Hosea 6:1–3
predicts that
the
people of Israel
would
return to the Lord
after a
period of judgment.
In that day,
The people of Israel
will say,
“Come, and let us return to the Lord;
For He has
torn, but He will heal us;
He has stricken,
but He will bind us up.
After two days He will revive us;
On the third day
He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.
Let us know,
Let us pursue
the
knowledge of the Lord.
His going forth is established
as the morning;
He will come to us like
the rain,
Like the latter and former
rain to the earth”
The “latter” and “former” rains
are called the
“winter rains” and “spring rains”
The Lord had “torn” and “stricken” His people—i.e., Hosea predicts that God will discipline them (Hosea 6:1)—because they were unfaithful to the covenant they had promised to keep (Exodus 24:3, 7).
While the judgment would be certain and severe, God would demonstrate His grace and restore the people.
He would heal them and bandage their wounds (Hosea 6:1). He would come to them like a refreshing and nourishing rain (Hosea 6:3).
He would come like the latter and former rain, which would seem to refer to the early rain after planting and the later rain at harvest.
Because of God’s promises, His people could know with certainty that God would keep His word—that He would indeed come to them as the latter and former rain to restore and refresh. While the context doesn’t specify when this restoration would take place, the passage seems to be pointing forward to the salvation that would be provided through the Messiah: God would revive them after two days and raise them up on the third day (Hosea 6:2). This prophecy seems to correlate directly with the events of Jesus’ death, as He died, was buried, and then rose again on the third day (see 1 Corinthians 15:1, 3–4). Paul mentions that Christ’s resurrection on the third day was “according to the Scriptures” (or writings). While there may have been a written gospel account by the time Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians (Matthew and Mark may have written by that time), Paul is probably referring to the Hebrew Scriptures and may have had Hosea 6:2 in mind.
If Hosea’s prophecy of revival in the two days and raising on the third day (Hosea 6:2) is pointing forward to the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, then the immediately following context that God would visit the people of Israel as the latter and former rain is likely also a picture of how refreshing and nourishing that event would be for the people under God’s judgment.
In Hosea’s time, there was coming a somber judgment because of the people’s disloyalty to God and their transgressing of the covenant. But there was also a coming day of restoration for Judah (Hosea 6:11). God would come to the people as latter and former rain.
It is important to note that God doesn’t ignore sin, and His holy standard is high—perfection, in fact (see Matthew 5:48). When God restores the people of Israel, He first deals with their sin problem. The Messiah would die as a sacrifice to pay for sins; thus, the nation would no longer be in bondage to the Law of Moses (the Old Covenant) or the consequences of breaking that covenant. God would forgive their sins as part of a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31). That blessing of forgiveness from sin through the sacrifice of the Messiah would be not just for one nation but for all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:3b). The Messiah would be like the latter and former rain for Israel and Judah (Hosea 6:3), and He would also be the water of life for all who would believe in Him (John 4:13–14).
James encourages his readers to action. One of the motivators for that action is their hope for the future. James illustrates the point, wanting us to learn from the farmer: “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain” (James 5:7, NKJV).
James encourages those who are undergoing difficult circumstances (James 1:3, 9) and chastises those who are living badly yet enjoying riches (James 1:10–11; 5:1–6). He exhorts his brethren to be patient until the coming of the Lord (James 5:7a). The injustices that are evident in a fallen world would not be fully resolved until then. So James wants people to learn and grow from their difficulties—and even rejoice in them. Enduring through trials and difficult circumstances will produce fruit in the lives of believers and help them persevere until what has been promised is delivered.
James illustrates the need for and payoff of patience by pointing to the farmer. The farmer has to work diligently in order to get ground prepared and seed planted. The farmer has to patiently wait for the early and latter rain—that is, the autumn and spring rains. Without either of those seasonal rains, the seed would not have healthy growth. The farmer depends upon the rains and cannot do anything to hasten them. The farmer must be patient throughout the entire process, all the while hopeful that there will be the proper rain and the growth that the rain supports. In that same way, we ought to be patiently looking for the coming of the Lord. We need to be patient. We also need to strengthen our hearts and be prepared, because His coming is imminent (James 5:8). James reminds His readers that the Judge is standing at the door (James 5:9).
