates from His character, from all that He is. The glory of man—human dignity and honor—fades (1 Peter 1:24). But the glory of God, which is manifested in all His attributes together, never passes away. It is eternal.
Moses requested of God, “Now show me your glory” (Exodus 33:18). In His response, God equates His glory with “all my goodness” (verse 19). “But,” God said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (verse 20). So, God hid Moses in “a cleft in the rock” to protect him from the fulness of God’s glory as it passed by (verses 21–23). No mortal can view God’s excelling splendor without being utterly overwhelmed. The glory of God puts the pride of man to shame: “Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:10–11, NKJV).
Often, in the Old Testament, the manifestation of God’s glory was accompanied by supernatural fire, thick clouds, and a great quaking of the earth. We see these phenomena when God gave the law to Moses: “Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently” (Exodus 19:18; see also Deuteronomy 5:24–25; 1 Kings 8:10–11; and Isaiah 6:1–4). The prophet Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of God was full of fire and lightning and tumultuous sounds, after which he saw “what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 1:26–28).
In the New Testament, the glory of God is revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus came as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of [God’s] people Israel” (Luke 2:32). The miracles that Jesus did were “signs through which he revealed his glory” (John 2:11). In Christ, the glory of God is meekly veiled, approachable, and knowable. He promises to return some day “on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30).
Isaiah 43:7 says that God saved Israel for His glory—in the redeemed will be seen the distillation of God’s grace and power and faithfulness. The natural world also exhibits God’s glory, revealed to all men, no matter their race, heritage, or location. As Psalm 19:1–4 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
Psalm 73:24 calls heaven itself “glory.”
Sometimes Christians speak of death as being “received unto glory,” a phrase borrowed from this psalm.
When the Christian dies, he or she will be taken into God’s presence and surrounded by God’s glory and majesty. In that place, His glory will be seen clearly:
“For now we see only a reflection
as in a mirror;
then we shall see face to face”
(1 Corinthians 13:12).
In the future
New Jerusalem,
the glory of God
will be manifest:
“The city does not need
the sun
or the moon to shine on it,
for the glory of God
gives it light, and the Lamb
is its lamp”
(Revelation 21:23).
God will not
give
His glory to another
(Isaiah 42:8; cf. Exodus 34:14).
Yet this is the very
thing
that people try
to steal
Scripture indicts all idolaters:
“Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged
the glory of the immortal God for images
made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles”
(Romans 1:22–23).
Only God is eternal, and His perfect and eternal attributes of holiness, majesty, goodness, love, etc., are not to be exchanged for the imperfections and corruption of anything in this world.
Asaph was grateful not only for the Lord's presence but also for His guidance and assurance of heaven. That guidance is what helped him recover from a crisis of faith (Psalm 73:2–3) to return to a fuller understanding of God's truth (Psalm 73:15–18, 23).
The Lord has a purpose for the lives of His people. He is readily available to guide them to the successful completion of His purpose. Proverbs 3:5–6 says: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Psalm 37:23 says, "The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way." Romans 12:1–2 gives the requirements for knowing the Lord's will. The first requirement is to present one's body to the Lord as "a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable." The second is to refuse to be conformed to the world.
The third is to be
transformed by the renewing of the mind.
In verse 2
God's will is described
as
"good and acceptable and perfect."
Psalm 73:15–28 gives a
fitting
resolution to Asaph's complaint
(Psalm 73:2–3)
. He was disturbed by the contrast between the seemingly prosperous wicked and the difficulties of the righteous. Many today feel the same conflict. An eternal perspective gave the answer he needed to those hard examples. In short, wickedness does come with risks, and earthly life is not all there is to our existence. Even in the context of the natural world, evil invites negative consequences and disaster. In eternity, judgment on godlessness is absolutely guaranteed.
Seeing godless people thrive, even as they
hatefully mock God,
while believers suffer, leads many people to
a crisis of faith.
This was the case for Asaph.
Using exaggerated imagery, he complains to the Lord
that it seems as if evil
people have easy lives, while godly people suffer.
Further reflection
reminds Asaph that
sin does lead to
consequences, both in this life
and the next.
He confesses his sins of
bitterness
and resolves to trust God
more deeply.
Expand
What is the Gospel?
President
Trump
will welcome a group of American farmers from across the U.S. to the
White House for a dinner Thursday evening in the
Rose Garden.
The event comes as Trump has ramped up his efforts to court the voting bloc ahead of the midterm elections, after farmers experienced rising fertilizer costs sparked by the Iran war and pressure under the administration’s tariff agenda.
“There is no greater champion for American farmers, growers, and ranchers than President Trump, who has negotiated new, fair trade deals, lowered input costs, bolstered the farm safety net, eliminated the death tax, ended taxes on rural property loan interest, and created rural opportunity zones,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said in a statement.
“For 250 years, hardworking farmers have fueled our nation, and President Trump continues to take action to help America’s farmers thrive again,” she added.
The president’s remarks are scheduled to begin at
7
p.m. EDT.
Behold Israel is
live now.
Sdestooprn2m8a2a562014m9t1922hlimc18ggl288h2ftu94lg9ah9hil12 ·
Get ready
for an incredible broadcast
today
as we dive
into
2 Samuel 5–6 and John 5!
We are stepping
right
into moments of
radical power
and boundary-breaking moments.
In the Old Testament,
we'll watch
King David
establish
his kingdom and dance
with unapologetic
joy
before the
Ark of the Covenant.
Then, we’ll flip to the New Testament
to witness Jesus stir up massive controversy
by healing a man
paralyzed for 38 years on the Sabbath.
From passionate praise to miraculous healing
and divine authority,
these chapters are packed with truths that will challenge and inspire us.
Grab your Bible, bring your thoughts, and join the conversation!
God has given us His Word as the revelation of His plan of redemption, and that plan covers everything from creation to the new creation.
Deuteronomy 29:29 says,
“The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
There are many things that God has chosen to reveal to us, and it is important for us to understand them so that we can obey Him.
We don’t always understand why He does things, but we are called to trust Him for the parts we don’t understand and to study to understand the rest. As we look at the texts about these trumpets, it becomes clear that they are part of a chronology that God has given us of events in the last days.
Whether or not we are still living when those
events come to pass,
they involve us, so
we ought to know what God has revealed to us.
The book of Revelation
has sometimes been viewed as a
book of mystery,
yet the title itself implies something
brought out of hiding.
More specifically, it is
“the revelation of Jesus Christ . . . to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass”
(Revelation 1:1).
God wants us to know what is going to happen, so we can be prepared, and to help us in calling others to repentance. Beginning in chapter 6, we are given a chronological record of things that will happen in the last days. There is a series of seven seals, then a series of seven trumpets, then a series of seven bowls of wrath. We read in Revelation 11:15, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.’” In the context, this seems to come around the middle of the tribulation period.
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is writing to believers concerning the transition from this life to eternal life. Our mortal bodies will be transformed into immortal, incorruptible bodies, prepared for the eternal kingdom of God. Verse 52 says, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Paul addresses the same subject to the Thessalonians, and specifically connects it with the rapture of the church. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).
There is no question that God has revealed these things to us and that He intends for us to be encouraged and instructed by them. The question is whether these trumpets are the same. If they are the same, then the rapture of the church happens in the middle of the tribulation period, and saints need to be prepared to endure those trials. If they are not the same, then we need to know when the last trump will sound, so that we can be prepared for it. In order to find out whether they are the same, we can compare the events they are associated with.
Events
1 Corinthians 15
1 Thessalonians 4
Revelation 11
Trumpet sound
v. 52
v. 16
v. 15
Dead saints raised
v. 52
v. 16
Living saints changed
v. 52
v. 17
Death overcome by victory
v. 54
v. 14
Jesus descends from Heaven
v. 16
Not until Rev 19:11
Kingdoms of the world taken over by Christ
v. 15
Wrath of God on dead
v. 18
Rewards given to saints
v. 18
v. 57-58 – thanks, victory, faithfulness until then
v. 18 – comfort now, presence with Christ then
v. 14,17 – woe on earth, thanks in Heaven
It is clear that the first two passages (Corinthians and Thessalonians) fit together, but the third doesn’t appear to have any correlation in either the events described or the intended results. The argument connecting them has to depend on the meaning of the word last in 1 Corinthians 15:52. The Greek word eschatos can mean either “last in point of time” or “last in point of sequence.” This trumpet sounds before the wrath of God descends, yet Revelation 6:17 speaks of the wrath of the Lamb as having come, and the seventh trumpet doesn’t sound until Revelation 11:15. The trumpet of 1 Thessalonians is given in a moment, whereas Revelation 10:7 indicates that the seventh trumpet will be sounded for a number of days. Even though the seventh trumpet is the last one described in Revelation, Matthew 24:31 indicates there is yet another trumpet which will sound “after the tribulation of those days,” when Christ returns to the earth, which parallels with Revelation 19.
If the “last trumpet” of 1 Corinthians 15 is not the same as the seventh trumpet, then what was Paul referring to? Both 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians were written long before John wrote Revelation, so Paul’s readers would have no knowledge of the seven trumpets of Revelation. Paul intended for them to understand what he was writing about, so we need to look elsewhere for clarification. Paul’s writing was distinctly in reference to the church and the closing of the church age at the rapture. Throughout Scripture, trumpets were used as signals to gather people, to set armies on the move, and as part of the worship of God. The trumpet that summons the church is called “the trump of God,” while those in Revelation are angelic trumpets. Since it is a summoning trumpet, we can look to the Old Testament for further understanding. Numbers 10 gives instruction to Israel about the use of trumpets to call an assembly of the people and to set them in motion. The first trumpet blast (v. 4) called the leaders together, while a continual blowing was an alarm for the people. A series of trumpet blasts was the signal for each group of tribes to begin their journey, and the last blast indicated the movement of the last group in the camp. Similarly, 1 Corinthians 15:23 speaks of different orders, or ranks, in the resurrection: “Every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.” Further, 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 divides Christ’s own into two groups—the dead in Christ and those who are alive and remain.
So, if the trumpet is the call for saints to assemble and journey to heaven, what does that mean for us? Jesus said that no one knows when the Day of the Lord will begin (Matthew 24:36), and 1 Thessalonians 5:2 describes it as coming as a thief in the night, without warning. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, we are told to be “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, we do not know when the trumpet will sound, so we are to be always ready. While we may not know the day or hour, we have been given enough information to know it can happen at any moment. We are to be ready, putting on the armor of God, because we have been appointed to receive salvation through Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:8–9).
Temple Destruction and Other Signs
(Mark 13:1–8; Luke 21:5–9)
1As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to point out its buildings.
2“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
While Jesus was sitting on the
Mount of Olives,
the disciples came to Him privately.
“Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”
4Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Witnessing to All Nations
(Mark 13:9–13; Luke 21:10–19)
9Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, 11and many false prophets will arise and deceive many.
12Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. 13But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
The Abomination of Desolation
(Mark 13:14–23; Luke 21:20–24)
15So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’a spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. 18And let no one in the field return for his cloak.
19How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! 20Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath. 21For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. 22If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
23At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible. 25See, I have told you in advance.
The Return of the Son of Man
(Mark 13:24–27; Luke 21:25–28)
26So if they tell you, ‘There He is, in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27For 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. 28Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
29Immediately 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.b’
30At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,c and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.d 31And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
(Mark 13:28–31; Luke 21:29–33)
32Now learn this lessone from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near,f right at the door. 34Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
Readiness at Any Hour
(Genesis 6:1–7; Mark 13:32–37; Luke 12:35–48)
36No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,g but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. 39And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
42Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
45Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
46Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
48But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’ 49And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. 51Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The Resurrection of Christ15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead12 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? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be 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. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 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. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[c] Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”[d]
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”[e] 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39 Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”[f]; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we[g] bear the image of the heavenly man.
50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52 in a flash, 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. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[h]
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”[i]
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 15:3 Or you at the first
- 1 Corinthians 15:5 That is, Peter
- 1 Corinthians 15:27 Psalm 8:6
- 1 Corinthians 15:32 Isaiah 22:13
- 1 Corinthians 15:33 From the Greek poet Menander
- 1 Corinthians 15:45 Gen. 2:7
- 1 Corinthians 15:49 Some early manuscripts so let us
- 1 Corinthians 15:54 Isaiah 25:8
- 1 Corinthians 15:55 Hosea 13:14
Scott Hahn ·
toSdpersnou1igt6h2c552gh4itmf5g1a925085l8u5l43g2atf1mm3mf26i ·
-from “Hail, Holy Queen” amzn.to/3R1G5nR
The Chosen- discussion group
Kathryn Larisey Burke ·Sestnoodrpcmhu64ufg50a04g8hh5a942gch0thc0hh29hi5c08g05gt1181 ·
Just now from Jonathan Roumie:
ANNOUNCEMENT IG LIVESTREAM
featuring a special guest tomorrow @ 3pmET!
Don’t worry, everything’s gonna be alright
Castle Fine Art ·
reSotondsp7mf97ml23046611tf5c3tcgi7h5aa55timufl1uthma48mfg0g ·
3AM BLOOM
Inspired by the quiet solitude of the early hours,
3AM BLOOM
sees luminous flowers emerge from
a midnight blue sky - symbols of the
memories and connections that continue to inspire
Johnny Depp's creative journey.
Available exclusively at Castle Fine Art.
bit.ly/JohnnyDepp-YesterdaysFlowers
See less
The Cloud Appreciation Society ·
Oliver Thompson ·droStnoesp0c86561996a7l4298hfu0lf3hm0iama63c3mam22gf666uhhc0 ·
Brisbane Australia
Collin Nicole Placencia
dotsoerpSn07h2um724d0huhh4tAi0lc84c3ham1g3a832810aiia01guc40 ·
LIMITED MINT RUN: As we approach America's 250th Anniversary in 2026, these commemorative Eagle Tumblers are flying off the shelves. Don't be the one drinking out of a plain glass on the biggest 4th of July of our lifetimes. Once these 1,776 units are gone, the mold is broken. Secure your piece of history today.
tprsSnoeod0l65h22770ac436611l10h0l6cuh21i234aihm2h9031f128iu ·
Jonathan Roumie, best known for his portrayal of Jesus in The Chosen, did something radically different. He surrendered to the discipline of prayer.
In a moment of global uncertainty, he turned to the ancient traditions of the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy—practices that have anchored the faithful for centuries. As Roumie explained: "During the pandemic, I began praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the Rosary. I had never done this before, and it transformed my prayer life."
It is a powerful reminder that spiritual growth doesn't happen by accident. It requires intentional, daily discipline. For Roumie, these prayers weren't just a routine; they were the mechanism that shifted his entire spiritual landscape.
The lesson is simple but profound: when the world feels like it is collapsing, the most effective response isn't to look outward, but to anchor yourself in a consistent, transformative prayer life. It is the difference between merely surviving a crisis and being refined by it.
Jun 25, 2026Chasing emotional highs leaves us feeling spiritually bankrupt inside. Romans 8:9 and the Holy Spirit offer comfort when our hidden struggles make God feel completely absent. The apostle Paul wrote Ephesians 1:13 to assure exhausted believers who desperately needed a permanent guarantee of grace. Instead of agonizing over second baptisms or waiting for emotional waves, we can find quiet rest in what the biblical text actually promises. Source Article: https://www.gotquestions.org/have-the...
Elevation Worship
Stoopdensr87ntP 49gaf106 402cg71u50hae3J5:h0t 2c0iM mt0212h0 ·
SO BE IT.
I Am With You Always - David Delfeld
tprsSnoeod0ltah2ae 04MPe0671l10hY: tuh2 i2y4aihr2d90s1f128iu ·
The gospel isn't merely the story of what Jesus did, it's a revelation of who God is:
- The Father sent the Son.
- The Son willingly gave Himself.
- The Spirit now brings dead hearts to life.
At the cross, we saw the absolute holiness of God collide with His radical, unrelenting mercy.
Our infinite debt was paid for in blood.
At the empty tomb, the verdict of death was overturned.
Through the indwelling Spirit, the power of His victory lives in us today.
This is why Christianity isn't about self-improvement, but about resurrection.
It isn’t about earning God's favor, but receiving what Christ has already secured.
- The empty tomb declares that sin has been paid for.
- The risen Christ declares that death has been conquered.
- The Spirit declares that new life is available to all who believe.
The God who created you is the God who redeemed you.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - one God, worthy forever of all glory and praise.
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Artveraprint.com
dotsoerpSn07h2um724d0huhh4tAi0lc84c3ham1g3a832810aiia01guc40 ·
Personalized Solar Eagle Garden Light – Glowing tribute to 250 years of freedom
Majestic bald eagle with spread wings – custom family name, stars-and-stripes detailing
Solar-powered LED – auto-charges by day, glows at night – weather-resistant metal
A heirloom piece for gardens, pathways, and porches – for patriots and proud American families
Tainted Skies ❤️👊🏾 ·
UFO Dave ·doonSsetrpf494141560361uctu63f9fi4hf59ift32h707t9ccu8ma9cl60 ·
Hey there again, everyone!
These are pictures of this amazing sundog and rainbows that I witnessed this morning.
Enjoy, and For God's Sake Look Up!!
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Former Notre Dame and Butler head coach Dave Schrage unretires to lead
Guerin Catholic
to first ever baseball state title. MORE: https://tinyurl.com/yymfpk3u
Blessed Is She ·
orntsopedS714m74998h5t0hu13789c8c6t7m7hht1h1ca7aauh137lu6t3g ·
The choice was clear: As I looked for a new literal house, would the house of my heart stand secure on the Lord’s promises?
Would I act in accordance with God’s Word as revealed in Scripture—the persistent assurance that God is good and worthy of my trust?
Or would I let doubt shatter what I knew to be true?
I don’t know what secret storms your heart is currently weathering, sister.
But I do know this: if we place our trust in the Lord, not just in word but with an act of the will, we, too, will build our houses on solid rock.
The Lord is good, and His love is the firmest foundation.
Pray the Mass readings with us today! Read this #dailydevotion written by Sarah Zentner on the site
https://blessedisshe.net/.../the-firm-foundation-of-his-love
The Worshipper ·
Sontoserdpuci696hg37ac6g1l85lf7f6ilf0l561cgffg58168fgt84f0g1 ·
The more you know Him, the more you realize that nothing this world offers compares to His presence.
He loves you at your best and remains faithful at your worst.
Falling in love with God changes everything.
Crossway ·
Sontoserdpuci6960g37ac6g1l85lf7f6ilfhl561cgffg58168fgt84f0g1 ·
John 11:25–26 (ESV)
What does it mean to find life in Christ?
#ESV #Bible #VerseoftheDay
Angel
dotsoerpSn07h2um724d0huhh4tAi0lc84c3ham1g3a832810aiia01guc40 ·
Luke 10:33 "But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him."
When a man is left for dead, the righteous walk by. But an outsider crosses every boundary to save him.
Stream The Good Samaritan on Angel.
Uncover This ·
nrotsSoped3t34uht13um8u01212gfh1li14m5ht5954t8266tuut80th170 ·
The story of the Vikings is often told through swords and shields. But the real work of building their world fell to the settlers who stayed.
Norse women were essential to that process. They didn't just wait at home.
They boarded the longships alongside men, facing the same brutal ocean crossings. Their mission was different.
While men might raid, women were there to plant, build, an
d establish a community. They brought the tools, seeds, and domestic crafts needed for survival.
They managed the farms, preserved food, and raised the next generation far from Scandinavia.
Without them, temporary raiding camps could never have become the permanent settlements of Iceland, Greenland, and even the short-lived Vinland in North America.
They were the cultural anchors. Through them, language, stories, and traditions took root in new soil.
Archaeology confirms this. Graves in these distant settlements contain the distinct brooches and weaving tools of Norse women.
Their presence turned exploration into colonization.
Elevation Worship
potoedsrnS9llmai92mh3l9a3hmc018h857m7aml65l7a8a60u9f3mg59lh8 ·
JESUS YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT I CALL GOD
Jun 24, 2026 The GotQuestions.org PodcastWhat are the most common questions about the book of 2 Kings?
What questions are people asking and why? How can I understand some of the difficult issues in the book of 2 Kings?
Spark!Fishers,
returns with biggest festival of the summer
Walk In His FootSteps / WIHFS
dotsoerpSn07h2um724d0huhh4tAi0lc84c3ham1g3a832810aiia01guc40 ·
Take a step of faith!
Our sandals represent trust in His plan.
Will you follow wherever He leads?
Get your pair now and walk with purpose!
June 12, 2026Spark!Fishers, presented by Meijer, returns to downtown Fishers’ Nickel Plate District for a multi-day celebration from Wednesday, June 24, through Saturday, June 27. Residents and visitors are invited to join in commemorating America’s semiquincentennial, marking the nation’s 250th birthday with community traditions, patriotic festivities and a shared celebration of freedom.
“Spark!Fishers showcases the energy, pride and sense of community that make Fishers such a special place to live,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to downtown Fishers for several days of fun, tradition and celebration.”
Prior to the festival on Friday and Saturday, the community is invited to kick off Spark!Fishers week at the Rotary Club of Fishers Mental Health Initiative Golf Outing on Monday, June 22, and the Spark!Fishers 5K and Firecracker 1-Miler for a family-friendly run/walk on Wednesday, June 24. The celebration takes flight on Friday night with a free community concert featuring P!NK’D, the ultimate tribute band to pop icon, P!NK, complete with aerial and lighting effects, followed by the return of the Spark!Fishers drone show to cap off the night. The excitement returns Saturday afternoon at the Spark!Fishers Street Fair, featuring a new designated Kids Zone equipped with a petting zoo and life-sized building blocks, the beloved Car and Art Show, a special edition of Thrift-a-Thon, live music and entertainment, patriotic activities, local vendors, and 60+ food and drink options. The excitement carries on with the annual Spark!Fishers Parade through downtown Fishers and the Nickel Plate District, leading up to the grand fireworks finale later that evening.
“Spark!Fishers offers something for everyone, from our reimagined Kids Zone, integrated Car & Art Show and 7 unique entertainment stages, to the return of favorite traditions like the parade, street fair, and fireworks finale” said Marissa Deckert, Director of Fishers Parks. “It’s exciting to see this festival evolve each year and bring our community together to celebrate summer in Fishers.
Spark!Fishers is generously supported by its presenting sponsor, Meijer, along with partner sponsors and supporters Meyer Najem, Mashcraft Brewing, Four Day Ray and Visit Hamilton County.
Be part of the team behind one of Fishers’ biggest community celebrations. Spark!Fishers is seeking volunteers of all ages and abilities to help welcome guests, support festival activities, assist with the parade and contribute to a safe and successful event experience. Volunteers play a vital role in bringing this beloved tradition to life and helping create lasting memories for thousands of attendees. Learn more and register to volunteer at volunteerfishers.com.
Start the Spark Golf Outing 2026, Presented by Rotary Club of Fishers
Monday, June 22 | Registration & Breakfast: 8-9:30 a.m. | Shotgun Start: 9:30 a.m. | The Hawthorns Golf & Country Club
Kick off the week of Spark!Fishers by hitting the links. Support mental health awareness and access to critical resources at the Rotary Club of Fishers’ Mental Health Initiative Golf Outing. Proceeds benefit Project Hope, which provides school-based mental health support for HSE students and their families. Learn more at StigmaFreeFishers.com. Register for the event online.
5K & Firecracker 1-Miler, Presented by IU Health
Wednesday, June 24 I 7 p.m. | NPD AMP | Register RunSignUp.com/SPARKFishers5K
Lace up your shoes and hit the Nickel Plate Trail for the family-friendly Spark!Fishers 5K and Firecracker 1-Miler, strengthened by IU Health and hosted by Vision Event Management. Both races begin at 7 p.m., inviting runners, walkers and families of all ages to enjoy a fun, festive evening on the trail while kicking off the holiday weekend celebration. After you cross the finish line, celebrate at the post-race party with free beer for all participants 21+, inflatables, food trucks, a foam party, and more. To view the course map and register, visit RunSignUp.com/SparkFishers5K.
Friday Night Concert & Drone Show
Friday, June 26 I 8 p.m. | NPD AMP | Free
Get ready for an unforgettable night of live entertainment as P!NK’D takes the stage at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater, bringing the music, energy and attitude of pop-rock superstar P!NK. Known for delivering an electrifying performance packed with chart-topping hits and crowd-favorite anthems, the band will take the stage ahead of the evening’s illuminating drone show. No tickets are required, and guests are welcome to bring chairs, blankets, food and non-alcoholic beverages. Outside alcohol is not permitted; food and drinks will be available for purchase on-site. For details, visit SparkFishers.com.
Car & Art Show
Saturday, June 27 I 4-6:30 p.m. | Municipal Circle | Free
Stroll Municipal Circle and check out the Spark!Fishers Car & Art Show featuring vintage and modern cars alongside local artists and artisans curated by Fishers Arts Council. New this year, this event has been combined with the Street Fair to amplify the fun. This event is free to attend, and no tickets are required. Car owners can register their vehicles at FishersParks.com
Street Fair
Saturday, June 27 | 4 – 10 p.m. | Nickel Plate District | Free
Soak up the summer at the Spark!Fishers Street Fair around the Municipal Complex, with fun for all ages:
- Stop by the enhanced Kids Zone, featuring a dedicated space designed just for kids. Enjoy family-friendly entertainment on the Children’s Stage, meet animals at the petting zoo, explore hands-on games and activities, and build big imaginations with life-size building blocks.
- Shop sustainably at the Thrift-a-Thon, new to Spark!Fishers, shop for vintage treasures, unique finds and pre-owned items.
- Enjoy delicious food, handmade goods, and demonstrations from more than 100 carefully selected food vendors.
- Connect with artists from across the region while shopping unique, handcrafted pieces and one-of-a-kind creations.
- Soak up the sounds of summer with live entertainment across seven stages throughout the day on Saturday, complete with main stage entertainment at the NPD AMP, Children’s Stage at the Central Green, a designated entertainment area for kids, the Monumental Stairs at 116th Street and Switch Plaza on Nickel Plate Trail, in the City Hall breezeway, and more.
Parade
Saturday, June 27 | 7 p.m. | Nickel Plate District | Free
Join the hosts of The Scuttlebutt Club podcast as they emcee the annual Spark!Fishers Parade through the heart of downtown Fishers. This fun-filled community tradition features floats, marching bands and walking groups representing local organizations, businesses and civic groups. The parade route will be announced in the coming days at SparkFishers.com.
ACCESSIBILITY & RESPITE
Fishers Parks will also offer KultureCity sensory-inclusive bags and weighted lap pads for those with sensory needs during all events. Items will be available for checkout in City Hall. Assisted listening devices will also be available for live stage entertainment on the NPD AMP stage. A respite room, inclusive of mothers, prayer, and sensory needs, is available for use during the event. To locate, ask any team member or visit the front desk at City Hall. Learn more.
What does it
mean to
Be in Christ?
Galatians 3:26-28 gives us insight into the phrase “in Christ” and what it means. "In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Paul is speaking to the Christians in Galatia, reminding them of their new identity since they placed their faith in Jesus Christ. To be "baptized into Christ" means that they were identified with Christ, having left their old sinful lives and fully embracing the new life in Christ (Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). When we respond to the Holy Spirit’s drawing, He "baptizes" us into the family of God. First Corinthians 12:13 says, "For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."
Several places in Scripture refer to the believer’s being "in Christ" (1 Peter 5:14; Philippians 1:1; Romans 8:1). Colossians 3:3 says, "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." God is perfect justice. He cannot simply overlook or excuse our sin; that would not be just. Sin had to be paid for. All the wrath God holds toward evil was poured out on His own Son. When Jesus took our place on the cross, He suffered the punishment our sin deserves. His last words before He died were, "It is finished" (John 19:30). What was finished? Not merely His earthly life. As He proved three days later, that was not finished (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:6; 1 Corinthians 15:6). What He finished on the cross was God’s plan to redeem His fallen world. When Jesus said, "It is finished," He was stating that He had successfully paid in full for every act of rebellion, past, present, and future.
To be "in Christ"
means
we have accepted
His sacrifice
as payment for our
own sin.
Our rap sheets contain
every
sinful thought, attitude or action
we have ever committed.
No amount of self-cleansing can
make us pure enough to
warrant forgiveness and a
relationship with a holy God
(Romans 3:10-12).
The Bible says that in our natural sinful state we are enemies of God
(Romans 5:10).
When we accept His sacrifice on our behalf, He switches accounts with us.
He exchanges our list of sins for His perfect account that is totally pleasing to God
(2 Corinthians 5:21).
A Divine Exchange takes place at the foot of the cross: our old sin nature
for His perfect one
(2 Corinthians 5:17).
To enter the presence of a holy God,
we must be
hidden in the righteousness
of Christ.
To be "in Christ" means that God no longer
sees our imperfections;
He sees the righteousness of His own Son
(Ephesians 2:13; Hebrews 8:12).
Only "in Christ"
is our sin debt cancelled,
our
relationship with God restored,
and
our eternity secured
(John 3:16-18, 20:31).
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1J3ZjtExDx/
About
Church Harm
due to
Itown Church
I created this private group
for people who have experienced
"church harm"
due to
Itown Church.
My goal was to allow people to find support, encouragement and to
know that they are not alone.
It is a safe space with no victim blaming and no drama.
It is not a place to debate whether
Itown
is a good "church" or if
Dave and Kate Sumrall
are good "pastors"
Thank you to everyone who has been brave enough to share, so far. If you have a story, feel free to share it here. You are welcome to use the Anonymous Feature if you like.
In 2011, I was a single mom raising my teenage daughter. I allowed her to begin attending Itown.
I thought, what better place for my daughter to be while I was working than at a church.
I blindly trusted Dave Sumrall, Kate Sumrall and Itown with my 14 year old daughter.
It was the biggest mistake of my life. I had no idea of the manipulation and control that was happening to her behind my back. 13 years later she is still under their control 100%.
I have not been allowed to see or speak to my daughter in 4 years.
Yet, they are often on stage, online, on tv and now on billboards professing to be Christian Pastors and that they are
"all about family"
I came out publicly
with my complete story of devastation at the hands of
Itown Church
in an interview with Investigative Reporter Roberta Blevins .
The official release date
for my interview was on 3/31/2024. You can now listen here:
https://player.fm/series/life-after-mlm/episode-230-sandy-rusk
Anyone can find this group.
Fishers
Indiana
Church Harm
due to
Itown Church
I created this private group
for people who have experienced
"church harm"
due to
Itown Church.
My goal was to allow people to find support, encouragement and to
know that they are not alone.
It is a safe space with no victim blaming and no drama.
It is not a place to debate whether
Itown
is a good "church" or if
Dave and Kate Sumrall
are good "pastors"
Thank you to everyone who has been brave enough to share, so far. If you have a story, feel free to share it here. You are welcome to use the Anonymous Feature if you like.
In 2011, I was a single mom raising my teenage daughter. I allowed her to begin attending Itown.
I thought, what better place for my daughter to be while I was working than at a church.
I blindly trusted Dave Sumrall, Kate Sumrall and Itown with my 14 year old daughter.
It was the biggest mistake of my life. I had no idea of the manipulation and control that was happening to her behind my back. 13 years later she is still under their control 100%.
I have not been allowed to see or speak to my daughter in 4 years.
Yet, they are often on stage, online, on tv and now on billboards professing to be Christian Pastors and that they are
"all about family"
I came out publicly
with my complete story of devastation at the hands of
Itown Church
in an interview with Investigative Reporter Roberta Blevins .
The official release date
for my interview was on 3/31/2024. You can now listen here:
https://player.fm/series/life-after-mlm/episode-230-sandy-rusk
Anyone can find this group.
Fishers
Indiana
In John 5:24,
Jesus makes
a striking
statement about the
nature of eternal life:
“Truly, truly, I say to you,
whoever hears
my word and believes him w
ho sent me
has eternal life.
He does not come into judgment
but has
passed from death to life”
(ESV).
Jesus’ teaching that we have passed from death to life means that we have been brought out of a state of spiritual death and brought into the life of God in Christ (see Colossians 2:13). At one time we were alienated from God, the Source of Life, but now we are joined to Christ and enjoy communion with God (see Ephesians 4:18).
The verb has is present tense, signifying present possession of eternal life. In other words, eternal life is a present reality—a gift bestowed upon believers the moment they place their trust in Christ (see John 3:16).
While the full blessings of eternal life await believers in the eschatological future, the present possession of it is not a mere theological abstraction. It is, in fact, partially realized and significantly experienced in the here and now (2 Corinthians 5:17). The truth that believers have passed from death to life points toward a future reward in heaven, but it also significantly impacts our present lives, creating a tension between the “already” and the “not yet.”
Although believers still navigate the challenges of living in a fallen and broken world, they have been given a foretaste of things to come (Romans 8:23; 2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5; Ephesians 1:14). We have already passed from death to life, but we do not yet see the implications of that life in all its glory.
The assurance of eternal life is more than a comforting thought; it fundamentally changes our perspective on the last judgment. Instead of fear and trepidation, we can face judgment with boldness and confidence because we have passed from death to life.
The connection between belief in the atoning work of Christ and confidence on judgment day is found throughout the New Testament. For example, 1 John 5:11–12 says, “This is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (ESV). The implication is that the one who does not have the Son remains spiritually dead and subject to eternal punishment (cf. John 3:36).
The confidence that believers have is not based on personal merit; rather, it is firmly anchored in the finished work of Christ: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). Belief in Christ, then, assures us of eternal life, and this profound truth undergirds our stance before God.
Those who are justified by faith are eternally secure, knowing that Christ’s substitutionary death guarantees their salvation from God’s impending wrath (Romans 5:1–11). This hope is not naïve optimism or wishful thinking but a steadfast assurance firmly rooted in the unchanging promises of God.
The Christian’s assurance is not passive; it is a resilient hope that thrives amidst the trials of life. We can “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3–5)
Having passed from death to life by God’s grace, we stand on the firm foundation of Christ’s finished work. We can face the judgment with confidence in the eternal promises of God. This assurance is a wellspring of comfort, hope, and motivation for living out the will of God in the here and now.
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? Paul can hardly be encouraging believers to live in a continuous condition of nervousness and anxiety. That would contradict his many other exhortations to peace of mind, courage, and confidence in the God who authors our salvation. 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.
We are commanded in Scripture to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). This growth is spiritual growth, growing in faith.
At the moment we receive Christ as our Savior, we are born again spiritually into God’s family. But just as a newborn baby requires nourishing milk for growth and good development, so also a baby Christian requires spiritual food for growth. "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2-3). Milk is used in the New Testament as a symbol of what is basic to the Christian life.
But as a baby grows, its diet changes to also include solid foods. With this in mind, read how the writer of Hebrews admonished the Christians: “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:12-14). Paul saw the same problem with the Corinthian believers; they had not grown in their faith, and he could only give them "milk" because they were not ready for solid food (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).
The analogy between a human baby and a spiritual baby breaks down when we realize how each baby matures. A human baby is fed by his parents and growth is natural. But a baby Christian will only grow as much as he purposefully reads and obeys and applies the Word to his life. Growth is up to him. There are Christians who have been saved many years, but spiritually they are still babies. They cannot understand the deeper truths of the Word of God.
What should a Christian’s diet consist of? The Word of God! The truths taught in the Bible are rich food for Christians. Peter wrote that God has given us everything we need for life through our (growing) knowledge of Him. Read carefully 2 Peter 1:3-11 where Peter lists character qualities that need to be added to our beginning point of faith in order for maturity to take place and to have a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Second Peter 3:18 tells us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” To grow in grace is to mature as a Christian. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), and we mature and are sanctified by grace alone. We know that grace is a blessing that we don’t deserve. It is God’s grace that justifies us, sanctifies us, and eventually glorifies us in heaven. The sanctification process, becoming more like Christ, is synonymous with growing in grace.
We grow in grace by reading God’s Word and letting it “dwell in us richly” (Colossians 3:16) and by praying. Those actions by themselves don’t mature us, but God uses these spiritual disciplines to help us grow. Therefore, maturing in our Christian life is not about what we do, but about what God does in us, by His grace. Understanding and applying God’s grace in our lives is important. We are not to impair it by being proud, because God says that He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Grace is that attribute of God that enables us to break free of our sinful nature and follow Him. It gives us strength and protects us. Without God’s grace, His favor, we would be hopelessly lost in this world. The more grace we have and ask God for, the more mature as Christians we will be.
To grow in grace does not mean gaining more grace from God. God’s grace never increases; it is infinite, it cannot be more, and according to the nature of God, it could never be less. He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him should be saved (John 3:16). How much more grace could there possibly be than that? But to grow in grace is to grow in our understanding of what Jesus did and to grow in our appreciation of the grace we have been given. The more we learn about Jesus, the more we will appreciate all He has done, and the more we appreciate His love and sacrifice for us, the more we will perceive the never-ending grace of God.
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. The way to do this is by meditating on the Scriptures and applying their principles to our lives as we yield to the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Then we will prove 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.”
The term Godhead is found three times in the King James Version: Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; and Colossians 2:9. In each of the three verses, a slightly different Greek word is used, but the definition of each is the same: “deity” or “divine nature.” The word Godhead is used to refer to God’s essential nature. We’ll take a look at each of these passages and what they mean.
In Acts 17, Paul is speaking on Mars Hill to the philosophers of Athens. As he argues against idolatry, Paul says, “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device” (Acts 17:29, KJV). Here, the word Godhead is the translation of the Greek theion, a word used by the Greeks to denote “God” in general, with no reference to a particular deity. Paul, speaking to Greeks, used the term in reference to the only true God.
In Romans 1, Paul begins to make the case that all humanity stands guilty before God. In verse 20 he says, “The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (KJV). Here, Godhead is theiotés. Paul’s argument is that all of creation virtually shouts the existence of God; we can “clearly” see God’s eternal power, as well as His “Godhead” in what He has made. “The heavens declare the glory of God; / the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). The natural world makes manifest the divine nature of God.
Colossians 2:9 is one of the clearest statements of the deity of Christ anywhere in the Bible: “In him [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” The word for “Godhead” here is theotés. According to this verse, Jesus Christ is God Incarnate. He embodies all (“the fulness”) of God (translated “the Deity” in the NIV). This truth aligns perfectly with Colossians 1:19, “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [Christ].”
Because the Godhead dwells bodily in Christ, Jesus could rightly claim that He and the Father are “one” (John 10:30). Because the fullness of God’s divine essence is present in the Son of God, Jesus could say to Philip, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
In summary, the Godhead is the essence of the Divine Being; the Godhead is the one and only Deity.
Jesus, the incarnate
Godhead,
entered our world and showed us exactly who God is:
“No one has ever seen God,
but the
one and only Son,
who is
himself God and is in
closest
relationship with the
Father,
has made him known”
(John 1:18; cf. Hebrews 1:3).
“I am the Resurrection and the Life”
(John 11:25)
is the fifth of the seven “I am” statements
of Jesus.
Lazarus was dead.
Earlier, Jesus had heard that His good friend was sick, but instead of going to visit Lazarus, Jesus “stayed where he was for two more days” (John 11:6). He explained to His puzzled disciples that the sickness was “for God’s glory, that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (v. 4). After Lazarus died, Jesus began a journey to Bethany, Lazarus’s home. Significantly, when Jesus informed His disciples that Lazarus was dead,
He simply said His friend
was
“asleep,
but I am going
to
wake him up”
(John 11:11).
Outside Bethany, Lazarus’s sister Martha went out to meet Jesus. “If you had been here,” she said, “my brother would not have died.” Such was her faith in Jesus’ power to heal. Jesus replied by assuring Martha that her brother would rise again. Martha responded again in faith: “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” At this point, Jesus makes His fifth “I Am” statement in John’s gospel, “I am the resurrection and the life,” and He follows it with a call to faith: “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:21-24).
When Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life,” He was claiming to be the source of both. There is no resurrection apart from Christ, and there is no eternal life apart from Christ. Beyond that, Jesus was also making a statement concerning His divine nature. He does more than give life; He is life, and therefore death has no ultimate power over Him. Jesus confers this spiritual life on those who believe in Him, so that they share His triumph over death (1 John 5:11-12). Believers in Jesus Christ will experience resurrection because, having the life Jesus gives, it is impossible for death to defeat them (1 Corinthians 15:53-57).
The grieving Martha wished that Jesus had arrived earlier so He could have healed her brother. And when Jesus spoke of resurrection, Martha assumed He was speaking of “the resurrection at the last day.” In both statements, Martha reveals that she considered Time an insurmountable obstacle. In effect, Martha was saying, “It’s too late to help Lazarus (the time is past), so now we must wait (allow more time).”
Jesus shows that neither Death nor time is an obstacle to Him. Outside the tomb, “Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ The dead man came out” (John 11:43). It’s one thing to claim to be the resurrection and the life, but Jesus proved it by raising Lazarus, who was four days dead. Truly, with Christ, death is but “sleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Death has no dominion over Him who is Life itself, nor does death have dominion over those who are in Him (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). Because He lives, we live. Because He is Life, we have life eternally.
Jesus’ statement that He is the resurrection and the life provides a godly perspective on several spiritual matters. Martha believed that the resurrection is an event; Jesus showed her (and us) that the resurrection is a Person. Martha’s knowledge of eternal life was an abstract idea; Jesus proved that knowledge of eternal life is a personal relationship. Martha thought victory over death was a future expectation; Jesus corrects her, showing that victory is a present reality.
After presenting Himself as the resurrection and the life, Jesus asks Martha an all-important question: “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26). May Martha’s answer be ours as well: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who was to come into the world” (verse 27).
Way Truth Life
The Truth Will Set You
FREE
Proverbs 22:6 notes,
“Train UP a child in
the way
he should GO;
even
when he is old
he will
not depart from it”
(ESV).
Does this verse promise that raising children in a godly manner will always result in children who follow God as adults? What about all the godly parents whose children rebel?
Proverbs, as a literary form, are not direct promises; rather, they are general observations of life that are typically true. This helps to explain why some parents faithfully raise their child to follow God, yet the child rebels against God as an adult.
Proverbs 22:6 teaches that it is generally true that a child raised to love God will continue to do so as a grown-up. This was the observation of life from 3,000 years ago, and it continues to prove itself today. Most Christian parents who raise their kids in a godly manner will leave a legacy of children who love God as adults. Bringing up a child in “the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4) dramatically increases the likelihood that the child will hold to Christ in later life.
A great biblical example can be found in the life of Timothy. In 2 Timothy 1:5 Paul says, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” Timothy’s mother and grandmother both loved God and raised Timothy to do so as well. Timothy joined Paul as a missionary associate as a young man and became one of his most trusted companions. The New Testament mentions Timothy by name twenty-five times as a missionary, aide to the apostles, and pastor.
Godly parenting is essential today, just as it has been throughout history. Fathers and mothers are the key to raising godly young men and women who love God and live for Him. Despite the blessing that pastors, youth leaders, and other godly influences are, no one can replace the role of godly parents who live out their Christian faith and pass it on to their children. This is why the author of Proverbs 22:6 could rightly claim, “Start children off on the way they should go, / and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
Solomon’s advice to parents is to “train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Raising and training a child within the context of this proverb means that it begins with the Bible, as “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training…” (2 Timothy 3:16). Teaching children the truths of Scripture will make them wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:15); thoroughly equip them to do good works (2 Timothy 3:17); prepare them to give an answer to everyone who asks them the reason for their hope (1 Peter 3:15); and prepare them to withstand the onslaught of cultures bent on indoctrinating young people with secular values.
The Bible tells us that children are a reward from God (Psalm 127:3). It would certainly seem fitting, then, that we heed Solomon’s wise counsel to train them appropriately. In fact, the value that God placed on teaching our children the truth is clearly addressed by Moses who stressed to his people the importance of teaching their children about the Lord and His commands and laws: “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:7-9). Moses’ thoroughness underscores his deep concern that successive generations maintain obedience to God’s laws to ensure they would “live safely in the land” (Leviticus 25:18), that all would “go well” with them (Deuteronomy 12:28), and that He would bless them in the land (Deuteronomy 30:16).