Along with the illustration of the farmer, James offers other examples of patience. He speaks of the prophets who patiently waited on the Lord (James 5:10). He reminds of Job and the remarkable endurance that Job showed (James 5:11). Finally, James recounts how Elijah was patient and entreated the Lord and the Lord heard him (James 5:17–18). In this last example, we recognize that waiting patiently is not necessarily waiting passively. James encourages us to be prayerful (James 5:14–18).
Even as we are exhorted to patience, we need to be actively prayerful. As Paul exhorts the Thessalonian believers regarding the Lord’s imminent coming (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17) and the day of the Lord that would follow (1 Thessalonians 5), he encourages believers not to sleep but to be alert and sober (1 Thessalonians 5:6). As we prepare for coming final days, we should be always rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 5:16) and always prayerful and thankful (1 Thessalonians 5:17–18).
What James and Paul desire to see from their readers—from us—is that we have a similar mindset to the farmer, who is active and patiently looking forward to God’s work and the fulfilling of growth. Paul understands that the farmer is not only patient but is hard-working and ought to be the first to receive from his crops (2 Timothy 2:6). James knows there is much we can learn from the farmer who waits for the early and latter rain. That farmer trusts in God to provide and does everything in his power to ensure that the ground and seed are ready. Diligence, patience, and trust—these are things we can learn from the farmer who waits for the early and latter rain.
Hosea 6:6
“For I desire steadfast love
and
not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God
rather
than burnt offerings.”
Why does God desire love
and
knowledge of Him
instead of burnt offerings?
The key to answering this question
is found in the
words of the Shema:
“Hear, O Israel:
The LORD our God,
the LORD is one.
You shall love the LORD
your God
with all your heart
and
with all your soul
and
with all your might”
(Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
Love for God was the number-one priority for the people of Israel. The whole Law, including the offerings and sacrifices, was to serve as an expression of this love for the Lord.
However, over time the Israelites began to worship other gods while continuing the ritual of the sacrifices. They “obeyed the Law,” yet they did not display love toward God, and they did not truly know Him. Hosea’s message was a response to Israel’s hypocrisy. God desired their love over external practices of piety. He longed for His people to long for Him rather than simply continue a religious tradition.
Scripture often notes that sacrifices to God are incomplete and even offensive without a changed heart that loves and knows the Lord. First Samuel 15:22 says, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (See also Isaiah 1:11-17; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8 and Matthew 7:21-23.) The same is said of other religious rituals, such as circumcision (Romans 2:28-29).
Jesus would later use Hosea’s teaching against the hypocritical Pharisees, saying, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13; cf. 12:7). Without a loving relationship with God, all the rituals in the world couldn’t help the Pharisees.
With the coming
of
Jesus Christ,
the
Law was fulfilled
Matthew 5:17
As a result, Christians have no command to obey the Jewish Old Testament ceremonial laws. However, the principle of Hosea 6:6 is still relevant. Many religious people participate in Christian rituals, yet their hearts do not love God and seek to know Him. Those who practice empty rituals should heed Hosea’s words. God cares more about our heart’s love for Him than the things that we do in His name. We must not substitute religious traditions for a relationship with God. May we never be like those whom Jesus described: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”
(Mark 7:6).
Overview
In Revelation 12, the "woman clothed with the sun" is a grand, symbolic figure representing the faithful community of God's people—historically understood as Israel or the Church—that brings forth the Messiah. The "birth pains" and the dragon represent the intense suffering, cosmic persecution, and spiritual labor endured to bring forth salvation.
GotQuestions.org +5
The profound imagery of this passage can be broken down into these primary elements:
1. The Identity of the Woman
The woman is described with cosmic imagery:
Clearly Reformed·Christ Covenant Church +2
- Clothed with the sun & moon under her feet:Represents immense glory and divine favor.
- Crown of twelve stars: Symbolizes the 12 Tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles.
- Who is she? While various Christian traditions debate whether she is the nation of Israel, the Church, or the Virgin Mary, biblical scholars largely agree the sign points primarily to Israel as the lineage through whom Jesus Christ entered the world.
Life, Hope & Truth +5
2. The Labor Pains and the Child
The text states, "She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth".
Bible Gateway
- The Pangs: In prophetic Old Testament literature (such as the writings of Micah), the "pains" of a woman in labor symbolize the intense, agonizing suffering of God's people as they await deliverance and redemption.
- The Male Child: The child is prophesied to "rule all the nations with an iron scepter". This is a direct reference to the Messiah, Jesus, who ascends to God's throne after His resurrection.