Clearly Scripture teaches that training children to know and obey God is the basis for pleasing Him and living victoriously in His grace. Knowing God and His truths begins with the child’s understanding of sin and his need for a Savior. Even very young children understand that they are not perfect and can grasp at an early age the need for forgiveness. Loving parents model a loving God who not only forgives, but provides the perfect sacrifice for sin in Jesus Christ. Training up children in the way they should go means, first and foremost, directing them to the Savior.
Discipline is an integral part of raising godly children, for we know that the “LORD disciplines those He loves” (Proverbs 3:12). Thus, we should neither take discipline lightly nor become disheartened by it as the Lord “punishes everyone He accepts as a son” (Hebrews 12:5-6). And we know that God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness (Hebrews 12:10). Likewise, when we discipline our children, they receive wisdom (Proverbs 29:15) and they will bring us peace (Proverbs 29:17) and respect (Hebrews 12:9). In fact, even at a tender age children are able to discern that discipline is rooted in love. That is why children who grow up in homes without discipline often feel unloved and are more likely to disobey authority as they grow older. Now, the discipline administered should be commensurate with the offense and physical discipline, such as spanking (rightly motivated), is certainly condoned by the Bible (Proverbs 13:24, 22:15, 23:13-14). Indeed discipline, though it may seem unpleasant when received, will produce a “harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).
Parents should have the same zeal for teaching their children that Moses did. Parents have been given the privilege of being stewards of their children’s lives for a very short time, but the teaching and training they provide is eternal.
This quote refers to the well-known biblical proverb: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). It is a guiding principle for parents to instill strong morals and a solid foundation, trusting those teachings will stick as the child grows. [1, 2]
Breaking Down the Meaning
- The Principle of Training: The Hebrew root used for "train" historically relates to the idea of dedicating or initiating someone to a path. Rather than forcing a child into a rigid set of rules, it suggests an intentional, individualized approach to teaching. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- The "Way He Should Go": This can be interpreted in two ways: raising a child according to general, universal morals, or taking the time to observe a child's unique bent, gifts, and personality, and tailoring their instruction accordingly. [1, 2, 3]
- The "When He is Old" Promise: Many view this as a lifelong promise that the moral and spiritual anchors set in early childhood will provide a lasting compass, even if the child temporarily strays during their youth. [1, 2]
How Parents Can Apply This
- Lead by Example: Children are highly observant and often learn more from how you act than what you say. Embodying the values you wish to pass down is incredibly impactful. [1, 2]
- Provide Structure and Guidance: Teach them right from wrong by setting clear boundaries and consistent, loving discipline. [1]
- Adapt to the Individual: Recognize your child's specific personality, strengths, and struggles. Customizing your teaching to how they uniquely learn helps them internalize the lessons. [1]
- Open Communication: Create an environment where they can safely ask questions about life, values, and faith without fear of harsh judgment, ensuring they feel supported as they mature.
To explore deeper reflections on this proverb and effective parenting styles, check out Bible Gateway for various scriptural translations, or read articles on faith-based child-rearing via Desiring God.
Proverbs 22:6 - Bible
These phrases directly reference a famous biblical prophecy found in the New Testament. Specifically, they point to 2 Timothy 3:1-5, where the apostle Paul warns Timothy about the moral climate and "terrible times" that will characterize the last days. [1, 2, 3]
The Context of the Prophecy
In 2 Timothy 3:2, Paul lists "disobedient to their parents" alongside a host of other societal and personal moral failures, such as being "lovers of themselves," "boastful," and "unloving". The broader passage highlights a culture defined by a shift away from absolute truth and toward radical self-focus. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Characteristics of the Last Days
According to 2 Timothy 3:2-5, the defining marks of this era include:
- Self-Absorbed Society: People will love only themselves and money.
- Rejection of Authority: A widespread rebellion against parents and established structures (disobedience).
- Decline of Empathy: People becoming unloving, unforgiving, and brutal.
- False Piety: Individuals will hold to a "form of godliness" (an appearance of being religious) while rejecting the true moral power that changes hearts. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
You can read the full text and explore various translations of this prophecy directly on Bible Gateway or check out a breakdown of the passage on the BibleProject website.
The Bible advises parents to deal with disobedient children through consistent discipline, active teaching of values, and prayer, while emphasizing that correction must be rooted in love rather than anger.
YouTube·Real Alex Clark +2
Key Biblical Principles for Discipline:
- Heart-Level Change: Ephesians 6:4 encourages parents not to "provoke your children to anger" but to bring them up in the "discipline and instruction of the Lord." This emphasizes addressing the child's attitude rather than just their outward actions.
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- Consistent Instruction and Correction: Proverbs 13:24 notes that "whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him". In biblical contexts, discipline is viewed as a means to impart wisdom, build character, and protect children from foolish choices.
GotQuestions.org +4 - Discipline with Hope: Proverbs 19:18 advises, "Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death," meaning that addressing defiance early prevents worse consequences
.
GotQuestions.org +1
Historical vs. Modern Application:
While the Old Testament contains severe ancient laws for notoriously rebellious children (e.g., Deuteronomy 21:18–21), Christian scholars and theologians emphasize that the overall message of the Bible centers on nurturing faith and guiding children with wisdom.
Bible Gateway +3
When applying these scriptures today, Christian communities hold diverse views:
- Literal Interpretation: Many take verses mentioning "the rod" as direct instructions for physical spanking to correct children and instill obedience.
- Metaphorical Interpretation: Others suggest that "the rod" is a metaphor derived from a shepherd's rod—a tool used to gently guide, protect, and steer sheep rather than inflict pain.
Ultimately, the Bible reminds parents to balance discipline with prayer, recognizing that while parents are called to guide their children, true heart change requires God's grace.
From the young toddler who just learned the word “no” to the older child acting out in willful defiance, all parents face the challenge of disobedient children. And, at the heart of the matter, disobedience is not just a child issue. The Bible shows us we all battle the desire to rule ourselves and do as we please because we all are born into sin and rebellion (Psalm 51:5; Ephesians 2:3; Romans 3:10; 7:17–21). This battle against self-rule can wage an all-out war on our children if their disobedience is left unchecked; a war that will affect their future relationships with teachers, employers, friends, spouses, aging parents, and even their Heavenly Father. Yet, when we turn to the Bible, we find great hope in the fact that God gives the tools to train and discipline disobedient children and even promises blessing to those who learn and grow in obedience.
The command to honor and obey parents permeates Scripture, beginning in Exodus when God gives the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12) all the way through the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:3; Deuteronomy 5:16; Proverbs 1:8; 6:20–21; 23:22) and into the New. Both Jesus and the apostle Paul reaffirm the fifth commandment (Matthew 15:4; 19:19; Ephesians 6:1–3; Colossians 3:20) and the promise that comes with it. Children are encouraged that their obedience will bring blessing and long life (Exodus 20:12; Jeremiah 35:17–19; Ephesians 6:3; Colossians 3:20), while disobedient children who dishonor their parents are admonished that their behavior will bring punishment and shame (Leviticus 20:9; Deuteronomy 21:18; 27:16; Proverbs 10:1; 15:5; 20:20; 30:17; Matthew 15:4). Widespread disobedience to parents will characterize society in the end times (2 Timothy 3:2).
The nation of Israel, whom God calls His children (Exodus 4:22), provides an example for disobedient children. Repeatedly, God commands Israel to obey Him, promising great blessing for obedience and dire consequences for disobedience. In Joshua’s day, Israel obeyed God and was blessed with victory over their enemies (Joshua 11:23). Later, as the whole book of Judges shows, Israel’s disobedience brought trouble.
The Bible teaches the necessity of correcting disobedient children. Discipline is a part of life for everyone, and those who rebel against the authority of parents are to be chastised. Proverbs 19:18 says, “Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; / do not be a willing party to their death.” In this verse, discipline of a child is presented as a matter of life and death. Disobedience, left unchecked, will lead a child to eventual ruin. Proverbs 13:24 says, “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, / but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” Here, love and careful discipline go hand in hand. The idea is refuted that a “loving” parent will never discipline a child. To turn a blind eye to rebellion is to hate the rebellious child.
Ephesians 6 is a key passage. Verse 1 speaks to children: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord.” That is, obedience to one’s parents is the God-given duty of every child. As long as the parents’ commands do not violate God’s Word, the child should obey. Verse 4 speaks to fathers: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” It is the duty of fathers to train their children in a godly way and to instruct them in the Lord’s Word. In so doing parents set their children up for the best chance for a long and prosperous life in this world (verse 3)—and treasures in heaven, too (Matthew 6:20; Galatians 6:8–9; Ephesians 1:3–4).
Who is wise? Let them realize these things.
Who is discerning? Let them understand.
The ways of the LORD are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.
Hosea 14:9
Jesus said, “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:23). It seems strange to hear our all-knowing Lord say there’s something—or someone—He doesn’t know. Jesus refers not to an intellectual knowledge here but to a relational knowledge.
To understand a verse, always start with the context. Jesus is wrapping up His Sermon on the Mount with a final warning about true faith. Jesus predicts that false Christian prophets will be coming as wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). They may use all the right “God talk” and even make impressive displays of power, but they will not belong to the Lord:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21–23).
In Jesus’ words on Judgment Day, we see several important truths: it’s not a verbal claim that one follows Jesus that saves (Matthew 7:21). Nominal Christianity cannot save. Also, it’s not a demonstration of spiritual insight or power that saves (verse 22). A person can seem like a Christian in the eyes of other people, yet still be an “evildoer” in God’s sight and sent away from His presence (verse 23). Only those who do the Father’s will and who are known of God will enter heaven.
So, what is the Father’s will? Some men came to Jesus once with a question about what God required of them: “They asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent’” (John 6:28–29). God wants us to have faith in His Son: “This is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 3:23). Those who are born again by faith in Christ will produce good works to the glory of God (Ephesians 2:10).
When Jesus said, “I never knew you,” to the feigned disciples, He meant that He never recognized them as His true disciples or His friends. He never had anything in common with them nor approved of them. They were no relations of His (Mark 3:34–35). Christ did not dwell in their hearts (Ephesians 3:17), nor did they have His mind (1 Corinthians 2:16). In all these ways and more, Jesus never knew them. Note that Jesus is not breaking off the relationship here—there was never a relationship to break off. Despite their high-sounding words and showy displays of religious fervor, they had no intimacy with Christ.
So it turns out that what matters isn’t so much that we know God on some level, but that God knows us. As Paul explained, “Whoever loves God is known by God” (1 Corinthians 8:3; also see Galatians 4:9). The Lord “tends His flock like a shepherd” (Isaiah 40:11), and He knows who are His sheep (John 10:14).
Those somber words “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” in Matthew 7:23 (KJV) show that Jesus is indeed omniscient. He did not “know” them in the sense He would if they were His followers, but He knew their hearts—they were full of iniquity! Isaiah’s condemnation of hypocrisy fits this group well: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29:13). The evildoers whom Jesus does not know are fake Christians, false teachers, and nominal adherents of religion.
Those who are bid depart from the presence of the Lord will not partake of the blessings of the kingdom: “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” (Revelation 22:15). They will be cast “into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12). Those fake Christians whom Jesus says He never knew will not produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23); rather, they will produce the opposite, the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19–21).
Jesus warns that one day He will tell a group of religious practitioners, “I never knew you.” God takes no delight in sending people to hell (2 Peter 3:9). But those who are told to depart have rejected God’s eternal purpose and plan for their lives (Luke 7:30). They have spurned the light of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4), choosing the darkness instead, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19). At the judgment, they try to justify themselves as worthy of heaven on the basis of their works (prophecies, exorcisms, miracles, etc.), but no one will be justified by his own works (Galatians 2:16). While claiming to do all these good works in Christ’s name, they failed to do the only work of God that counts: “to have faith in the one he sent” (John 6:29, CEV). And so Jesus, the Righteous Judge, condemns them to eternal separation from Him.
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.
Romans 11:26 plainly says, “All Israel will be saved.” The question that arises is: “What is meant by Israel?” Is the future “Israel” literal or figurative (i.e., referring to the ethnic Jews or referring to the Church)? Those who take a literal approach to the promises of the Old Testament believe that the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be restored to a right relationship with God and receive the fulfillment of the covenants. Those who advocate replacement theology basically affirm that the Church has completely replaced Israel and will inherit God’s promises to Israel; the covenants, then, will be fulfilled only in a spiritual sense. In other words, replacement theology teaches that Israel will not inherit the actual land of Israel; the Church is the “new Israel,” and ethnic Israel is forever excluded from the promises—the Jews will not inherit the Promised Land as Jews per se.
We take the literal approach. The passages that speak of future Israel are difficult to view as figurative for the Church. The classic text (Romans 11:16–24) depicts Israel as distinct from the Church: the “natural branches” are the Jews, and the “wild branches” are the Gentiles. The “olive tree” is the collective people of God. The “natural branches” (Jews) are “cut off” the tree for unbelief, and the “wild branches” (believing Gentiles) are grafted in. This has the effect of making the Jews “jealous” and then drawing them to faith in Christ, so they might be “grafted in” again and receive their promised inheritance. The “natural branches” are still distinct from the “wild branches,” so that God’s covenant with His people is literally fulfilled. Romans 11:26–29, citing Isaiah 59:20–21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33–34, says,
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’ As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.irrevocable.
Here, Paul emphasizes the “irrevocable” nature of Israel’s calling as a nation (see also Romans 11:12). Isaiah predicted that a “remnant” of Israel would one day “be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord” (Isaiah 62:12). Regardless of Israel’s current state of unbelief, a future remnant will in fact repent and fulfill their calling to establish righteousness by faith (Romans 10:1–8; 11:5). This conversion will coincide with the fulfillment of Moses’ prediction of Israel’s permanent restoration to the land (Deuteronomy 30:1–10).
When Paul says Israel will be “saved” in Romans 11:26, he refers to their deliverance from sin (verse 27) as they accept the Savior, their Messiah, in the end times. Moses said, “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live” (Deuteronomy 30:6). Israel’s physical inheritance of the land promised to Abraham will be an integral part of God’s ultimate plan (Deuteronomy 30:3–5).
So how will “all Israel be saved”? The details of this deliverance are filled out in passages such as Zechariah 8—14 and Revelation 7—19, which speak of end-times Israel at Christ’s return. The key verse describing the coming to faith of the future remnant of Israel is Zechariah 12:10, “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” This occurs at the end of the tribulation prophesied in Daniel 9:24–27. The apostle John references this event in Revelation 1:7. The faithful remnant of Israel is epitomized in Revelation 7:1–8. These faithful ones the Lord will save and bring back to Jerusalem “in truth and righteousness” (Zechariah 8:7–8, NASB).
After Israel is spiritually restored, Christ will establish His millennial kingdom on earth. Israel will be regathered from the ends of the earth (Isaiah 11:12; 62:10). The symbolic “dry bones” of Ezekiel’s vision will be brought together, covered with flesh, and miraculously resuscitated (Ezekiel 37:1–14). As God promised, the salvation of Israel will involve both a spiritual awakening and a geographical home: “I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land” (Ezekiel 37:14).
In the Day of the Lord, God will “reclaim the surviving remnant of his people” (Isaiah 11:11). Jesus Christ will return and destroy the armies gathered against Him in rebellion (Revelation 19). Sinners will be judged, and the faithful remnant of Israel will be set apart forever as God’s holy people (Zechariah 13:8—14:21). Isaiah 12 is their song of deliverance; Zion will rule over all the nations under the banner of Messiah the King.
The Bible’s teaching that God is a God of order is indirect—we understand that God is a God of order through the negation of the idea that He is associated with disorder: “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). This verse is part of a rebuke of the Corinthian church. Their worship services were out of control, chaotic, and even offensive to unbelievers who visited (1 Corinthians 14:23). The book of 1 Corinthians is, in part, a letter outlining proper conduct in the worship of God. Paul bases the command for order in the church service on the fact that God Himself is a God of order, not chaos.
Order implies a neat and logical organization of items, tasks, or people. When a room is in order, it has been tidied and everything is in its proper place. God’s universe is orderly. He created everything in an orderly sequence in a six-day span that set the world as we know it into motion (Genesis 1:31; Exodus 20:11; 31:17). He created the sun, moon, and stars to regulate time and seasons (Genesis 1:14–18; Psalm 104:19), and the heavenly bodies operate with precise predictability.
Living bodies are another example of God’s orderliness. The heart pumps blood through organs designed to receive it. The brain fires thousands of messages per second to regulate pain, temperature, respiration, and thought. And a million other chemical and physical reactions take place simultaneously within the body. If one factor was awry, the organism could not live, defend itself, or thrive. The more science discovers about creation, the more we learn about God’s miraculous order.
God is a God of order within His own Person. Although no human being can fully comprehend the tri-unity of the Lord God Almighty, we see orderliness in the three Persons of the Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, yet they function in complete harmony (Matthew 28:19; John 14:26; 15:26). Within God Himself is completeness. He needs nothing. He is complete love, complete joy, complete justice, and complete mercy. There exists no division, no conflict, no competition, and no need for change within the Godhead (Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19). Our God is within Himself a God of complete order.
God’s creation of time is another indication of His orderliness. God exists outside of time as we know it, but He created time as a way for earth to mark changes. Time is orderly, sequential, and does not vary based on anything mankind can control. Time keeps us orderly. Rich or poor, young or old, we all have the same number of hours in a day. The sun will rise and set on schedule no matter what may be happening on earth. Because God is a God of order, He keeps everything in motion as He first designed. It is His orderly hand that holds the world in place (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17).
Because God is a God of order, He deals with us in orderly ways. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world at just the right time (Galatians 4:4). He prefaced the arrival of Jesus with nearly 1,500 years of a sacrificial pattern designed to teach people about holiness and repentance (Leviticus 4:35). Through the Hebrew nation, He gave His law and showed us what was required to approach a holy God (Exodus 19:12; Leviticus 17:11). By the time Jesus came, the Jewish people were well-schooled in the sacrificial system and understood their need for a Messiah to make them right with God (Zechariah 9:9; Hebrews 9:22–23). God did not spring the idea of a Savior on the world. He spent centuries patiently preparing the world in an orderly fashion (Mark 14:49; John 3:16–18; 5:39).
Since God is a God of order, it makes sense that we appreciate order, too. We were created to think in orderly ways, reason, judge, and consider all aspects of a matter. God invites us to “come, let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18). God enjoys our communion with Him, our questions, our studying of His Word, and our willingness to let Him bring order to our chaotic thoughts. The more like Him we become, the more orderly our lives will be because He is a God of order.
Hebrews 6:18 builds upon preceding verses by affirming, “So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us” (NLT). The broader context of this discussion revolves around God’s promises, exemplified through Abraham. Verse 13 underscores how God solidified His promise to Abraham by taking an oath with His name, and He did this to “make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear.” We can trust in His promises because of His steadfastness. It is impossible for God to lie.
God’s truthfulness is tied to His holiness, a trait characterizing His absolute moral perfection. His holiness also embodies integrity, defined as “unwavering adherence to moral principles.” However, God does not conform to any moral standard; He is the ultimate standard. Due to God’s absolute goodness and complete separation from all forms of evil (including lying), we know His Word is truthful (see John 17:17).
The entire letter to the Hebrews aims to admonish, challenge, and uplift persecuted believers, particularly Jewish converts who might have been tempted to apostatize. Hebrews 6:18 serves as a source of encouragement, as it is God’s unwavering truthfulness and immutability that offer hope. That hope is called “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (verse 19). If God were to deceive us about His actions through Jesus, we would have no hope, no anchor. Hence, our confidence in God rests upon His unchanging nature.
Faith is only as valid as its object. As Timothy Keller stressed, “It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you. Strong faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a strong branch” (The Reason for God, Penguin Books, 2009, p. 244). We can have faith in God because it is impossible for Him to lie.
Consider two aircraft, one in good mechanical condition, and the other with a faulty engine. A person will reach his or her destination in the reliable aircraft regardless of the amount of faith he or she has. Even weak faith in the reliable plane is enough to reach the destination safely. Conversely, even strong faith in the faulty craft will not compensate for the plane’s broken condition. It’s not the faith that gets us to our destination, but the vehicle we are in. So it is with our salvation. It’s not the strength of our faith that saves us but the strength of our Savior. He is the Truth (John 14:6), and it is impossible for Him to lie.
Several other passages affirm God’s immutability and truthfulness. An example is Numbers 23:19, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" The apostle James also asserts that God “does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).
Because it is impossible for God to lie, we can have confidence in the gospel message. We know that, when God declares us forgiven and righteous, He can be trusted. We are welcomed into His kingdom and reconciled to Him because His word is absolute. This confidence permeates our lifestyle, motivating us to live for God. It also produces hope within us and resilience in the face of adversity. In moments of doubt, it is a valuable practice to reflect on God’s unchanging attributes, as revealed in Scripture.
Two passages in the Bible say that “in the last days, scoffers will come.” Second Peter 3:3 and Jude 1:18 both explain what that means. A “scoffer” in this context is one who mocks Christ, ridicules the things of God, and opposes the gospel. Both Peter and Jude were writing warnings against false teachers who were intent on leading others astray. The word scoffer refers to one who denies the truths of Scripture and entices others to go along with his error.
Scoffers have been present since the Garden of Eden. Satan’s first temptation of man was in the form of scoffing at God’s command: “Did God really say—?” (Genesis 3:1). Scoffers dominated Noah’s day (Genesis 6:5–8; Hebrews 11:7), leaving God with little choice but to destroy them all and start over with Noah, the only righteous man on earth. Scoffers refuse to believe the word of the Lord and set themselves up as their own gods (2 Chronicles 36:16). The psalmist warns against the digression that leads from casual association with wicked people to sitting “in the seat of scoffers” (Psalm 1:1, ESV), embracing their worldview—and sharing their fate.
Although scoffers have always been a part of this fallen world, Scripture seems to indicate that, as the Day of the Lord draws nearer, the scoffing will increase. Peter describes these scoffers as “following their own evil desires” (2 Peter 3:3) and questioning the second coming of the Lord Jesus (verse 4). Thousands of years have passed since Jesus ascended into heaven, promising to return for His faithful ones (John 14:1–4; Revelation 22:12). Scoffers point out the lapse of time and mock those who still wait and yearn for His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:7).
Jude describes the scoffers of the last days as people who follow ungodly desires and create division in the church (Jude 1:18). They may even present themselves as church leaders, but they “do not have the Spirit” (verse 19). Paul goes into more detail about the condition of the world before Jesus returns: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:1–5). Scoffers will fit right in with such a crowd.
We already see an increase of scoffers in our world today, and several factors may be contributing to that rise. Constant access to media, the internet, and other forms of technology provide an open platform for anyone with an opinion, and scoffing at everything once thought honorable is a favorite pastime. Scoffers are emboldened on social media by others who can instantly approve of their mockery. Many people are educated beyond their intelligence, and this new world without moral boundaries is producing scoffers instead of thinkers. Many try to use scientific training to say that, since the reality of the Creator God cannot be proved by man’s understanding, God must not exist. In rejecting Scripture, mankind has lost its moral compass, leaving us with no way to determine right or wrong, good or bad, truth or lie. In this climate, anyone who claims to know the truth is a prime target for scoffers.
Arrogance leads to scoffing, much as it did before the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–4). When people become puffed up with their own importance, they begin to challenge anything that threatens their high opinion of themselves. Once we have removed the idea of God from consideration, then anything goes. Scoffers have tried to redefine marriage, obliterate gender binarism, and create a fantasy world in which reality becomes whatever we feel it is. Not long ago, such a mindset was the definition of insanity. Now we are told it is the ultimate wisdom. Romans 1:21–22 has never been more relevant: “Although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.”
The proliferation of scoffers is a sign of the last days. They profess themselves to be wise, but they are really fools (Psalm 14:1). Regardless of the eschatological timeline one prefers, we can all agree that the number of scoffers and deceivers is increasing rapidly, just as Scripture warned us it would (2 John 1:7). It is critically important that every Christian take seriously the commands to study and meditate on God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15; Joshua 1:8) so that we won’t be led astray by the lofty-sounding ideas presented to us by scoffers (2 Corinthians 10:5).
The precise phrase gnashing of teeth is found in several places in the Bible and is used exclusively in reference to the final judgment of sinners, where it is combined with either weeping or wailing. The Greek phrase for “gnashing of teeth” literally means “grinding one’s teeth together.”
Surely, part of what the gnashing of teeth communicates is pain, especially when the gnashing is combined with weeping. When a person hits his thumb with a hammer, he will commonly squeeze his eyes closed and grind his teeth together hard. The weeping and gnashing of teeth in Scripture, however, is much more dreadful, partly because it lasts for eternity.
Gnashing one’s teeth shows up elsewhere in Scripture in contexts other than feeling pain. In Acts 7:54 the gnashing of teeth is done in anger because of what Stephen had said to the Jewish Council: “They were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.” Psalm 37:12 says, “The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them” (see also Psalm 35:16; 112:10; and Lamentations 2:16). In these passages, wicked persons gnash their teeth at righteous persons as the wicked plot against them or disapprove of them. Apparently, gnashing teeth was a sign of great disrespect and anger.
Jesus’ first reference to weeping and gnashing of teeth comes in Matthew 8:12 where He compares the kingdom of heaven to a feast where “many” come from all parts of the world to “recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” The others, however, are thrown into “outer darkness” where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. In His parable of the weeds sown in the field, Jesus again describes the fate of those who reject Him, this time adding to the description “the fiery furnace” into which they will be cast (Matthew 13:41–42). The story of the guest who comes to the wedding feast of the Lamb without the proper clothing is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:11–13), as is the wicked servant described in Matthew 24:44–51 and the worthless servant in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30).
All these references to weeping and gnashing of teeth have one thing in common—the undeniable fact that those who do not belong to Christ will suffer a terrible fate, while His children will enjoy bliss in heaven with Him forever. Hell will be a place of anguish, remorse, pain, and misery. Heaven will be a place where God eventually “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4). The misery that causes the gnashing of teeth will be unknown in heaven, and there will be no weeping, no wailing, and no tears.
Sadly, those who reject God will realize in hell what they have truly lost, and the realization that there is no “second chance” will cause them to feel the full weight of the pain that goes with that knowledge. The anguish of being separated from God does not go away. It is eternal and unrelenting. We all deserve that kind of punishment: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), but God, in His mercy, made it possible for us to avoid that eternal pain and suffering. Paul explains, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
All who accept the gift God has provided through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will escape the everlasting weeping and gnashing of teeth. Paul proclaims, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9–10). Jesus uses powerful imagery like wailing and gnashing of teeth to illustrate the importance of turning away from the sin that leads to hell and turning to Him who alone provides salvation.
In the Parable of the Wedding Feast, Jesus tells of a “wedding crasher” of sorts: a man in the wedding hall was discovered to have entered the feast without authorization. Jesus says that the king, the master of the feast, issued a dire command concerning the interloper: “Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness” (ESV).
Jesus uses the term “outer darkness” in the parable to describe a condition of great sorrow, loss and woe. It stands in vivid contrast to the brightly lit and joyous celebration attended by those who accepted the king’s invitation. Interpreting the wedding feast as heaven, the “outer darkness” must be the place of eternal punishment. Most Bible scholars agree that the phrase “outer darkness” refers to hell or, more properly, the lake of fire (Matthew 8:12; 13:42; 13:50; and 25:30,41).
The outer darkness of Jesus’ parable is called “blackest darkness” in Jude 1:13. Again, a place of judgment is the obvious meaning, since it is reserved for “godless men” (verse 4).
Perhaps the place of judgment is pictured as “dark” because of the absence of God’s cheering presence. “When you hide your face, they are terrified” (Psalm 104:29). God is called “light” in 1 John 1:5, and if He withdraws His blessing, only darkness is left. Throughout the Scriptures light symbolizes God’s purity, holiness, and glory. Darkness is used as a symbol of moral depravity (Psalm 82:5; Proverbs 2:13; Romans 3:12). Darkness can also refer to trouble and affliction (Job 5:12; Proverbs 20:20; Isaiah 9:2) and to death and nothingness (1 Samuel 2:9; Ecclesiastes 11:8; Job 3:4-6).
The outer darkness of judgment is accompanied by “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The “weeping” describes an inner pain of the heart, mind, and soul. The word in the original denotes a bewailing or lamentation by beating the breast in an expression of immense sorrow. The “gnashing of teeth” describes an outward pain of the body. Taken together, the weeping and gnashing of teeth says hell is a place of indescribable spiritual agony and unending physical pain (see Luke 16:23-28). The outer darkness is a place of anguish, heartache, grief, and unspeakable suffering. Such will be the lot of all who reject Christ (John 3:18, 36).
Christ is the Light of the World (John 8:12). When one rejects the Light, he will be cast into eternal darkness. Just like the man in the parable, the one who rejects Christ will lose his chance for joy, blessing and fellowship and will be left with nothing but darkness and eternal regret.
Jesus told the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22:1-14. This parable is similar in some ways to the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24), but the occasion is different, and it has some important distinctions. To better understand the context of this story, it is important to know some basic facts about weddings in Jesus’ day.
In Jewish society, the parents of the betrothed generally drew up the marriage contract. The bride and groom would meet, perhaps for the first time, when this contract was signed. The couple was considered married at this point, but they would separate until the actual time of the ceremony. The bride would remain with her parents, and the groom would leave to prepare their home. This could take quite a while. When the home was all was ready, the groom would return for his bride without notice. The marriage ceremony would then take place, and the wedding banquet would follow.
The wedding banquet was one of the most joyous occasions in Jewish life and could last for up to a week. In His parable, Jesus compares heaven to a wedding banquet that a king had prepared for his son (Matthew 22:2). Many people had been invited, but when the time for the banquet came and the table was set, those invited refused to come (verses 4-5). In fact, the king’s servants who brought the joyful message were mistreated and even killed (verse 6).
The king, enraged at the response of those who had been invited, sent his army to avenge the death of his servants (verse 7). He then sent invitations to anyone his servants could find, with the result that the wedding hall was filled (verses 8-10).
During the feast the king noticed a man “who was not wearing wedding clothes” (verse 11). When asked how he came to be there without the furnished attire, the man had no answer and was promptly ejected from the feast “outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (verses 12-13). Jesus then ends the parable with this statement: “For many are invited, but few are chosen” (verse 14).
The king is God the Father, and the son who is being honored at the banquet is Jesus Christ, who “came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:11). Israel held the invitation to the kingdom, but when the time actually came for the kingdom to appear (see Matthew 3:1), they refused to believe it. Many prophets, including John the Baptist, had been murdered (Matthew 14:10). The king’s reprisal against the murderers can be interpreted as a prophecy of Jerusalem’s destruction in A.D. 70 at the hands of the Romans (cf. Luke 21:5). More broadly, the king’s vengeance speaks of the desolation mentioned in the book of Revelation. God is patient, but He will not tolerate wickedness forever (Obadiah 1:15). His judgment will come upon those who reject His offer of salvation. Considering what that salvation cost Jesus, is not this judgment well deserved (see Hebrews 10:29-31)?
Note that it is not because the invited guests could not come to the wedding feast, but that they would not come (see Luke 13:34). Everyone had an excuse. How tragic, and how indicative of human nature, to be offered the blessings of God and to refuse them because of the draw of mundane things!
The wedding invitation is extended to anyone and everyone, total strangers, both good and bad. This refers to the gospel being taken to the Gentiles. This portion of the parable is a foreshadowing of the Jews’ rejection of the gospel in Acts 13. Paul and Barnabas were in Pisidian Antioch, where the Jewish leaders strongly opposed them. The apostle’s words echo the king’s estimation that those invited to the wedding “did not deserve to come”: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46). The gospel message, Jesus taught, would be made available to everyone.
The matter of the wedding garment is instructive. It would be a gross insult to the king to refuse to wear the garment provided to the guests. The man who was caught wearing his old clothing learned what an offense it was as he was removed from the celebration.
This was Jesus’ way of teaching the inadequacy of self-righteousness. From the very beginning, God has provided a “covering” for our sin. To insist on covering ourselves is to be clad in “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Adam and Eve tried to cover their shame, but they found their fig leaves to be woefully scant. God took away their handmade clothes and replaced them with skins of (sacrificed) animals (Genesis 3:7, 21). In the book of Revelation, we see those in heaven wearing “white robes” (Revelation 7:9), and we learn that the whiteness of the robes is due to their being washed in the blood of the Lamb (verse 14). We trust in God’s righteousness, not our own (Philippians 3:9).
Just as the king provided wedding garments for his guests, God provides salvation for mankind. Our wedding garment is the righteousness of Christ, and unless we have it, we will miss the wedding feast. When the religions of the world are stripped down to their basic tenets, we either find man working his way toward God, or we find the cross of Christ. The cross is the only way to salvation (John 14:6).
For his crime against the king, the improperly attired guest is thrown out into the darkness. For their crimes against God, there will be many who will be consigned to “outer darkness”—existence without God for eternity. Christ concludes the parable with the sad fact that “many are invited, but few are chosen.” In other words, many people hear the call of God, but only a few heed it.
To summarize the point of the Parable of the Wedding Feast, God sent His Son into the world, and the very people who should have celebrated His coming rejected Him, bringing judgment upon themselves. As a result, the kingdom of heaven was opened up to anyone who will set aside his own righteousness and by faith accept the righteousness God provides in Christ. Those who spurn the gift of salvation and cling instead to their own “good” works will spend eternity in hell.
The self-righteous Pharisees who heard this parable did not miss Jesus’ point. In the very next verse, “the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words” (Matthew 22:15). The Parable of the Wedding Feast is also a warning to us, to make sure we are relying on God’s provision of salvation, not on our own good works or religious service.
The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds, or Tares, is filled with spiritual significance and truth. But, in spite of the clear explanation of the parable that Jesus gave (Matthew 13:36-43), this parable is very often misinterpreted. Many commentaries and sermons have attempted to use this story as an illustration of the condition of the church, noting that there are both true believers (the wheat) and false professors (the weeds) in both the church at large and individual local churches. While this may be true, Jesus distinctly explains that the field is not the church; it is the world (v. 38).
Even if He hadn’t specifically told us the world is the setting of the story, it would still be obvious. The landowner tells the servants not to pull up the weeds in the field, but to leave them until the end of the age. If the field were the church, this command would directly contradict Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18, which tells us how to deal with unrepentant sinners in the church: they are to be put out of the fellowship and treated as unbelievers. Jesus never instructed us to let impenitent sinners remain in our midst until the end of the age. So, Jesus is teaching here about “the kingdom of heaven” (v. 24) in the world.
In the agricultural society of Christ’s time, many farmers depended on the quality of their crops. An enemy sowing weeds would have sabotaged a business. The tares in the parable were likely darnel because that weed, until mature, appears as wheat. Without modern weed killers, what would a wise farmer do in such a dilemma? Instead of tearing out the wheat with the tares, the landowner in this parable wisely waited until the harvest. After harvesting the whole field, the tares could be separated and burned. The wheat would be saved in the barn.
In the explanation of the parable, Christ declares that He Himself is the sower. He spreads His redeemed seed, true believers, in the field of the world. Through His grace, these Christians bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24). Their presence on earth is the reason the “kingdom of heaven” is like the field of the world. When Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17), He meant the spiritual realm which exists on earth side by side with the realm of the evil one (1 John 5:19). When the kingdom of heaven comes to its fruition, heaven will be a reality and there will be no “weeds” among the “wheat.” But for now, both good and bad seeds mature in the world.
The enemy in the parable is Satan. The field is the world. The devil tries to destroy Christ’s work by placing wicked people and false believers in the world to work unrighteousness. But the church’s job is not to rid the world of sinners (except through conversion) any more than it is the wheat’s job to pluck up the tares. In the parable, Christ allows the tares to remain until His return. At that time, angels will separate the just from the unjust and the true from false believers. Judgment is coming; in the meantime, God takes steps to ensure that His children are not adversely affected by His judgment on the wicked. God does not want to “uproot the wheat,” no matter how many tares there are (Matthew 13:29).
Tares, especially in the early stages of growth, resemble wheat. Likewise, a false believer may resemble a true believer, at least superficially. In Matthew 7:22, Jesus warned that many profess faith but do not know Him. Thus, each person should examine his or her own relationship with Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5). The book of 1 John is an excellent test of salvation.
Jesus Christ will one day establish true righteousness. After He raptures the church out of this world, God will pour out His righteous wrath on the world. During that tribulation, He will draw others to saving faith in Jesus Christ. At the end of the tribulation, all unbelievers will be judged for their sin and unbelief; then they will be removed from God’s presence. True followers of Christ will reign with Him. The “wheat” will be gathered into God's “barn” (Matthew 13:30). What a glorious future for the “wheat”!
Widows are women whose husbands have died, and orphans are children whose parents, for whatever reason, are not in the child’s life. In biblical times, the main cause of a child being orphaned is that the orphan’s parents had died. The Bible reveals God’s attitude toward orphans and widows: He cares very deeply for them. God commands us to protect and care for orphans and widows (Psalm 82:3).
Husbands and fathers play an irreplaceable role in a family. When the man is not there, the wife and child can suffer in many ways. The Bible tells us that God Himself steps in to fill the role of protecting and caring for orphans and widows. “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling” (Psalm 68:5). In our world, those who are helpless tend to be taken advantage of by those who think they can get away with it. However, nothing escapes God’s notice, and He will avenge the orphans and widows. “You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror” (Psalm 10:17–18).
God commands us to care for orphans and widows. When He gave the Law to Moses and the Israelites, He gave instructions for how to treat the orphans and widows among them—with harsh consequences promised if they failed in their responsibility (see Exodus 22:22–23). In the New Testament, James says that taking care of the needs of orphans and widows is part of religion “pure and faultless” (James 1:27). Caring for those in distress is not optional for followers of Christ.
In 1 Timothy, Paul lays out more detailed instructions for how to care for widows (1 Timothy 5:1–16). First, Paul puts an emphasis on a widow’s family taking care of her, instead of leaving it all up to the church. “If a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God” (1 Timothy 5:4). Paul instructs that, for a widow to be supported by the local church, she must be over the age of 60 and she must have been faithful to her husband and have led a godly life. And she must have no family member to care for her (1 Timothy 5:9–10). The bottom line is that all widows should be receiving the care they need, without anyone getting overburdened by the responsibility.
We should not view caring for orphans and widows as simply a command from God we must fulfill “or else.” There is tremendous blessing in serving and standing up for orphans and widows. In considering what our own attitude should be toward the orphans and widows around us, it’s helpful to remember that all of us were adopted into God’s family through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3–7) and betrothed to Christ (Ephesians 5:32; Revelation 19:7). It is our joy and privilege to partner with God in loving, serving, and protecting the orphans and widows among us.
In James 1:27, the apostle James gives us insight into what pleases God: “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (NASB). The word for “undefiled” is translated “faultless” in the NIV.
When interpreting any verse in the Bible, including James 1:27, we should always look at its context to get an idea of what the verse means within the surrounding verses. In this case, we can look at what comes immediately before James 1:27 and get some idea of what is going on in this particular passage. Verse 26 says, “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” So, in these final two verses of James 1, we have a contrast between what makes religion “worthless” and what makes religion “acceptable” to God.
Here it would be good to define the word religion. By “religion,” James means the external evidence of inward piety; that is, worship as expressed in ritual acts.
In the “worthless” religion, it doesn’t seem to matter what rituals or pious acts the worshiper engages in—it is all negated by an out-of-control tongue. A man may go through all the external motions of Christianity, yet if he tells lies or speaks unkindly or gossips or slanders or profanes God’s name, then his religion is empty. Everyone around him will see it, but he himself remains self-deceived. “By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37).
The implied contrast in the “pure and undefiled” religion that pleases God is that the worshiper keeps his tongue under control. “Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies” (Psalm 34:12–13). But James goes beyond just tongue control and gives examples of the religious acts God is looking for. One is outward-focused: “Look after orphans and widows in their distress.” The other is inward-focused: “Keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). Holy living, coupled with service to others, is the key. Or, as Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30–31).
“Pure and undefiled religion” happens when believers take care of the less fortunate and strive for personal purity. The right kind of religious practice involves helping those who cannot help themselves (and who cannot pay you back). As Jesus taught, “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:13–14). The right kind of religious practice also requires a personal commitment to growing in Christian virtue (see 2 Peter 1:5–8).
The apostle Paul also wrote about pure and undefiled religion, i.e., the actions of those who wish to please the Lord: “If a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God” (1 Timothy 5:4). Taking care of one’s family is a proper religious practice.
Looking after widows and orphans and keeping oneself “unspotted” from the world (KJV) are just two practical examples of what the Christian might do who desires to please God in his or her religion. James is not trying to create an exhaustive description of what religious practice must include. He is most likely highlighting some areas of concern among the believers to whom he was writing. But the result—pure and undefiled religion—is what believers of all eras should have as their goal.
In the book of James, a very practical book, we have a very practical command: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Or, as the ESV puts it, “Be doers of the word.” James urges people who listen to God’s Word to demonstrate a sincere commitment to the Lord by reacting to what they hear with obedient action.
The original language gives the sense that we must “keep on becoming” doers of God’s Word. Genuine faith calls for obedience that endures. Doers of the Word are the opposite of Sunday morning Christians who go to church, sit and listen to a message, and then view it as merely an interesting spiritual discourse. Jesus said that only doers of the Word are truly blessed: “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice” (Luke 11:28, NLT).
James stresses the need to act on what we hear. He says we are fooling ourselves if we think we can be hearers only and not doers of the Word as well. People who sincerely love God are those who keep His commands (John 14:15; 1 John 5:2–3). God desires those who hear His Word to become authentic followers of Jesus, disciples who obey the Lord’s teaching because they know and love their heavenly Father (John 14:23–24).
Jesus gave a stern warning to people who hear the words of God but don’t act on them: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’ Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash” (Matthew 7:21–27, CSB).
James underscores his command to be doers of the Word with two illustrations, one negative and one positive. In both cases, he uses the idea of a mirror: “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like” (James 1:23–24, ESV). In this first example, James compares an apathetic listener of the Word to someone who looks carefully at himself, but then walks away and forgets. He disregards what he saw, letting it drop from his mind. This isn’t just lazy listening. It’s listening without any real faith. The Word may enter the person’s ear, but the power of it does not penetrate to the heart.
In James’ second example, he describes a listener who hears and absorbs God’s Word, taking it into his heart and letting it change his life: “But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:25, ESV). The active listener is one who hears with genuine faith. This listener is alert and eager to learn from God’s message. He or she wants to receive from God and do what He says.
Jesus affirmed that God’s Word is the perfect law that produces liberty: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32, ESV; see also verse 36). Obedience to the Word of God brings freedom from sin and death (Romans 5:19; 6:11–23; Galatians 3:23—4:7; 5:13–14).
The Word of God is not just a beautiful piece of literature to be savored and enjoyed. Its purpose goes beyond provoking thought and inviting meditation. It requires more than memorization and sharing with others. It demands a change of heart that prompts a change of behavior. The Word of God is to be obeyed.
James 1:17 says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (NASB). The exact meaning of the term Father of lights in this passage is not clear from the text. However, we can assume some things based on other passages where God is referred to as “light.” First John 1:5 says, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”
In both passages, God’s essence and personality are equated with all that is “light.” In the Bible, darkness often symbolically refers to evil, sin, and corruption (e.g., John 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:4). Therefore, light represents goodness, honesty, purity, wisdom, glory, and love—everything that God is. First Timothy 6:16 also says that God “dwells in unapproachable light.” Revelation 22:5 promises that those who dwell with the Lord forever will not need other sources of light, because God Himself will be our light.
The term Father of lights could also contain a reference to the great lights of the heavens, such as the sun, moon, and stars. Some Bible versions, such as the NIV, have added the word heavenly as an adjective to lights, but this is not found in the original texts. The original manuscripts leave the word lights open to interpretation.