Life, Hope & Truth +4
3. The Dragon and the Protection
Waiting to devour the child upon birth is an enormous red dragon.
Bible Gateway
- The Dragon: Identified as Satan, the devil, and the ancient serpent.
- The Flight: Unable to destroy the Messiah, the dragon turns his fury on the woman. God grants the woman the "wings of a great eagle" to escape into the wilderness, where she is nourished and protected for 1,260 days (representing a time of intense tribulation).
4. The Remnant
After his defeat in heavenly warfare, the dragon attempts to wage war against the "rest of her offspring"—which refers to all faithful believers who follow God's commands and hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The Woman Giving Birth and the Dragon12 And then a great wonder appeared in heaven: There was a woman who was clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet. She had a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out with pain because she was about to give birth.
3 Then another wonder appeared in heaven: There was a giant red dragon there. The dragon had seven heads with a crown on each head. It also had ten horns. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and threw them down to the earth. It stood in front of the woman who was ready to give birth to the baby. It wanted to eat the woman’s baby as soon as it was born.
5 The woman gave birth to a son, who would rule all the nations with an iron rod. And her child was taken up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman ran away into the desert to a place that God had prepared for her. There she would be taken care of for 1260 days.
7 Then there was a war in heaven. Michael[a] and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, 8 but they were not strong enough. The dragon and its angels lost their place in heaven. 9 It was thrown down out of heaven. (This giant dragon is that old snake, the one called the devil or Satan, who leads the whole world into the wrong way.) The dragon and its angels were thrown to the earth.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, “The victory and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Messiah have now come. These things have come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown out. He is the one who accused them day and night before our God. 11 They defeated him by the blood sacrifice of the Lamb and by the message of God that they told people. They did not love their lives too much. They were not afraid of death.12 So rejoice, you heavens and all who live there! But it will be terrible for the earth and sea, because the devil has gone down to you. He is filled with anger. He knows he doesn’t have much time.”
13 The dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth. So he chased the woman who had given birth to the child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of a great eagle. Then she could fly to the place that was prepared for her in the desert. There she would be taken care of for three and a half years. There she would be away from the dragon.[b] 15 Then the dragon poured water out of its mouth like a river. It poured the water toward the woman so that the flood would carry her away. 16 But the earth helped the woman. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that came from the mouth of the dragon. 17 Then the dragon was very angry with the woman. It went away to make war against all her other children. Her children are those who obey God’s commands and have the truth that Jesus taught.
18 The dragon stood on the seashore.
When it comes to biblical
immorality,
no one quite delivers like
King David
upon seeing Bathsheba
Their story reads like a fever dream of soap opera scandal: a king’s rooftop lust, a bathing beauty, a husband sent to his doom, and a prophet with receipts from the Almighty. Oh, and let’s not forget the aftermath: a dead child, a cursed lineage, and a second son who would go on to build the Temple and become one of the wisest (and most infamous) monarchs in history. Bathsheba emerges as a cunning power player, securing her son Solomon’s place on the throne. The tale is as layered as it is unsettling, leaving us questioning the nature of power, agency, and how one royal misstep has echoed throughout history.
King David on a Rooftop,
Instead of
Fighting a War
By the time of the infamous rooftop incident, David had been king for over 15 years. He had transformed from the shepherd boy who took down Goliath to a seasoned ruler, well-established in his palace in Jerusalem. His kingdom was flourishing, his conquests were piling up, and his personal life was, let’s say, complicated. With six wives already sharing his royal quarters, David wasn’t exactly experiencing poverty in the consort department.
By ancient custom, spring was the season when kings went out to war. Yet David, the once-hands-on warrior-king, stayed behind in his palace, delegating the campaign to his loyal general Joab. Joab and the Israelite army were laying siege to the Ammonite capital, Rabbah; a grueling campaign. Among those enduring the brutality of the battlefield was Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s elite soldiers. Calling him a Hittite, and remembering him thusly, also seems to be a bit of a literary backhand. He was probably a second-generation Israelite, as the name Uriah isn’t one of Hittite origin.
Uriah was part of “the Thirty,” a group of highly skilled warriors who formed the backbone of David’s military might. To reach that rank required immense courage and skill; Uriah had earned this place. Yet as he fought on the front lines, his king stood on his palace rooftop, enjoying the comforts of home. It was there that David noticed Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, bathing nearby.
The story spiraled from there. David, already married in the multiple, was overcome by his desire for Bathsheba and summoned her to a meeting.