It would be reasonable to conclude that the title “Father of lights” in James 1:17 communicates the idea that God is the author of all that is not darkness. There is no sin or transgression in Him. Everything represented by light is exemplified by God. Integrity, loyalty, honor, glory, wisdom, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), compassion, and love are all qualities of God and examples of spiritual “light.” Physical lights, too, owe their existence to God: the starry heavens and the planetary kingdoms are all created by the Father of lights for His glory and purpose. As the Father of lights, God embodies all that is good and right. Just as God is love (1 John 4:16), so God is light (1 John 1:5). God does not merely possess love and light, as though they are qualities that can be taken away. God is love and light, which makes Him the Father and originator of all lesser lights.
James 1:19–20 says, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” Being “quick to listen” means that we train ourselves to wait for the whole story before diving in with our opinion. “Slow to speak” is the flip side of that. We control our words and don’t blurt out everything that comes into our heads.
James goes on to talk about the tongue: “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” (James 1:26). Later, he warns us about controlling our tongues: “The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell” (James 3:5–6).
Our mouths get us into a lot of trouble. We profess to believe one thing, but then we are often betrayed by what comes out of our mouths.
Jesus said,
“The mouth
speaks what
the
heart is full of”
(Matthew 12:34).
When we discipline ourselves to listen more than we talk, we can learn a lot. Big talkers are hard to teach. They think they already know everything they need to know, and they constantly express their opinions. Wise people have learned that more wisdom can be gained by listening, observing, and not rushing to judgment. Proverbs 10:19 says, “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.”
The old adage is right: “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.” How many relationships have been damaged or ruined because we were slow to listen and quick to speak? How many mistakes could have been avoided had we only listened instead of talked?
We should be careful about the kinds of people we spend a lot of time listening to. Psalm 1 warns us not to listen to the foolish or the wicked. However, there are other people we should be quick to listen to:
• Church elders because of their position (Hebrews 13:17).
• Wise people because of their good advice (Proverbs 13:20).
• Godly people because they can represent God’s perspective on our situation (Psalm 141:5).
• Authorities because they represent the law (Romans 13:1).
Most of us are not naturally quick to listen, but we can train ourselves to be better listeners. Good listening is active. It engages with the speaker. It understands the speaker’s perspective, even if we disagree. When people feel heard, they are more willing to listen to our side. Being quick to listen actually opens the door to greater communication because listening shows respect, and when people feel respected, they are more likely to return that respect and listen to us. It is important for us to be quick to listen and slow to speak. God’s Word always shows us the best way, and when we follow it, we are blessed.
This popular saying comes from Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God; / I will be exalted among the nations, / I will be exalted in the earth.”
This verse comes from a longer section of Scripture that proclaims the power and security of God. While the threat the psalmist faced is not mentioned specifically, it seems to relate to the pagan nations and a call for God to end the raging war. Here is the whole psalm:
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
Notice that the majority of the psalm is written in the third person as the psalmist speaks about God. However, God’s voice comes through in verse 10, and the Lord speaks in the first person: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Be still. This is a call for those involved in the war to stop fighting, to be still. The word still is a translation of the Hebrew word rapa, meaning “to slacken, let down, or cease.” In some instances, the word carries the idea of “to drop, be weak, or faint.” It connotes two people fighting until someone separates them and makes them drop their weapons. It is only after the fighting has stopped that the warriors can acknowledge their trust in God. Christians often interpret the command to “be still” as “to be quiet in God’s presence.” While quietness is certainly helpful, the phrase means to stop frantic activity, to let down, and to be still. For God’s people being “still” would involve looking to the Lord for their help (cf. Exodus 14:13); for God’s enemies, being “still” would mean ceasing to fight a battle they cannot win.
Know that I am God. Know in this instance means “to properly ascertain by seeing” and “acknowledge, be aware.” How does acknowledging God impact our stillness? We know that He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all-powerful), holy, sovereign, faithful, infinite, and good. Acknowledging God implies that we can trust Him and surrender to His plan because we understand who He is.
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. It was tempting for the nation of Israel to align with foreign powers, and God reminds them that ultimately He is exalted! God wins, and He will bring peace. During Isaiah’s time, Judah looked for help from the Egyptians, even though God warned against it. Judah did not need Egyptian might; they needed reliance on the Lord: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).
When we are still and surrendered to God, we find peace even when the earth gives way, the mountains fall (verse 2), or the nations go into an uproar and kingdoms fall (verse 6). When life gets overwhelming and busyness takes precedence, remember Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Run to Him, lay down your weapons and fall into His arms. Acknowledge that He is God and that He is exalted in the earth. Be still and know that He is God.
Defilement is the state of being impure, dishonored, or desecrated. To defile something is an act of great disrespect toward God or others. Sin can defile a person, a community, or a nation.
The Bible usually uses the word defilement in reference to ceremonial or sexual impurity. Idolatry is sure to defile those who fall into that sin. In Jeremiah 32:34, the Lord is angry with Israel because “they set up their vile images in the house that bears my Name and defiled it.” Bringing idols into the Lord’s temple was an act of defilement. Any type of sexual sin defiles a person as well (1 Corinthians 5:11; Matthew 15:18–20).
Many of the ceremonial laws God gave to Israel were to show them how to cleanse themselves from defilement so that they could commune with a holy God (Leviticus 7:21; 22:3). The existence of so many detailed laws demonstrated the stark difference between the holy and the profane (Leviticus 10:10–11). Defilement of any sort, even when caused unintentionally, separated a person from the community and from God’s dwelling place among them (Leviticus 5:2). No defiled person could enter the sanctuary of the Lord (Numbers 19:13, 20).
Anytime enemies or backslidden Israel desecrated God’s temple with neglect or abuse, God considered it defiled (Ezekiel 23:39; 44:7; Malachi 2:11). No one could offer acceptable sacrifices or prayers until the temple had been cleansed from its defilement (2 Chronicles 29:16; Leviticus 16:20). Priests had to go through a ritualistic cleansing process before ministering to the Lord, indicating that association with the world in any way brought defilement (Nehemiah 12:30; 13:30; Exodus 29:4).
Under the New Covenant, born-again children of God are indwelt by His Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; John 3:3). Our bodies become His temple (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). When we defile ourselves through sin or neglect of the Lord Himself, we must seek cleansing by confessing our sins to God (1 John 1:9). Only the blood of Jesus Christ is powerful enough to cleanse our hearts and make us fit to commune with God (1 John 1:7).
We defile ourselves in many ways, but there are two primary sins about which Scripture regularly uses the word defilement: sexual impurity and idolatry. These two sins defile any temple, both stone and flesh (see 1 Corinthians 6:18). Sexual sin in all its forms is a metaphor used regularly throughout Scripture to symbolize God’s broken relationship with His people. For example, wayward Israel was often compared to an adulterous wife or promiscuous daughter (Ezekiel 16:32; 23:30; James 4:4). Sexual sin is so defiling that God used it to describe the worst kind of spiritual betrayal.
Idolatry of any kind also defiles us (Revelation 21:8; 1 John 5:21). We commit idolatry when we treasure anything more than we esteem Christ (Mark 12:30). When we recognize that we have defiled ourselves, we can confess it as sin, ask God’s forgiveness, and purpose to turn from it (Luke 3:8). The successful Christian is one who walks in the Spirit so that defilement no longer defines him (1 John 3:6–10; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Galatians 5:16, 19–21).
In Matthew 12:32, Jesus solemnly declares, “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (ESV). To grasp what it means to speak against the Holy Spirit, we must delve into the context in which Jesus made this statement.
Earlier in Matthew 12, Jesus performed a miraculous healing by casting out a demon from a man who was blind and mute (Matthew 12:22). The crowd was amazed and began to wonder if Jesus could be the Son of David, the promised Messiah. However, the Pharisees, in their hardened unbelief, accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons (Matthew 12:24). Their claim was that Jesus was in league with the devil.
This accusation prompted Jesus to deliver a stern rebuke. He explained that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, and if Satan drives out Satan, his kingdom is divided. Jesus further clarified that His power to cast out demons came from the Spirit of God, signifying the arrival of God’s kingdom (Matthew 12:25–28). In this context, Jesus warned about the unforgivable sin of speaking against the Holy Spirit.
The parallel passage in Mark 3:28–30 is helpful. In this passage, Jesus states that all sins and blasphemies can be forgiven, except for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which leads to eternal damnation. The Pharisees’ accusation that an unclean spirit possessed Jesus exemplifies this sin. By attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan, the Pharisees committed an act of deliberate and persistent rejection of the Holy Spirit’s testimony about Jesus.
Speaking against the Holy Spirit, in the manner seen in Matthew 12:32, refers to a conscious and resolute opposition to the truth of God’s work through the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees witnessed Jesus’ miracles firsthand, yet they stubbornly attributed His power to demonic forces. They knew the truth, and they rejected it with finality. This sin is unforgivable because it represents a hardened heart that persistently refuses to acknowledge God’s power and grace. It is a total and final rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work, leaving no room for repentance and forgiveness.
The severity of speaking against the Holy Spirit is underscored by its eternal consequence. Jesus stresses that this sin will not be forgiven in this age or the age to come; that is, in the current dispensation or in the coming dispensation—the church age. Unlike other sins that can be repented of and forgiven, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit flows from the deepest depravity of the heart and leads to eternal separation from God.
The specific act of the Pharisees’ blasphemy cannot be directly replicated today, but the principle remains profoundly relevant. To speak against the Holy Spirit can be understood broadly as a persistent rejection of the Spirit’s conviction and the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. In John 16:8, Jesus explains that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Suppressing this conviction and rejecting the gospel message leads to a state of spiritual hardening, eventually making repentance impossible. This enduring principle continues to guide our understanding of the unforgivable sin.
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” (NASB). 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.
Sacrilege is irreverence toward a sacred person, place, or thing. Sacrilege occurs when someone purposefully misuses a consecrated object, desecrates a hallowed place, or speaks in an irreverent manner of something related to God or religion. The word has Latin roots: sacer (“sacred”) and legere (“to steal”). At first the term sacrilege likely referred to acts of grave robbers who desecrated tombs but has come to refer to any “stealing” of sacredness from a religious place, object, or person.
King Belshazzar of Babylon committed sacrilege at a banquet when “he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that . . . had [been] taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and . . . as they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone” (Daniel 5:3–4). This was one of the last acts of Belshazzar, for he was killed that very night (verse 30).
Nadab and Abihu, two sons of Aaron, committed sacrilege when “they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command” (Leviticus 10:1). The misuse of their holy office resulted in tragedy: “Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” (verse 2). Obviously, God considers sacrilege to be a serious offense.
The tabernacle (and, later, the temple) in the Old Testament was the place where God would meet with His people. The building and everything contained therein—such as the ark of the covenant—was sprinkled with the blood of a holy sacrifice and therefore set apart for God. Only the priests, who were also consecrated to the Lord for service, were allowed to enter the tabernacle. God struck dead anyone who violated the tabernacle or profaned the sacred articles (Numbers 16:1–40; 2 Samuel 6:6–7). The Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the tabernacle by a thick veil and could only be entered once a year when the high priest offered a blood sacrifice for the sins of the people. One lesson the tabernacle taught was that God is holy and we are not—and we dare not commit sacrilege against Him.
Jesus warned the Pharisees against their sacrilegious practice of loose oath-taking. In their oaths, the Pharisees tried to make distinctions between the temple and the gold in the temple treasury (the latter being more holy in their eyes) and between the altar and the gift on the altar (the latter being more holy in their eyes). Jesus taught that the temple and everything associated with it was ultimately consecrated to God, so any oath made on any part of the temple was binding before God (Matthew 23:16–22).
One of the most common forms of sacrilege today is the profaning of God’s holy name and the name of our Lord Jesus. This is in direct violation of Exodus 20:7, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name” (cf. Psalm 139:20). The New Testament prohibits “unwholesome talk” (Ephesians 4:29), which certainly includes using God’s name as a swear word.
Though some churches today have saints and “holy” elements, there is no biblical reason to lift up one person, place, or item as more “sacred” than another. All believers, not just a select few, “are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). The Old Testament temple is gone, and now we are “God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Paul asks believers, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (verse 16). If someone today spray paints blasphemies on the side of a church building, it is indeed an act of sacrilege, but not because the wood and stone of the building are holy. It is the intent of the blasphemer to disrespect God, and he aims his action at an accessible, tangible representation of God, in his mind. That intent is what makes the vandalism sacrilege, and God sees the heart.
Even religious systems can promote sacrilege, if they “steal” the sanctity of God and apply it to people or things. Churches that canonize biblical characters or historical figures, pray to saints, command the adoration of icons or relics, or foster reverence toward physical objects are guilty of sacrilege. People whom God has used should be shown respect and learned from, but they are still sinners saved by grace. Physical objects may have historical significance or meaning as religious symbols, but they should never be knelt before, prayed to, or sought out as a means of procuring grace.
Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance" (Isa 45:21-23).
This passage is one of the clearest declarations of ADONAI's exclusive identity, power, authority, and sovereignty in the Hebrew Bible. ADONAI is not just Israel's God. Since ADONAI is the only God and Savior, he is the God of the universe. For this reason, idolatry is not just a sin for Israel; it is a sin for every tribe, tongue, and nation of the world. Our allegiance, worship, and praise belong to ADONAI alone.
The Apostle Paul was undoubtedly well aware of the meaning of this passage when he boldly applied Isaiah 45:23 to Yeshua in his letter to the Philippians.
Given the meaning, purpose, and function of Isaiah 45:23 in its original context, it is clear that Paul does not mean "mister" when he says that Yeshua is "kurios." Rather, he is making a claim that no first-century Jew would ever dare to confess, unless that is true. By citing Isaiah 45 and applying it to Yeshua, "Messiah Yeshua is kurios" can only mean that our blessed and glorious Messiah is ADONAI, the LORD.
Any formulation of Christology, therefore, which does not ascribe full deity to Yeshua, and any form of faith and practice that does not give Yeshua all honor, glory, and praise, is not only unbiblical. From the perspectives of the Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Paul, such a deviant expression of Christology would also be an act of idolatry because it would be looking to someone other than ADONAI, the LORD, to be saved. "[I]f you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.... for 'WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED'" (Rom 10:9, 13).
https://youtu.be/cn0r4RGRNbo?is=cYI76NBvxZ1AjqTQ
Second Peter 3:18 tells us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” To grow in grace is to mature as a Christian. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), and we mature and are sanctified by grace alone. We know that grace is a blessing that we don’t deserve. It is God’s grace that justifies us, sanctifies us, and eventually glorifies us in heaven. The sanctification process, becoming more like Christ, is synonymous with growing in grace.
We grow in grace by reading God’s Word and letting it “dwell in us richly” (Colossians 3:16) and by praying. Those actions by themselves don’t mature us, but God uses these spiritual disciplines to help us grow. Therefore, maturing in our Christian life is not about what we do, but about what God does in us, by His grace. Understanding and applying God’s grace in our lives is important. We are not to impair it by being proud, because God says that He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Grace is that attribute of God that enables us to break free of our sinful nature and follow Him. It gives us strength and protects us. Without God’s grace, His favor, we would be hopelessly lost in this world. The more grace we have and ask God for, the more mature as Christians we will be.
To grow in grace does not mean gaining more grace from God. God’s grace never increases; it is infinite, it cannot be more, and according to the nature of God, it could never be less. He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him should be saved (John 3:16). How much more grace could there possibly be than that? But to grow in grace is to grow in our understanding of what Jesus did and to grow in our appreciation of the grace we have been given. The more we learn about Jesus, the more we will appreciate all He has done, and the more we appreciate His love and sacrifice for us, the more we will perceive the never-ending grace of God.
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. The way to do this is by meditating on the Scriptures and applying their principles to our lives as we yield to the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Then we will prove 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.”
Let’s look at how the Bible describes love, and then we will see a few ways in which God is the essence of love. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a). This is God’s description of love, and because God is love (1 John 4:8), this is what He is like.
In love, God does not force Himself on anyone. Those who come to Him do so in response to His love. In love, God shows kindness to all. In love, Jesus went about doing good to everyone without partiality. In love, Jesus did not covet what others had, living a humble life without complaining. In love, Jesus did not brag about who He was in the flesh, although He could have overpowered anyone He ever came in contact with. In love, Jesus willingly obeyed His Father in heaven. “The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me” (John 14:31). In love, Jesus was/is always looking out for the interests of others.
The greatest expression of God’s love is communicated to us in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Romans 5:8proclaims the same message: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We can see from these verses that it is God’s greatest desire that we join Him in His eternal home, heaven. He has made the way possible by paying the price for our sins. He loves us because He chose to as an act of His will. Love forgives. “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).
So, what does it mean that God is love? Love is an attribute of God. Love is a core aspect of God’s character, His Person. God’s love is in no sense in conflict with His holiness, righteousness, justice, or even His wrath. All of God’s attributes are in perfect harmony. Everything God does is loving, just as everything He does is just and right. God is the perfect example of true love. Amazingly, God has given those who receive His Son Jesus as their personal Savior the ability to love as He does, through the power of the Holy Spirit (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1, 23-24).
Second Corinthians 2:15 says, “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.”
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.
Greed is a strong and selfish desire to have more of something, most often money or power. There are many warnings in the Bible about giving in to greed and longing for riches. Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal… You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:19, 24b). Did Jesus pursue the acquisition of money? No. On the contrary, He became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9) and had “no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Neither did Jesus pursue power. Rather, He instructed, "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:43–45).
Greed and a desire for riches are traps that bring ruin and destruction. “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,” and Christians are warned, “Do not put your trust in wealth” (see 1 Timothy 6:9-10, 17-18). Covetousness, or having an excessive or greedy desire for more, is idolatry. Ephesians 5:5 says, “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” The principle to remember is contained in Hebrews 13:5: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
It is the love of money, and not money itself, that is the problem. The love of money is a sin because it gets in the way of worshiping God. Jesus said it was very hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God. When the rich young ruler asked Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life, Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor. “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth” (see Matthew 19:16-22). By instructing him to give up his money, Jesus pointed out the young man’s main problem: greed or a love of money. The man could not follow Christ because he was following money. His love of this world interfered with his love for God.
Greed refuses to be satisfied. More often than not, the more we get, the more we want. Material possessions will not protect us—in this life or eternally. Jesus’ parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13–21 illustrates this point well. Again, money or wealth is not a problem. The problem is our attitude toward it. When we place our confidence in wealth or are consumed by an insatiable desire for more, we are failing to give God the glory and worship He deserves. We are to serve God, not waste our time trying to become rich (Proverbs 23:4). Our heart’s desire should be to store up riches in heaven and not worry about what we will eat or drink or wear. “But seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (see Matthew 6:25-34).
In 2 Corinthians 4:1–6, the apostle Paul defends his apostolic ministry, in which he openly preaches God’s truth and the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul states that his methods are straightforward and honest (verse 2) and that if his message is hidden or veiled, it is because “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” (2 Corinthians 4:4). This passage describes the spiritually darkened condition of those who reject the gospel and remain in unbelief.
The “god of this age” refers to Satan or the devil (see Ephesians 2:2; 6:12). Jesus called Satan “the prince of this world” (see John 12:31; 14:30). In this context, Paul uses the title to indicate Satan’s influence over the present age we live in, which is characterized by sin and rebellion against God. As the god of this age, Satan exerts significant control over the world’s ideologies, philosophies, and false religions. He exercises his dark powers to persuade and pervert the thinking of those who reject the gospel. Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers, preventing them from seeing the light of truth that shines on Jesus Christ as the image of God.
The phrase has blinded in 2 Corinthians 4:4 is translated from a Greek verb (etyphlōsen), which means “made unable or unwilling to understand; conceived as having rendered a person unable to see.” Paul speaks of blindness that is spiritual in nature. Spiritually blind individuals are unable to perceive and comprehend spiritual truths. Paul explains that Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers, obstructing them from seeing the “light of the gospel.” This blindness is not merely a lack of understanding but a deliberate obstacle created by Satan to keep people from recognizing their need for a Savior and accepting the truths of Christianity.
Through difficult experience, Paul was acutely aware of the limited number of Jews who understood and believed the truth about salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul likely had legalistic “Judaizers” in mind when he wrote 2 Corinthians 4:4. These early church infiltrators insisted that, for Gentiles to be saved, they must follow the Mosaic Law and Jewish rituals. The spiritual blindness of these teachers kept them from correctly understanding God’s grace and accepting Christ’s gift of salvation: “But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand” (2 Corinthians 3:14–15, NLT; see also Romans 11:25).
Even though the god of this age blinds the minds of unbelievers, his power is limited. Ultimately, God is in control. In His sovereign wisdom, God allows Satan to operate in this world and take unbelievers “captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:26) and live “under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).
Satan blinds people’s minds to keep them from seeing the light of truth and the glory of God: “Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity” (Ephesians 4:17–19, NLT). This spiritual condition, however, is not irreversible, as God can penetrate the darkest blindness with a flash of light and dawning of truth at any time, as demonstrated in Paul’s own conversion experience (see Acts 9:1–19; Galatians 1:13–17).
Paul goes on to testify, “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NLT). The god of this age may blind the minds of unbelievers. Still, Jesus Christ is the light of the world (John 1:9). Those who follow Him “won’t have to walk in darkness, because [they] will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12, NLT; see also Psalm 36:9; John 1:4). With the light of Christ living in us, we too become “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14–16) to “guide the nations” (Isaiah 42:6, NLT; see also 1 John 2:8) and “bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47).
If God loves us and wants us to spend eternity with Him, why doesn’t He just save everyone now?” This question and others like it often keep people from seeking God further, as they assume that this question is the mountain that cannot be scaled. But the question itself is based upon some faulty assumptions. When those assumptions are corrected, the question of why God doesn’t save everyone no longer carries the weight it once did.
Any time we ask a question about God from our limited earthly perspective, we are working under a handicap. In essence, we are tiny dust specks looking up into the universe and demanding that it make sense to our finite minds. Often, when we ask, “Why doesn’t God just save everyone?” we start with the assumption that we are more compassionate than God is, and that puts us on the wrong track from the get-go. God is perfect, and His ways are far beyond human comprehension (Isaiah 55:8–9). When we accept that reality and align our thinking with His perspective, we position ourselves for greater understanding.
Knowledge begins in heaven with God (Proverbs 9:10). He is infinitely creative, and at some point, He created our universe (Genesis 1:1). He spoke everything into existence (Genesis 1) except man. When He created Adam, He got down in the dirt and formed his body from clay. Then He blew into the man’s nostrils, “and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). It was the image of God that separated mankind from all other living creatures. That “living soul” was immortal, meant to last forever. God had chosen to create a being so like Him that the man could reason, reflect, intuit, and have the ability to make decisions. Without that ability to choose, human beings would not bear God’s image (see Genesis 1:27). God respects what He has created to such an extent that He will not allow even His overwhelming love to violate our will. Why doesn’t God just save everyone? Because He will not violate the will He has given us.
One astounding facet of God’s human creation is that He made Himself emotionally vulnerable to us. He didn’t have to do that. The triune God has forever been the very definition of joy, love, and peace; He is complete in Himself with no needs or unmet desires. Untold millions of created beings worship and serve Him day and night (Daniel 7:10; Revelation 5:11; 7:11; Isaiah 6:1–3). Yet He gives human beings the high privilege of bringing Him pleasure or sorrow. We can reflect His glory in ways unique to our design (Proverbs 16:7; Psalm 147:11; 149:4). Or we can reject His love and His commands (Ezekiel 8:17; 33:11; 2 Kings 22:17). God’s act of creating us can be compared to a husband and wife who are perfectly happy and content in themselves, but they decide to have a child. That decision brings with it the potential for exceeding joy and exceeding sorrow. They have chosen to alter their lives by creating a vulnerability that they did not have to create. As they love and care for that child, they long for the child to love them back. But they won’t force the love, because forced love is not love at all. Why doesn’t God just save everyone? Because our love for Him must be voluntary.
God pours out His love and provision on this earth (Matthew 5:45), desiring that His human creations acknowledge His truth and love Him back. He makes Himself known in thousands of ways (Psalm 19:1; 97:6; Romans 1:19–20), working behind the scenes to bring us into a position to reach out to Him (Isaiah 46:10–11; Proverbs 16:33). He provides, protects, and blesses, giving mankind numerous opportunities to look up and find Him (Jeremiah 29:13; Romans 2:4). But He won’t force salvation on the unwilling. Why doesn’t God just save everyone? Because gifts must be willingly received.
God has given His very best—His only begotten Son—to settle our sin debt (John 3:16–18; 2 Corinthians 5:21). He does not take the rejection of that offer lightly. The Father who watched His own beloved Son be tortured to death for the benefit of an ungrateful mob refuses to degrade that sacrifice by deciding later that it was not truly necessary (see Acts 4:12; Isaiah 42:8). Why doesn’t God just save everyone? Because salvation can only come through faith in Christ. “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).
We err when we, from our earth-bound perspective, magnify the love of God out of proportion to His justice, righteousness, and wrath toward sin (Romans 1:18; Isaiah 61:8). Sin is serious, and the debt against our Creator must be paid (Colossians 2:14). We can accept Jesus as our substitute (2 Corinthians 5:21), or we can pay for sin ourselves in eternity (Matthew 25:46; Jude 1:7).
ANSWER
First Corinthians 13 is one of the most famous passages in the New Testament. It is often referred to as the “Love Chapter” because it illustrates a biblical understanding of love. It’s in this chapter that Paul speaks of a time when “we shall see face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
In 1 Corinthians 13:1–3, Paul argues that love surpasses all spiritual gifts. Even the greatest spiritual gift is worthless without love.
In 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, Paul describes the characteristics of love. These characteristics emphasize the importance of putting the interests of others above our own (cf. John 15:13; Philippians 2:14).
In 1 Corinthians 13:8–12, Paul speaks to the temporary nature of spiritual gifts and the hope that Christians have for a full, complete, and intimate knowledge of God in the future. This section reminds us that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues and prophesying are not eternal. Love, however, is eternal and will never fail (verse 8 and verse 13). Therefore, love is what truly matters.
This section also speaks to the limitations of human understanding. Because of sin and human finitude, we can only know and prophesy in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). Currently, we cannot understand God’s ways (Romans 11:33), nor can we fathom the depths of His love (Ephesians 3:17–19). But when Christ returns, sin will disappear and we will finally see God face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).
The expression face to face appears in 1 Corinthians 13:12. The full verse reads, “For now we see only a 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.” The event described in this verse is often referred to as the “Beatific Vision” (to see God as He is), promised to Christians when Christ returns: “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). In our present state, however, we only have an indirect and imperfect knowledge of God’s infinite wisdom, glory, and love. Thus, we cannot see God as He is.
Paul compares our present knowledge of divine things to a dark reflection in a mirror. In New Testament times, a mirror was formed from polished metal, which could only reflect a dim and imperfect image. Yet Paul promises that God will exchange our dim images for a face-to-face encounter with Himself. On that glorious day, the light of God will shine upon us, and we will be free from all darkness. imperfection, and error. We will know Him fully, even as we are fully known by Him. This mutual recognition and understanding is the epitome of a deeply intimate relationship.
The beatific vision has roots in the Old Testament (Genesis 32:20; Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10). In Exodus 33:18–23, Moses asks to see God’s glory, but God tells Moses that no one can see His glory and live. However, God allows Moses to see His back, but not Him in His entirety (that is, in His full glory).
In Matthew 5:8, Jesus promises that the pure in heart will see God. Jesus can make this promise because He is the only one who has seen the Father (John 1:18), and whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father (John 14:9). Jesus is the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being” (Hebrews 1:3). And when He returns, we will behold the fullness of God’s glory. On that day, we will see God as He truly is.
This hope for a face-to-face encounter with God gives Christians peace and comfort, even in difficult circumstances. When this life comes to an end, we will see and be seen by the One who loved us enough to die for us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Jesus spoke this during His famous Sermon the Mount. So what did He mean by “pure in heart?”
The Greek word for “pure” in Matthew 5:8 is katharos. It means to be “clean, blameless, unstained from guilt.” Interestingly, the word can refer specifically to that which is purified by fire or by pruning. John the Baptist told people that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). Malachi speaks of the Messiah as being like a “refiner’s fire” (Malachi 3:2). Jesus refers to believers as being the branches and to Himself as being the vine (John 15:1-17). For a vine to produce fruit, it must be pruned. Those who are truly “pure,” then, are those who have been declared innocent because of the work of Jesus and who are being sanctified by His refining fire and His pruning.
The Greek word for “heart” in Matthew 5:8 is kardeeah. This can be applied to the physical heart. But it also refers to the spiritual center of life. It is where thoughts, desires, sense of purpose, will, understanding, and character reside. So, to be pure in heart means to be blameless in who we actually are.
Being pure in heart involves having a singleness of heart toward God. A pure heart has no hypocrisy, no guile, no hidden motives. The pure heart is marked by transparency and an uncompromising desire to please God in all things. It is more than an external purity of behavior; it is an internal purity of soul.
The only way we can be truly pure in heart is to give our lives to Jesus and ask Him to do the cleansing work. Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” God is the one who makes our hearts pure – by the sacrifice of His Son and through His sanctifying work in our lives (see also 1 John 3:1-3).
The call to be “established in the faith” (Colossians 2:7, ESV) is as relevant today as when the apostle Paul first wrote it. The Christian life involves walking, growing, and standing firm in the faith. Believers must be rooted in Christ and the truth of His gospel. We must be established in the faith.
In the previous verse, Paul writes, “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him” (Colossians 2:6, ESV). The Colossians had accepted the gospel, so they must live by that truth. The metaphor of “walking” suggests an ongoing lifestyle marked by active obedience and dependence on Christ.
Walking in Christ entails being “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:7, ESV). Paul uses agricultural, architectural, and educational imagery to convey the depth and stability of a Christ-centered life.
Being rooted, built up, and established in the faith protects us from “philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition” (Colossians 2:8, ESV). Paul contrasts the emptiness of human wisdom with the fullness we possess in Christ (verses 9–10). Thus, being “established in the faith” protects us from manipulation, lies, and deceit.
The Greek word translated as “established” in Colossians 2:7 means “being made firm” or “confirmed.” God establishes us through the Holy Spirit, who ensures we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18, ESV). Knowing Christ is more than accumulating facts about Him; it is also about trusting Him and obeying His commands (John 14:15).
Trust and obedience are necessary to being established in the faith. The word faith here likely refers to the objective content of Christian doctrine, consistent with what we see in 1 Corinthians 16:13 and Jude 1:3. Paul wants us to be firmly grounded in gospel truth, not “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14, ESV).
To be established, then, is to be anchored in Christ and His gospel. It implies conviction, clarity, and commitment. Buildings are set on solid foundations, and trees have roots to withstand storms. Likewise, believers must be grounded in sound doctrine to stand firm in the faith.
Note the progression of metaphors in Colossians 2:7: rooted, built up, and established. This progression suggests mature faith. Conversion marks the moment we are “rooted” in Christ, “built up” implies an ongoing process of sanctification, and being “established in the faith” produces a steadfast conviction in Christ.
Being established in the faith results in joy and gratitude (Colossians 2:7). When we understand the riches of Christ and our secure standing in Him, our hearts will overflow with worship and praise. A grateful heart is a clear sign of being grounded in the gospel.
The need to be established in the faith is evident from Colossians 2:8, where Paul writes, “See to it that no one takes you captive.” False teachers will try to drag us away from Christ. Deceptive teachings often sound plausible, but they are dangerous because they diminish the supremacy of Christ and His gospel.
The Holy Spirit equips us to discern truth from error. Through the Spirit, we learn Scripture, understand sound doctrine, and consciously depend on Christ. As Paul reminded Timothy, “All Scripture is breathed out by God . . . that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV). Believers are established in the faith by God’s infallible and inerrant Word.
Jesus suffered severely throughout His trials, torture, and crucifixion (Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19). His suffering was physical: Isaiah 52:14 declares, “There were many who were appalled at Him—His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness.” His suffering was emotional: “All the disciples deserted him and fled” (Matthew 26:56). His suffering was spiritual: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus had the weight of the sins of the entire world on Him (1 John 2:2). It was our sin that caused Jesus to cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus’ brutal physical suffering was augmented by His having to bear the guilt of our sins and die to pay our penalty (Romans 5:8).
Isaiah predicted Jesus’ suffering: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3, 5). This passage specifies the reason for Jesus’ suffering: “for our transgressions,” for our healing, and to bring us peace.
Jesus told His disciples that His suffering was certain: “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Luke 9:22; cf. 17:25). Note the word must—He must suffer, and He must be killed. The suffering of Christ was God’s plan for the salvation of the world.
Psalm 22:14–18 details some of the suffering of the Messiah: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” In order for this and other prophecies to be fulfilled, Jesus had to suffer.
Why did Jesus have to suffer so badly? The principle of the innocent dying for the guilty was established in the garden of Eden: Adam and Eve received garments of animal skin to cover their shame (Genesis 3:21)—thus, blood was shed in Eden. Later, this principle was set in the Mosaic Law: “It is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11; cf. Hebrews 9:22). Jesus had to suffer because suffering is part of sacrifice, and Jesus was “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Jesus’ physical torture was part of the payment required for our sins. We are redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19).
Jesus’ suffering on the cross showed the devastating nature of sin, the wrath of God, the cruelty of humanity, and the hatred of Satan. At Calvary, mankind was allowed to do his worst to the Son of Man as He became the Redeemer of mankind. Satan may have thought he had won a great victory, but it was through the cross that the Son of God triumphed over Satan, sin, and death. “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out” (John 12:31; cf. Colossians 2:15).
Jesus suffered and died in order to secure salvation for all who would believe. The night of His arrest, as Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, He committed His all to the task: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). The cup of suffering was not taken from Christ; He drank it all for us. There was no other way for us to be saved.
Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). First Timothy is a letter from the apostle Paul to his young protégé, Timothy, to encourage him in his new role as a church leader. Chapter 6 begins with a description of true godliness. He warns Timothy about those who “think that godliness is a means to financial gain” (verse 5). He describes corrupt teachers who will divert believers from true faith in Christ by arguing over words, creating trivial controversies, and pursuing get-rich schemes. Paul clarifies the meaning of godliness and emphasizes that it is the opposite of what these trouble-makers portray it to be.
The heretical teaching that infiltrated the church in Timothy’s day is still prevalent in modern Christianity. We commonly hear of preachers and Christian figureheads using their positions of influence to amass unimaginable wealth so that they can live opulent lifestyles. They then teach that their success is the norm and a worthy goal that every believer in Christ should seek. They take God’s promises of blessing (Deuteronomy 28:2; Psalm 21:6; 128:2) and create a religion out of them. In some instances, Jesus is portrayed as a means to achieve all our hopes and dreams. Yet this is the very mindset we are warned against in 1 Timothy 6:9–10: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. . . . Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Rather than consider amassing wealth as great gain, Paul states that “godliness with contentment is great gain.” Christ-followers should focus their effort on pursuing holiness in conduct, attitude, and thought. They should choose to be content in whatever circumstances God has given them, just as Paul himself had done while in prison (Philippians 4:11–12). We are told to “flee from all this [eagerness to get rich], and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Contrary to what many popular health-and-wealth proponents would have us believe, the Bible warns us against pursuing riches (Proverbs 23:4; Matthew 6:19). It is impossible to be content when our hearts are set on gaining more. We will not remain godly for long if we are not content with what God has given us. A desire for godliness is quickly eroded by a greedy, covetous spirit.
The Bible never says that it is a sin to be rich. There are examples in Scripture of God blessing His servants with tremendous material wealth (Genesis 39:2; 1 Samuel 18:14; 2 Chronicles 1:11–12). But 1 Timothy 6:17 instructs the wealthy this way: “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.” The difference is in the heart. Both greed and contentment are states of the heart. When we choose to be content with the riches of Christ (Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 3:8) rather than pursue material riches, our lives will be more in line with God’s desire for us, because “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).
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.
The Bible clearly indicates that Judas was not saved. Jesus Himself said of Judas, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24). Here is a clear picture of the sovereignty of God and the will of man working together. God had, from ages past, determined that Christ would be betrayed by Judas, die on the cross for our sins, and be resurrected. This is what Jesus meant when He said He would “go just as it is written about him.” Nothing would stop the plan of God to provide salvation for mankind.
However, the fact that it was all foreordained does not excuse Judas or absolve him from the punishment he would suffer for his part in the drama. Judas made his own choices, and they were the source of his own damnation. Yet the choices fit perfectly into the sovereign plan of God. God controls not only the good, but also the evil of man to accomplish His own ends. Here we see Jesus condemning Judas, but considering that Judas travelled with Jesus for nearly three years, we know He also gave Judas ample opportunity for salvation and repentance. Even after his dreadful deed, Judas could have fallen on his knees to beg God’s forgiveness. But he did not. He may have felt some remorse born of fear, which caused him to return the money to the Pharisees, but he never repented, preferring instead to commit suicide (Matthew 27:5-8).
In John 17:12, Jesus prays concerning His disciples, “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” At one time, though, Judas believed that Jesus was a prophet, or possibly even believed He was the Messiah. Jesus sent the disciples out to proclaim the gospel and perform miracles (Luke 9:1-6). Judas was included in this group. Judas had faith, but it was not a true saving faith. Judas was never “saved,” but for a time he was a follower of Christ.
Barabbas is mentioned in all four gospels of the New Testament: Matthew 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; Luke 23:18–24; and John 18:40. His life intersects that of Christ at the trial of Jesus.
Jesus was standing before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who had already declared Jesus innocent of anything worthy of death (Luke 23:15). Pilate knew that Jesus was being railroaded and it was “out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him” (Mark 15:10), so he looked for a way to release Jesus and still keep the peace. Pilate offered the mob a choice: the release of Jesus or the release of Barabbas, a well-known criminal who had been imprisoned “for an insurrection in the city, and for murder” (Luke 23:19).
The release of a Jewish prisoner was customary before the feast of Passover (Mark 15:6). The Roman governor granted clemency to one criminal as an act of goodwill toward the Jews whom he governed. The choice Pilate set before them could not have been more clear-cut: a high-profile killer and rabble-rouser who was unquestionably guilty, or a teacher and miracle-worker who was demonstrably innocent. The crowd chose Barabbas to be released.
Pilate seems to have been surprised at the crowd’s insistence that Barabbas be set free instead of Jesus. The governor stated that the charges against Jesus were baseless (Luke 23:14) and appealed to the crowd three times to choose sensibly (verses 18–22). “But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed” (verse 23). Pilate released Barabbas and handed over Jesus to be scourged and crucified (verse 25).
In some manuscripts of Matthew 27:16–17, Barabbas is referred to as “Jesus Barabbas” (meaning “Jesus, son of Abba [Father]”). If Barabbas was also called “Jesus,” that would make Pilate’s offer to the crowd even more spiritually loaded. The choice was between Jesus, the Son of the Father; and Jesus, the Son of God. However, since many manuscripts do not contain the name “Jesus Barabbas,” we cannot be certain that was his name.
The story of Barabbas and his release from condemnation is a remarkable parallel to the story of every believer. We stood guilty before God and deserving of death (Romans 3:23; 6:23a). But then, due to no influence of our own, Jesus was chosen to die in our stead. He, the Innocent One, bore the punishment we rightly deserved. We, like Barabbas, were allowed to go free with no condemnation (Romans 8:1). And Jesus “suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18, ESV).
What happened to Barabbas after his release? The Bible gives no clue, and secular history does not help. Did he go back to his life of crime? Was he grateful? Did he eventually become a Christian? Was he affected at all by the prisoner exchange? No one knows. But the choices available to Barabbas are available to us all: surrender to God in grateful acknowledgment of what Christ has done for us, or spurn the gift and continue living apart from the Lord.
The title “son of perdition” is used twice in the New Testament, first in John 17:12 and again in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The phrase simply means “man doomed to destruction” and is not reserved for any one individual. In fact, there are two people to which the title “son of perdition” is applied. In context, John 17:12 is referring to Judas Iscariot, while 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is referring to the “man of lawlessness”—the Antichrist—who will appear in the end times before Christ’s return.
The word perdition means “eternal damnation” or “utter destruction.” It can also be used as a synonym for hell. When a person is called “son of perdition,” the connotation is that of a person in an unredeemable state, someone who is already damned while he is still alive. Jesus mentions the “son of perdition” in His high priestly prayer in John 17. While praying to the Father for His disciples, Jesus mentions that He “protected them and kept them safe” and that none of them were lost except the “son of perdition,” that is, the one who was already in a damned state. The fact that the phrase is used again to describe the Antichrist shows us that forgiveness was not planned for Judas. God could have saved Judas—moved his heart to repentance—but He chose not to. He was indeed “doomed to destruction.”
A good picture of a person who is a “son of perdition” appears in Hebrews 6:4–8, which describes a person who, like Judas, has experienced a certain closeness to God and has a good understanding of salvation, but then denies it. Instead of bearing good fruit, he bears “thorns and thistles.” This is a person who sees the path to salvation, which is trusting in God’s grace to cover sin (Ephesians 2:8–9), and instead either flatly denies the existence of God or denies God’s gift of salvation, preferring to pay his own debt. Judas chose the second path, punishing himself by suicide instead of accepting grace.
However, Judas and the Antichrist are extreme cases. It is never right for a human being to label another person a “son of perdition” because only God knows the ultimate future of each human soul. Only with these two individuals did God choose to reveal His plan for their eternal damnation. With every other person, no matter how lost or evil he may seem, we are to hope and pray for his redemption (1 Timothy 2:1).
Without a doubt one of the biggest questions in Christianity is “when will Jesus return?” Even a passing glance at the evening news makes it clear that the world is in desperate need for the return of the risen Savior. Another important question is “where will Jesus return?” The Bible seems to indicate that the exact location of Jesus’ second coming will be the Mount of Olives.
The Olivet Discourse
The Gospel of Matthew captures an important discussion that Jesus had with His disciples on the Mount of Olives, the multi-summit limestone ridge just east of the Old City of Jerusalem across from the Kidron Valley. This discussion, or sermon, is commonly referred to as the “Olivet Discourse.” The central topic was the end of the world as they knew it. Sparking the discourse was the disciples’ question to Jesus, “When will this [destruction of the temple] happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3).
Jesus then begins to discuss His return on that day. He gives this description: “As lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:23–27). Jesus is making clear that His return will be unlike that of any mere mortal—He will come with speed, brightness, and power, and the whole earth will see Him (see verse 30).
What will Jesus do when He returns?
Elsewhere in Scripture, we find other clues as to where Jesus will return. The first piece of business for Jesus upon His return will be to deal with those assembled to defeat Israel. Zechariah 14:2 tells us, “I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked.” Revelation 16:14 and 16tells us that “the battle on the great day of God Almighty” will be in “the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.” The exact location of Armageddon is unclear, as there is no single mountain called “Meggido.” However, interpretation of the term leads to “hill” and most likely the hill country surrounding the plain of Meggido, which is about sixty miles north of Jerusalem.
As soon as Jesus returns to earth, He sets out to defeat this confederation of nations seeking to eliminate His beloved Israel. As mentioned in Zechariah 14, the reason that God draws them together in one place is so He can battle them all at once, a strategy any commanding officer would appreciate. This “battle” isn’t much of a struggle, as Revelation 19:21 describes the enemies of God being “killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse”—Jesus wins the victory by simply speaking. Game, set, match.
Where exactly will Jesus stand?
After His monumental victory over the attacking nations, Jesus will stand on a specific location. Zechariah 14:4states, “On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.” The Mount of Olives is a fitting place for Jesus to return. Not only will He be standing on the very mountain where He preached the Olivet Discourse to His disciples, but that is also the place where He ascended into heaven after His resurrection (Acts 1:1–10).
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NASB).