Bathsheba was likely very young. Young enough, in fact, that she just may have been purifying herself after experiencing her first menstrual cycle.
Bathsheba wasn’t a stranger to King David, either. Her grandfather, Ahithophel, was one of David’s most trusted advisors, a man renowned for his wisdom and influence. Her father, Eliam, had been one of David’s elite warriors, also counted among “the Thirty.” Bathsheba had grown up in a family that served David’s court and military. She wasn’t some unknown beauty who suddenly appeared on a rooftop one day. She was part of the extended network of loyalty and service that bolstered David’s reign.
Additionally, historical context can clear up a lot of common misconceptions about the rooftop. The bath Bathsheba was taking was most likely part of a mikvah, a ritual purification mandated by Jewish law. She wasn’t luxuriating in plain sight to attract attention; she was following religious tradition. The very idea that she was seducing David collapses under scrutiny. If anything, she was fulfilling a religious and cultural obligation, not orchestrating an affair.
What makes Bathsheba’s situation even more tragic is her youth and vulnerability. She had been married to Uriah the Hittite, but given her age, their union was likely a political arrangement rather than a marriage of equals. Some scholars argue she may have been too young for the marriage to have even been consummated yet.
The story of Bathsheba as a “siren” says more about historical biases than the truth of her circumstances. She was a young girl from a family who gave themselves into the service of the royal house, married to a soldier, and likely living under the shadow of courtly politics. Her “choices” were shaped by the world around her, where a king’s summons was not a request but a command. She simply had no choice.
They meet. They “know” each other. Then, as far as the king is concerned, the tryst is over and his hunger is sated. That is until Bathsheba notifies him that she is carrying proof of the affair. If, as some suspect, she hadn’t known any man before the king, her life was suddenly in even more dire straits. The consequences of being labeled an adulterer were fatal: stoning was the punishment prescribed by law. Bathsheba’s fate, and the fate of the child that grew within her, were tied to David’s decisions. Both of their survival depended on the king’s willingness to protect her, and his choices left much to be desired.
David’s first attempt to cover up his actions was riddled with faulty smoke and mirrors. He summoned Uriah back from the battlefield, ostensibly for a report on the war. The king’s real intention was to send Uriah home to sleep with Bathsheba, creating the illusion that her child was conceived within the bonds of matrimony. However, Uriah’s loyalty to his comrades and his unyielding sense of duty prevented him from enjoying comforts denied to his fellow soldiers. Not even David’s ploy of getting the soldier drunk could sway him.
When deception failed, David’s solution turned deadly. He sent Uriah back to the front lines with sealed orders instructing Joab to position him where the fighting was fiercest and then withdraw support, ensuring Uriah’s death. The man unknowingly delivered his own death sentence. The plan worked, and Uriah was killed in battle; a betrayal that left Bathsheba widowed and free to remarry…quickly.
After a brief mourning period for Uriah, Bathsheba was brought to the palace and married to David. To the public, it may have seemed like an act of gentle stewardship, a king caring for the widow of a soldier who had served him well. In reality, it was damage control. But the prophet Nathan saw through David’s ploy and delivered a devastating rebuke. In a parable that mirrored David’s sins, Nathan likened him to a rich man who stole and slaughtered a poor man’s only lamb. When David condemned the hypothetical man, Nathan struck with the truth: “You are the man!”
Nathan’s prophecy foretold violence and tragedy within David’s household; a punishment that began with the death of Bathsheba’s child. The baby did not live longer than seven days, leaving Bathsheba to grieve yet another loss. In a matter of months, she had been torn from her first marriage, thrust into a dangerous relationship with a much older man, and lost her firstborn child.
Again, somehow, she managed to pick up the pieces and continue living. She went on to have four more sons with David: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan (not to be confused with the prophet), and Solomon. Her enduring friendship with the prophet Nathan, who had foreseen that David’s sins would lead to death in her own family, suggests a remarkable strength and resilience in the face of such overwhelming trauma.
Solomon’s birth marked a turning point in Bathsheba’s story, both as a mother and as a woman wielding political influence in a world shaped by and for men. By the time of Solomon’s birth, David was nearly 50 years old burdened with a tumultuous household. Bathsheba, likely still a teenager, now had to navigate the childhood of a vulnerable son; a son whose future would shape the destiny of Israel.
When Solomon was born, the prophet Nathan, who had once rebuked David for his sins, delivered a message of grace: God loved this child. While in the womb, the Almighty called this baby a Jedidiah, meaning “beloved of the Lord,” signaling to all his divine favor. This blessing set Solomon apart, but it was Bathsheba’s calculated influence that secured his path to the throne.
Though Solomon was not David’s eldest son, Bathsheba’s determination ensured he was not overlooked in the scramble for succession. David’s indulgence with his other children, particularly his older sons, had already proven to produce nothing but chaos. Amnon, David’s firstborn, committed an unspeakable crime against his half-sister Tamar, and David’s refusal to act led to Absalom’s vengeful murder of Amnon. Absalom, in turn, declared himself king and forced David into a humiliating retreat. After all, if David couldn’t protect his own daughter or take retribution on her abuser, how could he effectively run a country? Through all this, Bathsheba and Solomon witnessed firsthand the destructive consequences of unchecked ambition and parental inaction.
Bathsheba understood the precarious position Solomon was in. Absalom, with his striking beauty and magnetic charisma, had stolen the hearts of the people and likely dismissed Solomon as a mere child. It wasn’t this older brother but Bathsheba who saw what others overlooked: David’s growing affection for Solomon and the divine promise attached to him.
As David aged, his remaining sons jockeyed for power. Adonijah (the next in line after Absalom’s murder of Amnon and then his own death after usurping the crown) declared himself king with the backing of key allies. During this final power grab, Bathsheba, in a masterful display of political acumen, approached the ailing David alongside the prophet Nathan. She reminded the king of his earlier vow that Solomon would succeed him all while exposing Adonijah’s premature claim to the throne. Her timing and tact were impeccable, compelling David to publicly anoint Solomon as his heir, effectively quashing Adonijah’s rebellion before it could take hold.
Bathsheba’s role didn’t end with securing Solomon’s kingship. She remained a trusted advisor and a powerful presence in the royal court (after all, she was now queen mother). Even after David’s death, she skillfully navigated palace intrigues, including Adonijah’s attempt to marry Abishag, one of David’s concubines; a move that Solomon interpreted as a threat to his reign. It was Bathsheba who brought this request to Solomon, a gesture that demonstrated her continued influence. She likely knew the outcome would not extend Adonijah’s lifespan.
Solomon grew to be a man of contrasts, renowned for his wisdom and wealth, but flawed by his insatiable appetite. His request for wisdom at Gibeon earned him divine favor, and his legendary judgment solidified his reputation as Israel’s wisest ruler. Yet, as he aged, Solomon’s heart turned toward the foreign gods of his many wives and concubines, leading to spiritual decline and the eventual fracturing of the kingdom after his death. Bathsheba probably did not live to see this change of character.
As the mother of the wisest king of Israel, she left an indelible mark on history. One can only wonder what Bathsheba thought of Solomon’s many marriages and his eventual straying from Yahweh. Did she warn him against repeating David’s mistakes, or was she powerless to prevent her son from repeating history.
Though the Bible leaves much of Bathsheba’s inner life to speculation, her actions speak volumes. She rose above scandal and tragedy to become a mother of kings and a wise strategist in a complicated court. Solomon’s reign, with all its splendor and flaws, was a testament to the strength and influence of the woman who ensured he could live long enough to flourish.
King David’s dramatic and epic story inspires many, both because of his successes and his failures.
Along with the “man after God’s own heart,” we find a host of other fascinating characters supporting and undermining him.
One such character is Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors.
We read about Ahithophel in 2 Samuel 15-17. Ahithophel held a position of immense respect and influence within David’s court. As a counselor, he was one of the king's most trusted and reliable advisors. The Bible describes Ahithophel’s amazing wisdom: “Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom” (2 Sam. 16:23). From this passage we see that everyone considered Ahithophel’s insight near-divine and that he was a rare person of intellect and judgment.
Ahithophel served as one of David’s key strategists and thinkers, someone David relied upon to navigate the complex political and military challenges of his reign. King David had a long and difficult road to becoming king, and unifying the Twelve Tribes proved incredibly challenging. Also, outside nations continually raided and attacked Israel, leading to wars with the Philistines and others. Despite his deep faith and connection with God, David recognized the need for practical wisdom in governing a nation and maintaining power. Ahithophel provided the kind of seasoned advice that helped David make informed decisions in both peace and crisis.
King David’s dramatic and epic story inspires many, both because of his successes and his failures. Along with the “man after God’s own heart,” we find a host of other fascinating characters supporting and undermining him.
One such character is Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors. What can we learn from his story?
We read about Ahithophel in 2 Samuel 15-17. Ahithophel held a position of immense respect and influence within David’s court. As a counselor, he was one of the king's most trusted and reliable advisors. The Bible describes Ahithophel’s amazing wisdom: “Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom” (2 Sam. 16:23). From this passage we see that everyone considered Ahithophel’s insight near-divine and that he was a rare person of intellect and judgment.
Ahithophel served as one of David’s key strategists and thinkers, someone David relied upon to navigate the complex political and military challenges of his reign. King David had a long and difficult road to becoming king, and unifying the Twelve Tribes proved incredibly challenging. Also, outside nations continually raided and attacked Israel, leading to wars with the Philistines and others. Despite his deep faith and connection with God, David recognized the need for practical wisdom in governing a nation and maintaining power. Ahithophel provided the kind of seasoned advice that helped David make informed decisions in both peace and crisis.
The Bible’s portrayal of Ahithophel's counsel reflects the importance of advisors in ancient monarchies. Kings, even ones as powerful and spiritual as David, did not rule in isolation. They faced constant pressure from both internal factions and external enemies. Advisors gave kings an objective view of the kingdom’s needs, risks, and opportunities. Further, counselors’ wisdom helped kings in times of moral crisis. While kings were the ultimate authority, their actions were subject to public opinion and God’s judgment, especially in a society deeply rooted in religious law. Advisors like Ahithophel could guide kings through decisions with long-term ramifications, ensuring that they acted in ways that secured political victory and moral legitimacy.
While the Bible eventually recounts Ahithophel's end, his earlier relationship with David
reminds us of how leaders need outside wisdom.
David allowed Absalom to return to Jerusalem, though he initially refused to see him in person. After another two years, David fully restored Absalom to his court.
Once in court, Absalom began a subtle campaign to undermine the king’s authority. He positioned himself at the city gates where he intercepted people coming to seek the king’s justice. Absalom listened to their grievances and sympathized with them, suggesting that if he were in charge instead of the king, they would receive fair treatment. This tactic allowed Absalom to gain favor with the people by presenting himself as a more accessible and just leader (2 Sam. 15:2-6).
Over time, Absalom secretly gathered supporters from across Israel, planning to overthrow his father. Once he believed he had enough backing, Absalom made his move, declaring himself king in Hebron. With much of Israel now on his side, Absalom marched on Jerusalem, forcing David to flee the city. It was during this politically volatile period that Ahithophel switched allegiances to Absalom.
Since the Bible doesn’t give specific motivation, Ahithophel’s decision to betray David has been the subject of much speculation by biblical scholars. One perspective centers on possible personal grievances. Many believe Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather. David’s affair with Bathsheba and his orchestration to murder Uriah led to great scandal for the king (2 Sam. 23:34)
Another perspective suggests Ahithophel may have been acting out of political calculation. As an experienced advisor, Ahithophel might have seen Absalom’s uprising as an inevitable change in leadership. Given the growing support for Absalom among the Israelites, Ahithophel could have viewed the rebellion as an opportunity to maintain his influence by joining the side he believed would be victorious. In this scenario, Ahithophel’s betrayal would be less a personal vendetta and more a pragmatic move to protect his position and career.
Many biblical scholars believe Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba. It is theorized that his deep bitterness over David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah the Hittite, motivated his sudden betrayal.
Because of the nature of his betrayal—a trusted advisor and close friend turning against the king—Ahithophel is often viewed as an Old Testament parallel to Judas Iscariot.
His advice was held in such high regard that the Bible says it was "as though it had come directly from the mouth of God".
Ahithophel urged Absalom to sleep with David's concubines in public to seal the betrayal and advised a swift, ruthless military strike to kill David while his forces were tired.
David had sent a loyalist, Hushai, to feign allegiance to Absalom and disrupt Ahithophel's plans. Hushai convinced Absalom to reject Ahithophel’s swift military strike for a slower, larger mobilization.
When it comes to biblical
immorality,
no one quite delivers like
King David
upon seeing Bathsheba
Their story reads like a fever dream of soap opera scandal: a king’s rooftop lust, a bathing beauty, a husband sent to his doom, and a prophet with receipts from the Almighty. Oh, and let’s not forget the aftermath: a dead child, a cursed lineage, and a second son who would go on to build the Temple and become one of the wisest (and most infamous) monarchs in history. Bathsheba emerges as a cunning power player, securing her son Solomon’s place on the throne. The tale is as layered as it is unsettling, leaving us questioning the nature of power, agency, and how one royal misstep has echoed throughout history.
King David on a Rooftop,
Instead of
Fighting a War
By the time of the infamous rooftop incident, David had been king for over 15 years. He had transformed from the shepherd boy who took down Goliath to a seasoned ruler, well-established in his palace in Jerusalem. His kingdom was flourishing, his conquests were piling up, and his personal life was, let’s say, complicated. With six wives already sharing his royal quarters, David wasn’t exactly experiencing poverty in the consort department.
By ancient custom, spring was the season when kings went out to war. Yet David, the once-hands-on warrior-king, stayed behind in his palace, delegating the campaign to his loyal general Joab. Joab and the Israelite army were laying siege to the Ammonite capital, Rabbah; a grueling campaign. Among those enduring the brutality of the battlefield was Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s elite soldiers. Calling him a Hittite, and remembering him thusly, also seems to be a bit of a literary backhand. He was probably a second-generation Israelite, as the name Uriah isn’t one of Hittite origin.
Uriah was part of “the Thirty,” a group of highly skilled warriors who formed the backbone of David’s military might. To reach that rank required immense courage and skill; Uriah had earned this place. Yet as he fought on the front lines, his king stood on his palace rooftop, enjoying the comforts of home. It was there that David noticed Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, bathing nearby.
The story spiraled from there. David, already married in the multiple, was overcome by his desire for Bathsheba and summoned her to a meeting.
Bathsheba was likely very young. Young enough, in fact, that she just may have been purifying herself after experiencing her first menstrual cycle.
Bathsheba wasn’t a stranger to King David, either. Her grandfather, Ahithophel, was one of David’s most trusted advisors, a man renowned for his wisdom and influence. Her father, Eliam, had been one of David’s elite warriors, also counted among “the Thirty.” Bathsheba had grown up in a family that served David’s court and military. She wasn’t some unknown beauty who suddenly appeared on a rooftop one day. She was part of the extended network of loyalty and service that bolstered David’s reign.
Additionally, historical context can clear up a lot of common misconceptions about the rooftop. The bath Bathsheba was taking was most likely part of a mikvah, a ritual purification mandated by Jewish law. She wasn’t luxuriating in plain sight to attract attention; she was following religious tradition. The very idea that she was seducing David collapses under scrutiny. If anything, she was fulfilling a religious and cultural obligation, not orchestrating an affair.
What makes Bathsheba’s situation even more tragic is her youth and vulnerability. She had been married to Uriah the Hittite, but given her age, their union was likely a political arrangement rather than a marriage of equals. Some scholars argue she may have been too young for the marriage to have even been consummated yet.
The story of Bathsheba as a “siren” says more about historical biases than the truth of her circumstances. She was a young girl from a family who gave themselves into the service of the royal house, married to a soldier, and likely living under the shadow of courtly politics. Her “choices” were shaped by the world around her, where a king’s summons was not a request but a command. She simply had no choice.
They meet. They “know” each other. Then, as far as the king is concerned, the tryst is over and his hunger is sated. That is until Bathsheba notifies him that she is carrying proof of the affair. If, as some suspect, she hadn’t known any man before the king, her life was suddenly in even more dire straits. The consequences of being labeled an adulterer were fatal: stoning was the punishment prescribed by law. Bathsheba’s fate, and the fate of the child that grew within her, were tied to David’s decisions. Both of their survival depended on the king’s willingness to protect her, and his choices left much to be desired.
David’s first attempt to cover up his actions was riddled with faulty smoke and mirrors. He summoned Uriah back from the battlefield, ostensibly for a report on the war. The king’s real intention was to send Uriah home to sleep with Bathsheba, creating the illusion that her child was conceived within the bonds of matrimony. However, Uriah’s loyalty to his comrades and his unyielding sense of duty prevented him from enjoying comforts denied to his fellow soldiers. Not even David’s ploy of getting the soldier drunk could sway him.
When deception failed, David’s solution turned deadly. He sent Uriah back to the front lines with sealed orders instructing Joab to position him where the fighting was fiercest and then withdraw support, ensuring Uriah’s death. The man unknowingly delivered his own death sentence. The plan worked, and Uriah was killed in battle; a betrayal that left Bathsheba widowed and free to remarry…quickly.
After a brief mourning period for Uriah, Bathsheba was brought to the palace and married to David. To the public, it may have seemed like an act of gentle stewardship, a king caring for the widow of a soldier who had served him well. In reality, it was damage control. But the prophet Nathan saw through David’s ploy and delivered a devastating rebuke. In a parable that mirrored David’s sins, Nathan likened him to a rich man who stole and slaughtered a poor man’s only lamb. When David condemned the hypothetical man, Nathan struck with the truth: “You are the man!”
Nathan’s prophecy foretold violence and tragedy within David’s household; a punishment that began with the death of Bathsheba’s child. The baby did not live longer than seven days, leaving Bathsheba to grieve yet another loss. In a matter of months, she had been torn from her first marriage, thrust into a dangerous relationship with a much older man, and lost her firstborn child.
Again, somehow, she managed to pick up the pieces and continue living. She went on to have four more sons with David: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan (not to be confused with the prophet), and Solomon. Her enduring friendship with the prophet Nathan, who had foreseen that David’s sins would lead to death in her own family, suggests a remarkable strength and resilience in the face of such overwhelming trauma.
Solomon’s birth marked a turning point in Bathsheba’s story, both as a mother and as a woman wielding political influence in a world shaped by and for men. By the time of Solomon’s birth, David was nearly 50 years old burdened with a tumultuous household. Bathsheba, likely still a teenager, now had to navigate the childhood of a vulnerable son; a son whose future would shape the destiny of Israel.
When Solomon was born, the prophet Nathan, who had once rebuked David for his sins, delivered a message of grace: God loved this child. While in the womb, the Almighty called this baby a Jedidiah, meaning “beloved of the Lord,” signaling to all his divine favor. This blessing set Solomon apart, but it was Bathsheba’s calculated influence that secured his path to the throne.
Though Solomon was not David’s eldest son, Bathsheba’s determination ensured he was not overlooked in the scramble for succession. David’s indulgence with his other children, particularly his older sons, had already proven to produce nothing but chaos. Amnon, David’s firstborn, committed an unspeakable crime against his half-sister Tamar, and David’s refusal to act led to Absalom’s vengeful murder of Amnon. Absalom, in turn, declared himself king and forced David into a humiliating retreat. After all, if David couldn’t protect his own daughter or take retribution on her abuser, how could he effectively run a country? Through all this, Bathsheba and Solomon witnessed firsthand the destructive consequences of unchecked ambition and parental inaction.
Bathsheba understood the precarious position Solomon was in. Absalom, with his striking beauty and magnetic charisma, had stolen the hearts of the people and likely dismissed Solomon as a mere child. It wasn’t this older brother but Bathsheba who saw what others overlooked: David’s growing affection for Solomon and the divine promise attached to him.
As David aged, his remaining sons jockeyed for power. Adonijah (the next in line after Absalom’s murder of Amnon and then his own death after usurping the crown) declared himself king with the backing of key allies. During this final power grab, Bathsheba, in a masterful display of political acumen, approached the ailing David alongside the prophet Nathan. She reminded the king of his earlier vow that Solomon would succeed him all while exposing Adonijah’s premature claim to the throne. Her timing and tact were impeccable, compelling David to publicly anoint Solomon as his heir, effectively quashing Adonijah’s rebellion before it could take hold.
Bathsheba’s role didn’t end with securing Solomon’s kingship. She remained a trusted advisor and a powerful presence in the royal court (after all, she was now queen mother). Even after David’s death, she skillfully navigated palace intrigues, including Adonijah’s attempt to marry Abishag, one of David’s concubines; a move that Solomon interpreted as a threat to his reign. It was Bathsheba who brought this request to Solomon, a gesture that demonstrated her continued influence. She likely knew the outcome would not extend Adonijah’s lifespan.
Solomon grew to be a man of contrasts, renowned for his wisdom and wealth, but flawed by his insatiable appetite. His request for wisdom at Gibeon earned him divine favor, and his legendary judgment solidified his reputation as Israel’s wisest ruler. Yet, as he aged, Solomon’s heart turned toward the foreign gods of his many wives and concubines, leading to spiritual decline and the eventual fracturing of the kingdom after his death. Bathsheba probably did not live to see this change of character.
As the mother of the wisest king of Israel, she left an indelible mark on history. One can only wonder what Bathsheba thought of Solomon