With those few words—“from glory to glory”—Paul sums up our entire Christian life, from redemption and sanctification on earth, to our glorious eternal welcome into heaven. There is a great deal of content packed into those few words. It’s all so important that Paul labors at great length, from 2 Corinthians 2:14 through the end of chapter 5, to open his readers’ eyes to a great truth. Let’s see why that truth matters so much.
The same Greek word for “glory” is used twice in the phrase from glory to glory, yet each usage refers to something different. The first “glory” is that of the Old Covenant—the Law of Moses—while the second is that of the New Covenant, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Both have astonishing splendor.
The Old Covenant was given to Moses directly from God, written by God’s own finger (Exodus 31:18). That root of our Christian faith is glorious indeed; it’s the glory we’re coming “from.” Yet the New Covenant, the glory we’re going “to,” far surpasses that of the Old.
The transformation is from the glory of the Law. Like the stone it was written on, the Law was inflexible and absolute, applying to all Israelites without much regard for individual circumstances (Hebrews 10:28). Though holy, good, and righteous in itself (Romans 7:12), the Law was, for us sinners, the letter that kills us (2 Corinthians 3:6). The Law was an external force to control behavior. In addition, stone, despite its strength, is earthly and will eventually wear away. The Law was merely a temporary guardian (Galatians 3:23–25) until something better came along.
The transformation is to the glory of the New Covenant, which far surpasses the Old in every way. It forgives us of our sin and gives us sinners life (John 6:63). It is written on believers’ hearts by the Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3), so our obedience to God springs up from within us by God-given desires rather than by threats of legal punishment. In place of a cold set of writings as a guide for pleasing God, we now have Father, Son and Holy Spirit making their home with us, fellowshipping in loving intimacy, teaching us everything we must know and do (John 14:23; 16:13). That position in Christ is as permanent, eternal, and spiritual as God Himself, rather than temporary and earthly.
Paul is intent on directing Christians to focus on the spiritual glory of the New Covenant rather than the physical glory of the Old, as many Jews in his day refused to do. He compared the two types of glory by recalling how Moses absorbed and reflected God’s glory for a time after being in his presence (2 Corinthians 3:7–11, 13; cf. Exodus 34:29–35). Though Moses’ glow had a spiritual cause, there was nothing spiritual about the effect—any person, regardless of his relationship with God, could see the glow on Moses’ face, which he covered with a veil.
Not so the glory of the New Covenant. That can be seen only with a believer’s spiritual eyes—what Paul is doing his best to open, so that we discern the gospel’s glory. So he writes, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
But, as we move from glory to glory, there’s something even more important about the glory of the New Covenant that Christians must understand: its supernatural power to transform us. And that brings us to God’s ultimate purpose and destination for every believer, to transform us into the image of His own beloved Son (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:28–30; Philippians 3:20–21).
Before he finishes with the topic of being transformed from glory to glory, Paul presents yet one more astonishing claim: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
This is the invitation the Lord makes to all Christians, to have our lives radically transformed here and now, by opening our eyes to see the glorious journey He is taking us on “from glory to glory.”
The Parable of the Vineyard appears in three of the gospels (Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19), with Matthew’s account being the most complete. However, there are additions in the others; hence, it is wise to study all three accounts so as to achieve the greatest understanding. To get the context of what is happening, we need to look at Matthew 21:18. Early in the morning, Jesus goes to the temple courts to teach (21:23). While He is teaching, the chief priest and elders confront Him, wanting to know by what authority He is teaching. Not allowing them to control the conversation, Jesus answers the question by first asking a question (21:24-26). They do not like His question nor His response to their answer; essentially, He has told them that they can’t save face from their obvious attempt to cajole Him and, therefore, He is not obligated to answer their question (21:27). What Jesus told them is that John the Baptist and He received their authority from the same source. This exchange causes the leaders to become angry and puts them in opposition to Jesus. Jesus then further frustrates the priests by telling two parables: the first one is the Parable of the Two Sons, and the second is the Parable of the Vineyard, sometimes called the Parable of the Wicked Tenants.
The first parable Jesus teaches tells the priests that they have claimed to accept the message from God but they have failed to live up to it by being obedient. Outwardly, they are pious and appear to be people of God, but God knows the heart, and there they have failed miserably. The next parable (the Parable of the Vineyard) is like pouring salt on a wound. Just in case they didn’t fully understand (which they did), Jesus gives a much clearer picture of what He means. Obviously, this further infuriates the priests, but it also gives the others who were present an opportunity to hear Jesus fully explain the implications of the disobedience of the Jewish people throughout the ages.
Background: There are 6 main characters in this parable: 1) the landowner—God, 2) the vineyard—Israel, 3) the tenants/farmers—the Jewish religious leadership, 4) the landowner’s servants—the prophets who remained obedient and preached God’s word to the people of Israel, 5) the son—Jesus, and 6) the other tenants—the Gentiles. The imagery used is similar to Isaiah’s parable of the vineyard (it would be prudent to study this also) found in Isaiah chapter 5. The watchtower and the wall mentioned in verse 33 are means of protecting the vineyard and the ripened grapes. The winepress is obviously for stamping out the juice of the grapes to make the wine. The farmer was apparently away at the time of harvest and had rented the vineyard to the tenants. This was customary of the times, and he could expect as much as half of the grapes as payment by the tenants for use of his land.
Explanation: Verses 34-36 tell us the landowner sent his servants to collect his portion of the harvest and how they were cruelly rejected by the tenants; some were beaten, stoned, and even killed. Then he sent even more the second time and they received the same treatment. The servants sent represent the prophets that God had sent to His people/Israel and then were rejected and killed by the very people who were claiming to be of God and obedient to Him. Jeremiah was beaten (Jeremiah 26:7-11; 38:1-28), John the Baptist was killed (Matthew 14:1-12), and others were stoned (2 Chronicles 24:21). In this parable Jesus is not only reminding the religious establishment what they were like, but He was putting in their minds a question: how could they claim obedience as God’s people and still reject His messengers? We don’t know how many servants the owner sent, but that is not what is important; the theme is God’s repeated appeal through His prophets to an unrepentant people. In the next verses (37-39), the situation becomes even more critical. The landowner sends his own son, believing that they will surely respect him. But the tenants see an opportunity here; they believe that if they kill the son they will then receive his inheritance. The law at the time provided that if there were no heirs then the property would pass to those in possession (possession is nine tenths of the law). This amounts to conspiracy to commit murder by the Jewish leadership, and it is prophetic in the sense that Jesus is now telling them what they are going to do to Him (see Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16). After Jesus’ death, Peter would make the same charges against the religious establishment (Acts 4:8-12). The tenants probably thought that the fight for the property was over, but it wasn’t; the owner would now appear on the scene.
Jesus now (vs.40-41) asks the question, what will the owner do to the evil tenants? What He is doing is forcing the religious leaders/priests to declare their own miserable fate: condemnation for their blatant disobedience. This is similar to the question that Nathan put to David (2 Samuel 12:1-7). Up to this point, Jesus has been dealing with the immediate situation of Israel and its past disobedience; now Jesus leaves open the question of what Israel’s leadership is going to do with the Messiah, the Son of God, whom He refers to as the “chief cornerstone” (vs 42). Cornerstones and capstones are used symbolically in Scripture and picture Christ as the main piece of the foundation of the church and the head of the church, respectively. Jesus is the beginning of and is foundational to the church, and He now stands over the church in His rightful position of honor, guiding the church to fulfill its divine destiny. This verse makes clear prophetically how Jesus will be rejected by the religious establishment and ultimately be crucified (see Psalm 118:22-23).
The key to understanding this parable and what it says about the religious leaders is found in verse 43, where Jesus makes their lack of obedience personal. Jesus tells the leaders that because of their disobedience they will be left out of the kingdom of heaven (individually and as a people); that they have let their opportunity for the time being slip away to be given to the Gentiles (see verse 41, “other tenants”). This will be more than they can tolerate, as we will see in verses 45 and 46. He is saying that there will be a new people of God made up of all peoples who will temporarily replace the Jews so that Jesus can establish His church. This will change the way God deals with man, from the old dispensation of the law to a new dispensation of God’s grace. It will usher in a period of time where man will no longer understand forgiveness of sins as man’s work through what he does or doesn’t do or by the sacrifices of animals on the altar, but by the work of Christ on the cross. It will be a time where each individual can have a personal and saving relationship with the One and only God of the universe. The exciting part of the verse is the phrase “who will produce fruit”; this gives authority to the church to share the gospel of Christ to the lost of the world. Up to this time, the Jews felt that they had automatic membership in God’s kingdom because of their relationship to Abraham; this is why they put so much emphasis on genealogies. But the new people of God would truly have what God wanted for Israel all along: a personal and holy relationship that would be honored through the spreading of God’s word to all peoples (see Exodus 19:5-6).
Jesus continues the stone metaphor in verse 44 to show how a stone can be used to build something beautiful, such as His church, or it can be used to crush and destroy, depending on the situation. This could be likened to God’s word: to some it is salvation, peace and comfort. To others it is foolish and disconcerting because of its ability to convict man of his sins (2 Timothy 3:16).
Verses 45 and 46 give us three insights into the psyche of the chief priest of the religious establishment. 1) They are jealous and envious of Jesus’ popularity with the common people. This encroaches on their authority and power to govern. 2) They have come to the realization that Jesus is talking about them. This hurts their pride and embarrasses them in front of the people. 3) They understood the analogy of the son and that Jesus was referring to Himself. This would be blasphemous to them, and they would now seek to kill Jesus. From here the leaders would meet in secrecy to plot how they would get rid of Jesus. Why all the secrecy? The people thought of Jesus as a prophet from God; arresting Him could cause an uprising. An uprising would jeopardize the leaders’ relationship with the Roman authorities, something that the Jews did not want at any cost.
Application: We apply this parable to our lives by asking two questions; first, have you come to know Christ as your Lord and Savior, or have you rejected Him like the Jewish leadership did? The process is simple, as long as you are sincere in seeking a relationship with Christ. You need to recognize your sins, and then accept Christ as the only One who can save you from the penalty of your sins. Second, if you are a believer, what have you done with Jesus? Are you like the bad tenants, rejecting His Word and living a life of disobedience? If you are, you need to study God’s Word and pray for guidance, seeking His will for your life and living out that will as best as you can, moment by moment, day by day.
The heart of Psalm 116—a song of thanksgiving—is a deeply personal love story born of salvation. The psalmist has come to realize how intimately God cares for him, especially in matters of life and death: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints,” says Psalm 116:15 (ESV). The New Living Translation expresses the meaning more naturally to modern readers: “The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die.”
Taken out of context, one might wonder if “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” implies that God delights or finds some satisfaction when His followers die. But if we consider the psalmist’s recent and narrow escape from death, the phrase’s true significance emerges.
The author of Psalm 116 describes a near-death struggle: “Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow” (Psalm 116:3, NLT). But when the psalmist calls on the Lord for help, God answers his prayer: “He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling” (Psalm 116:8, NLT). In response to the Lord’s goodness, the psalmist promises to praise God for His compassionate concern and vows to serve Him faithfully.
The word translated as “precious” means “of high worth, value, or cost.” In the original Hebrew, the term rendered “saints” refers to the Lord’s faithful followers—those who love and serve God actively and commit themselves to a covenantal relationship with Him. Thus, the statement “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” reveals that God is not indifferent about how and when His faithful servants die. “How painful it is to the Lord,” says Today’s English Version.
Just as our “lives are precious to him” (Psalm 72:14, NIV), so is the ending of our lives. God does not regard the death of one of His beloved children lightly. If it is not our appointed time to die, the Lord will hasten to protect us. “Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign LORD rescues us from death,” says Psalm 68:20 (NLT). The moment and circumstances of our death will not take God by surprise. Scripture says, “All my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began” (Psalm 139:16, HCSB). The Lord knows how, when, and where we will die. He cares deeply about every circumstance we face, and particularly the crucial moment of our death.
God watches fiercely over His servants, says Isaiah 54:17: “‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.” Through Zechariah, God affirms, “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession” (Zechariah 2:8, NLT). Like the apostle Paul, we can be confident that God will keep us alive until our work for Him is done (Philippians 1:22–25). We can trust as Jesus did that no one will lay a hand on us until our time has come (John 7:30; 8:20).
When the psalmist was fighting for his life in the “snares of death,” his prayer got God’s attention. His life-and-death predicament was precious in the eyes of the Lord. When we undergo life-threatening experiences, we can know that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12). We can trust that God will come to our defense, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). Our lives and our deaths are matters of deep concern for God.
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).
Psalm 142 follows the standard pattern of an individual psalm of complaint. The author, David, is being hunted and hiding out in a cave. His faith is stretched almost to its limit. Amid his soul-wrenching pleas for mercy and help, David cries to the Lord in hope-filled expectation of deliverance: “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living” (Psalm 142:5).
When David described the Lord as “my portion in the land of the living,” he used an adapted version of a longstanding tradition from the tribe of Levi. God divided and distributed the Promised Land among the twelve tribes of Israel, but the Levites were not given a share (Deuteronomy 10:8–9). Instead, they were set apart to tend to the ark of the covenant and serve in the tabernacle. As priests, they were to be supported by a share of the people’s offerings.
The Lord said to the Levites, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel” (Numbers 18:20, ESV). Later, the confession “the Lord is my portion” began to appear in the prayers and psalms of the people of Israel: “LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure” (Psalm 16:5; see also Lamentations 3:24). When the psalmist acknowledged, “You are my portion, LORD,” he meant that God was the basis of his existence and everything he needed (Psalm 119:57).
The full force of David’s phrase my portion is brought to light in the New Living Translation: “Then I pray to you, O LORD. I say, ‘You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life’” (Psalm 142:5, NLT).
The word portion can also refer to that which is near and dear to a person. The people of Israel are called the portion of the Lord: “For the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:9). Likewise, God is Israel’s portion: “He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things, including Israel, the people of his inheritance—the LORD Almighty is his name” (Jeremiah 10:16). The Lord has chosen us to be His portion, and we have chosen Him to be ours.
Traced back to the Levite tradition, the land of the living refers to the land of Israel, the territory God gave as an inheritance to all the tribes except Levi. With no physical land to claim as a source of provision, the Levites professed, “I have no other support for my existence but the help that comes from you, God.” This psalm of Asaph apprehends the sentiment: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25–26).
“The land of the living” is this present world in which we live. It speaks of life on this side of the grave. In Psalm 27:13, David remained confident that he would “see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” He believed that God would hear his cries and answer his prayer before he died. Therefore, he would wait for the Lord and trust in Him (Psalm 27:14).
Wisdom literature describes a person’s “portion” as one’s lot in life (Job 20:29; 27:13; Ecclesiastes 9:9). God becomes our portion in the land of the living when we confess and agree with David that God is all we want and need in this present life: “LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine” (Psalm 16:5, NLT).
Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The Lord is our all-sufficient portion. God fills himself; and if God is all-sufficient in himself, he must be all-sufficient for us. It is not easy to satisfy man’s desires. . . . But all that we can wish for is to be found in our divine portion” (Morning and Evening: Daily Readings, November 16, London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1896). When we, like David, can say, “Lord, You are my portion in the land of the living,” it means we trust God with the whole of our lives. We delight ourselves and are satisfied in Him because He is our all in all (Psalm 37:4; Ecclesiastes 5:18–20).
Typology is a special kind of symbolism. (A symbol is something that represents something else.) We can define a type as a “prophetic symbol” because all types are representations of something yet future. More specifically, a type in Scripture is a person or thing in the Old Testament that foreshadows a person or thing in the New Testament. For example, the flood of Noah’s day (Genesis 6—7) is used as a type of baptism in 1 Peter 3:20–21. The word for “type” that Peter uses is figure.
When we say that someone is a type of Christ, we are saying that a person in the Old Testament behaves in a way that corresponds to Jesus’ character or actions in the New Testament. When we say that something is “typical” of Christ, we are saying that an object or event in the Old Testament can be viewed as representative of some quality of Jesus.
Scripture itself identifies several Old Testament events as types of Christ’s redemption, including the tabernacle, the sacrificial system, and the Passover. The Old Testament tabernacle is identified as a type in Hebrews 9:8-9: “The first tabernacle . . . which was a figure for the time then present.” The high priest’s entrance into the holiest place once a year prefigured the mediation of Christ, our High Priest. Later, the veil of the tabernacle is said to be a type of Christ (Hebrews 10:19-20) in that His flesh was torn, (as the veil was when He was crucified) in order to provide entrance into God’s presence for those who are covered by His sacrifice.
The whole sacrificial system is seen as a type in Hebrews 9:19-26. The articles of the “first testament” were dedicated with the blood of sacrifice; these articles are called “the patterns of things in the heavens” and “figures of the true” (verses 23-24). This passage teaches that the Old Testament sacrifices typify Christ’s final sacrifice for the sins of the world. The Passover is also a type of Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 5:7, “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” Discovering exactly what the events of the Passover teach us about Christ is a rich and rewarding study.
We should point out the difference between an illustration and a type. A type is always identified as such in the New Testament. A Bible student finding correlations between an Old Testament story and the life of Christ is simply finding illustrations, not types. In other words, typology is determined by Scripture. The Holy Spirit inspired the use of types; illustrations and analogies are the result of man’s study. For example, many people see parallels between Joseph (Genesis 37-45) and Jesus. The humiliation and subsequent glorification of Joseph seem to correspond to the death and resurrection of Christ. However, the New Testament never uses Joseph as a model of Christ; therefore, Joseph’s story is properly called an illustration, but not a type, of Christ.
Many times in Scripture, God’s people are encouraged to seek the face of God. A familiar verse declares, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). If we can’t see God’s face, how do we seek God’s face?
The Hebrew word for “face” in the Old Testament is often translated “presence.” When we seek the face of God, we are seeking His presence. The call to seek God’s face was issued to His people because they had abandoned Him and needed to return to Him.
A person’s face reveals much about his or her character and personality. We see the inward emotions of a person expressed outwardly on the face. We recognize a person by looking at his or her face. In a sense, one’s face represents the whole person. For the writers of the Bible, the human face could represent the entire person.
In Psalm 105:4, God’s faithful ones were called to “seek his face always.” Even if we have not abandoned God, there are times when we neglect to pursue Him. God’s face, His holy character, is often obscured by our human condition and fleshly desires. That is why the Lord urges us to seek His face continually. The Lord desires to be our constant companion in every experience of life. He wants us to know Him through and through. If we draw close to Him, God will draw close to us: “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world” (James 4:8, NLT).
When we approach God in prayer, we are seeking His face: “Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob” (Psalm 24:3–6).
The true nature of worship is to seek God’s face. The Christian walk is a life devoted to seeking God’s presence and favor. The Lord wants us to humbly and trustingly seek His face in our prayers and in our times in His Word. It requires intimacy to look intently into someone’s face. Pursuing God’s face is equivalent to developing an intimate relationship with Him: “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!” (Psalm 63:1–3, NLT).
Having God’s face smile on us is an expression of His blessing, love, and favor: “May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:25, NLT; see also Psalm 80:3, 7, 19). When we draw close to God, we are blessed with His shining favor. We do not pursue Him only to give Him a list of wants and needs because we know God is already aware of what we need (Matthew 6:7–8, 32–33). We trust that He will take care of us.
Seeking God’s face means desiring to know His character and wanting Him—His presence—more than any other thing He can give us.
When we ask Why
God
tests us or allows us
to be tested,
we are admitting that testing does indeed come from Him. When God tests His children, He does a valuable thing. David sought God’s testing, asking Him to examine his heart and mind and see that they were true to Him (Psalm 26:2; 139:23). When Abram was tested by God in the matter of sacrificing Isaac, Abram obeyed (Hebrews 11:17–19) and showed to all the world that he is the father of faith (Romans 4:16).
In both the Old and New Testaments, the words translated “test” mean “to prove by trial.” Therefore, when God tests His children, His purpose is to prove that our faith is real. Not that God needs to prove it to Himself since He knows all things, but He is proving to us that our faith is real, that we are truly His children, and that no trial will overcome our faith.
In His Parable of the Sower, Jesus identifies the ones who fall away as those who receive the seed of God’s Word with joy, but, as soon as a time of testing comes along, they fall away. James says that the testing of our faith develops perseverance, which leads to maturity in our walk with God (James 1:3–4). James goes on to say that testing is a blessing, because, when the testing is over and we have “stood the test,” we will “receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). Testing comes from our heavenly Father who works all things together for good for those who love Him and who are called to be the children of God (Romans 8:28).
The testing or trials we undergo come in various ways. Becoming a Christian will often require us to move out of our comfort zones and into the unknown. Perseverance in testing results in spiritual maturity and completeness. This is why James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2). The testing of faith can come in small ways and daily irritations; they may also be severe afflictions (Isaiah 48:10) and attacks from Satan (Job 2:7). Whatever the source of the testing, it is to our benefit to undergo the trials that God allows.
The account of Job is a perfect example of God’s allowing one of His saints to be tested by the devil. Job bore all his trials patiently and “did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (Job 1:22). However, the account of Job’s testing is proof that Satan’s ability to try us is limited by God’s sovereign control. No demon can test or afflict us with beyond what God has ordained. All our trials work toward God’s perfect purpose and our benefit.
There are many examples of the positive results of being tested. The psalmist likens our testing to being refined like silver (Psalm 66:10). Peter speaks of our faith as “of greater worth than gold,” and that’s why we “suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1:6–7). In testing our faith, God causes us to grow into strong disciples who truly live by faith and not by what we see (2 Corinthians 5:7).
When we experience the storms of life, we should be like the tree that digs its roots ever more deeply for a greater grip in the earth. We must “dig our roots” more deeply into God’s Word and cling to His promises so we can weather whatever storms come against us.
Most comforting of all, we know that God will never allow us to be tested beyond what we are able to handle by His power. His grace is sufficient for us, and His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10). “That is why,” Paul said, “for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
The writer of Hebrews informs readers that God’s Word is more than simply a historical record of events and people: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
In this passage, Word of God refers to His revelation in a general sense, meaning any method God uses to communicate with humans. Our primary exposure is through His written Word, the Bible. We learn in Scripture that the Word of God is alive and active—it not only lives but works. Let’s explore these two characteristics of God’s revelation to humankind.
The original Greek word translated here as “living” means “to have life” or “alive.” The Word of God is alive because God is a living God (Hebrews 3:12). Jesus said, “The very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63, NLT). In the parable of the sower, Jesus compared God’s Word to seed (Matthew 13:1–23). Seed, like the Word, is a living organism that, when spread and planted in fertile soil, produces abundant life.
Christians are made alive spiritually and eternally because we are “born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God” (1 Peter 1:23). Believers “enter God’s eternal rest” (receive God’s free gift of salvation by grace through faith alone and not by self-effort, Ephesians 2:8–9) through the life-giving power of God’s Word. This truth is the main point the writer of Hebrews has been driving home in the previous verses (Hebrew 4:1–11), that no one can enter God’s true rest except those in whom God’s message has taken deep root and complete control. God does the work of salvation by the power of His Word when we submit to God’s dominion and trust Him to save us through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
The term active in Hebrews 4:12 means “effective, powerful, producing or capable of producing an intended result.” The Word of God is vibrant, dynamic, energizing, and productive. It is not static or idle in the lives of genuine believers. The apostle Paul explained that the Word of God is “at work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
God’s Word is powerful, not only to give life, but also to deliver warnings and bring judgment and punishment to the disobedient: “Is not my Word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29, ESV).
God’s living Word is not something to read or listen to passively and then forget. James taught Christians to look “intently into the perfect law that gives freedom” and to focus on it by doing what it says (James 1:23–25). Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NLT). If we let God’s message do its work deep inside, it will change our character and behavior.
Astonishing, life-generating things happen when God’s Word goes forth. It is fully capable of accomplishing its purpose: “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (Isaiah 55:11, NLT). On the Day of Pentecost, when Peter preached the message of salvation in Jesus Christ, those who heard it “were cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37), and about three thousand people were saved (Acts 2:41).
The author of Hebrews described the Word of God as “sharper than any double-edged sword.” Paul called it “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). This sword imagery also appears in Isaiah 49:2, Revelation 1:16, and Revelation 2:12. As a sharp, double-bladed sword, the Word of God is our definitive offensive weapon against the assaults of a spiritual enemy. When Satan tempted our Lord in the wilderness, Jesus wielded the sword of God’s Word to counter the devil’s attacks (Matthew 4:4). His example teaches us to do the same.
The vital power of God’s message exists in its ability to pierce and penetrate the innermost depths of the human soul. It can cut through any obstacle to access and inspect our unspoken thoughts and hidden secrets (Matthew 10:26; Luke 8:17; 12:2; Mark 4:22). It can cross-examine and judge the attitudes of our hearts.
Because the Word of God is living and active, Peter encouraged Christians to pay close attention to it (2 Peter 1:19). May we let it be a lamp to guide our feet and a light to illuminate our path through this life (Psalm 119:105).
In Hebrews 11, we learn about faith from the Bible’s Old Testament heroes. One crucial detail stands out in their lives: they placed their whole confidence in God, entrusting themselves into His hands. The actions and accomplishments of these men and women proved that faith pleases God, and He rewards those who seek Him: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
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.
First Peter 2:2 reads, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” In the previous verse, Peter had urged his readers to rid themselves of sinful behaviors and the desires of the natural man. As they laid aside “all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind” (verse 1), they were to strive for spiritual milk like babies.
Every nursing mother knows the intensity of babies looking for milk, crying until they are satisfied. Experts have shown that a mother’s milk benefits her baby in many ways, including aiding brain development, promoting healthy weight, and bolstering antibodies (www.healthline.com/health/breastfeeding/11-benefits-of-breastfeeding#benefits-for-you). Peter employs this analogy to convey that, as Christians, our overall spiritual growth and well-being hinge on receiving “pure spiritual milk.” But what exactly is this spiritual milk?
Elsewhere, Scripture uses milk as a metaphor for the basic essentials of the gospel and Christian living. In Hebrews 5:12–14, the writer speaks of milk and solid food to encourage readers to move beyond “the elementary truths of God’s word” (verse 12). Paul likewise references milk in 1 Corinthians 3:1–3 in a rebuke to his immature readers. However, Peter uses the term spiritual milk positively, encouraging his readers to feed continually on it.
The “pure spiritual milk” constitutes God’s complete, special revelation, encapsulated in what we now know as the Bible. Some translations, such as the KJV, render the phrase as the “sincere milk of the word.” The Word can also symbolize Christ (John 1:1–5), implying that our craving should extend to deeper knowledge of Christ and closer fellowship with Him. In essence, growth comes as we feed on the written Word and fellowship with the living Word.
The directive in 1 Peter 2:2 is active and imperative, signifying that it is our responsibility to yearn for pure spiritual milk. We are to read, meditate upon, and study God’s written Word both individually and in the company of fellow believers. We should also engage in communion with the living Word and cultivate a deeper understanding of His person and work. Through these activities, we progress toward becoming more like Jesus in character and conduct. We will “grow up in [our] salvation” (1 Peter 2:2b).
Bible-based sermons are also helpful, as are Christian books and Christ-centered songs. Sound teachers facilitate a deeper understanding of God’s Word and rekindle a zeal for more. Well-written Christian books can provide insight into the knowledge of Christ, while songs enhance fellowship and remind us of the beauty found in Christ.
Peter’s instructions serve as a reminder that what we crave and consume profoundly impacts our spiritual growth. The world’s “milk” is impure and only gratifies our sinful desires. False teachings are, at best, spiritual junk and, at worst, poison. We must hunger for pure, unadulterated spiritual nourishment.
Psalm 34 is an acrostic poem; in this case, each line of verse begins with a different Hebrew letter, arranged in alphabetical order. The primary purpose of the psalm is to teach moral lessons about God. Its theme highlights God’s constant care for His people. In verse 8, the psalm’s author, David, invites readers to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” What does it mean to taste and see that the Lord is good?
To taste involves testing or sampling; to see involves understanding or perceiving. The phrase taste and see, then, means “try and experience.” David urges God’s people to discover the goodness of the Lord by personal trial and experience it for themselves. He doesn’t want readers to merely take his word for it that the Lord is good; he wants them to actively to experience and know for themselves the fact that God is good.
Humans associate taste with pleasure and satisfaction. Bible commentator Matthew Henry elaborates on this idea: “Let God’s goodness be rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel.” When David says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” he is calling us to figuratively take a bite—to try for ourselves by our own experience—and find out exactly how satisfyingly good God is. The apostle Peter applies the same language in 1 Peter 2:3 when he says, “You have tasted that the Lord is good.”
Tasting must happen before seeing; that is, our spiritual experiences bring us to spiritual enlightenment and understanding. David desires others to “taste and see.” He wants them to experience what he has experienced so that they can know what he has come to know, the soul-sustaining goodness of the Lord.
Psalm 34 goes on to outline examples of God’s incredible goodness to those who take refuge in Him: He takes care of their every need (verses 8–10); He provides them with a good, long life (verses 11–15); He is with them through troubles and saves them from their enemies (verses 17–22). Those who taste and see that the Lord is good will know His provision.
Believers in Jesus experience tastes of God’s goodness and grace when we observe the beauty of His creation or recognize His blessings of provision, protection, and care. We taste and see His goodness when we contemplate His holiness and infinite righteousness. We delight in His goodness when we appreciate the cost of Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation.
To taste and see that the Lord is good, we must trust God and seek Him as our sole source of protection and provision. The only way to genuinely taste and see that the Lord is good is to put the matter to the test, to try and experience His goodness for ourselves.
In the Bible, there are examples of both an acceptable and unacceptable kind of testing God. It’s acceptable to “test” God in regard to tithes and offerings, for example, but unacceptable when the test is rooted in doubt.
Malachi 3:10 says, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” This is the only situation given in the Bible in which God tells His people to “test” Him. Interestingly, the Hebrew word used for “test” in this verse is bachan, which means “to examine, scrutinize, or prove (as in gold, persons, or the heart).” Just as gold is “tested” with fire to prove its quality, God invites Israel to test Him in tithes and offerings and see that He proves His faithfulness in response.
There is another Hebrew word for “test” used elsewhere in the Bible. Nasah means “to put to the test, try, or tempt.” It is used in Deuteronomy 6:16, where God commands Israel to not test Him: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah.”
This second, unacceptable kind of testing is when doubt leads us to demand something of God to prove Himself to us. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 in the wilderness, in response to one of Satan’s temptations. “The devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”’” (Matthew 4:5–7). Essentially, the devil was telling Jesus to “prove” God’s Word was true by forcing God’s hand—if Jesus was in peril, God would have to save Him. Jesus refused to test God in such a way. We are to accept God’s Word by faith, without requiring a sign (see Luke 11:29). God’s promises are there for us when we need them; to manipulate situations in an attempt to coerce God into fulfilling His promises is evil.
The occasion where the Israelites tested God at Massah is found in Exodus 17. As God was leading Moses and His people toward the Promised Land, they camped at a place where there was no water. The Israelites’ immediate reaction was to grumble against God and quarrel with Moses (Exodus 17:1–3). Their lack of trust in God to take care of them is evident in their accusations toward Moses: “They said, ‘Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?’” (Exodus 17:3). The Israelites were obviously in a situation where they needed God to intervene. The point at which they tested God, though, is when doubt and fear overtook them and they came to the conclusion that God had abandoned them (see Exodus 17:7). They questioned God’s reliability because He was not meeting their expectations.
The difference between these two kinds of testing God is faith. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). The Israelites at Massah tested God because they lacked faith in Him. The Israelites in Malachi’s day were invited to test God because they had faith in Him.
Faith, by definition, takes risk. When true faith is present, obedience follows. It is that faith-inspired action of obedience that God loves. As seen in the example of Israel’s tithes and offerings, when we give out of our faith in who God is, He proves Himself to be faithful. By contrast, when we view God through our doubt and demand something of Him as a way of determining whether or not He can be trusted, we’re in danger of testing God (see Mark 8:11–12).
Agnus Dei is a Latin term. Translated into English, it is “Lamb of God.”
The biblical basis for this imagery is found in John 1:29: “John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” and in Revelation 5:9–14, where the Lamb who has been slain is worshiped: “‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on 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, for ever and ever!’ The four living creatures said, ‘Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshiped.”
The imagery in Revelation 5 captures both the sacrifice and the victory of Christ, the Lamb. He is not only the slain Agnus Dei but also the victorious, risen, conquering Agnus Dei.
The term Agnus Dei has become semi-technical in church history and liturgy and can refer to two things:
1. A figure of a lamb with a halo and bearing a cross or banner. This symbol for Christ is often found in church artwork and stained glass windows.
2. A prayer to Christ, which is part of the Roman Catholic liturgy.
• In Latin: “Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.”
• In English: “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.”
Singer and songwriter Michael W. Smith has written and arranged a modern hymn that bears the name Agnus Dei. The song, which contains the refrain, “Worthy is the Lamb,” has become quite popular in churches.
While Catholics and Evangelicals agree that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, there is a difference in application that is worth noting:
In Roman Catholic theology, the Agnus Dei is a prayer for mercy as one would plead for leniency before a judge, not knowing the final outcome. For the faithful Catholic, this prayer is part of the cycle of sin, confession, and penance by which grace is gradually infused so that, over time, the sinner becomes righteous enough so that God may be justified in saving him or her.
For the Evangelical who has trusted in Christ for salvation, the Agnus Dei prayer as it is worded in the liturgy would take on a different meaning. The Evangelical knows that he or she has already been shown mercy and is at peace with God though faith in Christ. So, for him, this prayer would take on a tone of thanksgiving for the blessings already received. Perhaps the following wording would reflect better theology: “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, thank you for your mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, thank you for your peace.”
The phrase “holy, holy, holy” appears twice in the Bible, once in the Old Testament (Isaiah 6:3) and once in the New (Revelation 4:8). Both times, the phrase is spoken or sung by heavenly creatures, and both times it occurs in the vision of a man who was transported to the throne of God: first by the prophet Isaiah and then by the apostle John. Before addressing the three-fold repetition of God’s holiness, it’s important to understand what exactly is meant by God’s holiness.
The holiness of God is the most difficult of all God’s attributes to explain, partly because it is one of His essential attributes that is not shared, inherently, by man. We are created in God’s image, and we can share many of His attributes, to a much lesser extent, of course—love, mercy, faithfulness, etc. But some of God’s attributes, such as omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence, will never be shared by created beings. Similarly, holiness is not something that we will possess as an inherent part of our nature; we only become holy in relationship to Christ. It is an imputed holiness. Only in Christ do we “become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). God’s holiness is what separates Him from all other beings, what makes Him separate and distinct from everything else. God’s holiness is more than just His perfection or sinless purity; it is the essence of His “other-ness,” His transcendence. God’s holiness embodies the mystery of His awesomeness and causes us to gaze in wonder at Him as we begin to comprehend just a little of His majesty.
Isaiah was a firsthand witness of God’s holiness in his vision described in Isaiah 6. Even though Isaiah was a prophet of God and a righteous man, his reaction to the vision of God’s holiness was to be aware of his own sinfulness and to despair for his life (Isaiah 6:5). Even the angels in God’s presence, those who were crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty,” covered their faces and feet with four of their six wings. Covering the face and feet no doubt denotes the reverence and awe inspired by the immediate presence of God (Exodus 3:4–5). The seraphim stood covered, as if concealing themselves as much as possible, in recognition of their unworthiness in the presence of the Holy One. And if the pure and holy seraphim exhibit such reverence in the presence of the Lord, with what profound awe should we, polluted and sinful creatures, presume to draw near to Him! The reverence shown to God by the angels should remind us of our own presumption when we rush thoughtlessly and irreverently into His presence, as we often do because we do not understand His holiness.
John’s vision of the throne of God in Revelation 4 was similar to that of Isaiah. Again, there were living creatures around the throne crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty” (Revelation 4:8) in reverence and awe of the Holy One. John goes on to describe these creatures giving glory and honor and reverence to God continually around His throne. Interestingly, John’s reaction to the vision of God in His throne is different from Isaiah’s. There is no record of John falling down in terror and awareness of his own sinful state, perhaps because John had already encountered the risen Christ at the beginning of his vision (Revelation 1:17). Christ had placed His hand upon John and told him not to be afraid. In the same way, we can approach the throne of grace if we have the hand of Christ upon us in the form of His righteousness, exchanged for our sin at the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21).
But why the three-fold repetition “holy, holy, holy” (called the trihagion)? The repetition of a name or an expression three times was quite common among the Jews. In Jeremiah 7:4, the Jews are represented by the prophet as saying, “The temple of the Lord” three times, expressing their intense confidence in their own worship, even though it was hypocritical and corrupt. Jeremiah 22:29, Ezekiel 21:27, and 2 Samuel 18:33 contain similar three-fold expressions of intensity. Therefore, when the angels around the throne call or cry to one another, “Holy, holy, holy,” they are expressing with force and passion the truth of the supreme holiness of God, that essential characteristic which expresses His awesome and majestic nature.
In addition, the trihagion expresses the triune nature of God, the three Persons of the Godhead, each equal in holiness and majesty. Jesus Christ is the Holy One who would not “see decay” in the grave, but would be resurrected to be exalted at the right hand of God (Acts 2:26; 13:33-35). Jesus is the “Holy and Righteous One” (Acts 3:14) whose death on the cross allows us to stand before the throne of our holy God unashamed. The third Person of the trinity—the Holy Spirit—by His very name denotes the importance of holiness in the essence of the Godhead.
Finally, the two visions of the angels around the throne crying, “Holy, holy, holy,” clearly indicates that God is the same in both testaments. Often we think of the God of the Old Testament as a God of wrath and the God of the New Testament as a God of love. But Isaiah and John present a unified picture of our holy, majestic, awesome God who does not change (Malachi 3:6), who is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and “with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning” (James 1:17). God’s holiness is eternal, just as He is eternal.
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4–5). This is known as the Shema, taken from the first word “hear” in Hebrew. Modern Jews consider the recital of the Shema both evening and morning to be one of their most sacred duties. It was cited by Jesus as the “greatest commandment in the Law” (Matthew 22:36–37).
This command seems to be impossible to obey. That’s because, in the natural state of man, it is impossible. There is no greater evidence of the inability of man to obey God’s Law than this one commandment. No human being with a fallen nature can possibly love God with all his heart, soul, and strength 24 hours a day. It’s humanly impossible. But to disobey any commandment of God is sin. Therefore, even without considering the sins we commit daily, we are all condemned by our inability to fulfill this one commandment. This is the reason Jesus continually reminded the Pharisees of their inability to keep the Law of God. He was trying to get them to see their utter spiritual bankruptcy and their need for a Savior. Without the cleansing of sin that He provides, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit who lives in the hearts of the redeemed, loving God to any degree is impossible.
But, as Christians, we have been cleansed from sin and we do have the Spirit. So how do we begin to love God the way we should? Just as the man in Mark 9:24 asked God to help his unbelief, so too we can ask God to help us in areas where we don’t love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is His power that we need to do the impossible, and we begin by seeking and appropriating that power.
In most cases, our love and affection for God grows more intense as time goes by. Certainly, young Christians newly saved are very much aware of the love of God and their love for Him. But it is through the witness of God’s faithfulness during times of struggle and trial that a deep love for God grows and grows. Over time, we witness His compassion, mercy, grace, and love for us, as well as His hatred for sin, His holiness, and His righteousness. We cannot love someone we don’t know, so knowing Him should be our first priority. Those who pursue God and His righteousness, who take seriously the command to love Him above all else, are those who are consumed with the things of God. They are eager to study God’s Word, eager to pray, eager to obey and honor God in all things, and eager to share Jesus Christ with others. It is through these spiritual disciplines that the love for God grows and matures to the glory of God.
The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds, or Tares, is filled with spiritual significance and truth. But, in spite of the clear explanation of the parable that Jesus gave (Matthew 13:36-43), this parable is very often misinterpreted. Many commentaries and sermons have attempted to use this story as an illustration of the condition of the church, noting that there are both true believers (the wheat) and false professors (the weeds) in both the church at large and individual local churches. While this may be true, Jesus distinctly explains that the field is not the church; it is the world (v. 38).
Even if He hadn’t specifically told us the world is the setting of the story, it would still be obvious. The landowner tells the servants not to pull up the weeds in the field, but to leave them until the end of the age. If the field were the church, this command would directly contradict Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18, which tells us how to deal with unrepentant sinners in the church: they are to be put out of the fellowship and treated as unbelievers. Jesus never instructed us to let impenitent sinners remain in our midst until the end of the age. So, Jesus is teaching here about “the kingdom of heaven” (v. 24) in the world.
In the agricultural society of Christ’s time, many farmers depended on the quality of their crops. An enemy sowing weeds would have sabotaged a business. The tares in the parable were likely darnel because that weed, until mature, appears as wheat. Without modern weed killers, what would a wise farmer do in such a dilemma? Instead of tearing out the wheat with the tares, the landowner in this parable wisely waited until the harvest. After harvesting the whole field, the tares could be separated and burned. The wheat would be saved in the barn.
In the explanation of the parable, Christ declares that He Himself is the sower. He spreads His redeemed seed, true believers, in the field of the world. Through His grace, these Christians bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24). Their presence on earth is the reason the “kingdom of heaven” is like the field of the world. When Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17), He meant the spiritual realm which exists on earth side by side with the realm of the evil one (1 John 5:19). When the kingdom of heaven comes to its fruition, heaven will be a reality and there will be no “weeds” among the “wheat.” But for now, both good and bad seeds mature in the world.
The enemy in the parable is Satan. The field is the world. The devil tries to destroy Christ’s work by placing wicked people and false believers in the world to work unrighteousness. But the church’s job is not to rid the world of sinners (except through conversion) any more than it is the wheat’s job to pluck up the tares. In the parable, Christ allows the tares to remain until His return. At that time, angels will separate the just from the unjust and the true from false believers. Judgment is coming; in the meantime, God takes steps to ensure that His children are not adversely affected by His judgment on the wicked. God does not want to “uproot the wheat,” no matter how many tares there are (Matthew 13:29).
Tares, especially in the early stages of growth, resemble wheat. Likewise, a false believer may resemble a true believer, at least superficially. In Matthew 7:22, Jesus warned that many profess faith but do not know Him. Thus, each person should examine his or her own relationship with Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5). The book of 1 John is an excellent test of salvation.
Jesus Christ will one day establish true righteousness. After He raptures the church out of this world, God will pour out His righteous wrath on the world. During that tribulation, He will draw others to saving faith in Jesus Christ. At the end of the tribulation, all unbelievers will be judged for their sin and unbelief; then they will be removed from God’s presence. True followers of Christ will reign with Him. The “wheat” will be gathered into God's “barn” (Matthew 13:30). What a glorious future for the “wheat”!
A miracle of God
is an
extraordinary or unnatural event
that reveals or confirms a
specific message
through a mighty work.
Jesus
performed plenty of miracles.
All the miracles He did were to glorify God, help others, and prove that He was indeed who He said He was—the Son of God. When He calmed the storm in Matthew 8, for example, the disciples were astonished and they asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” (verse 27).
The Gospels record many of the miracles that Jesus performed. Of course, many of the things that Jesus did could not have been recorded in such short works. John freely admits, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book....Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John 20:30 and 21:25).
Different Gospels often record the same miracles, with each one giving slightly different details. Sometimes, it is impossible to know if a particular miracle recorded in the Gospels is simply one miracle recorded from different angles or if two separate miracles are being recorded. None of the Gospel writers are particularly concerned with strict chronology, and they sometimes do not give us all the details we might be interested to know.
The miracles Jesus performed and listed below have been grouped into broad categories with accompanying references without attempting to determine which miracles are recorded multiple times and which may be unique to each of the Gospels:
Miracles of Healing
• Lepers cleansed: Matthew 8:1–4; Mark 1:41–45; Luke 5:12–14; 17:11–19
• Blind receive sight: Matthew 9:27–31; Mark 8:22–26; 10:46–52 Luke 18:35–43; John 9:1–38
• People are healed from a distance: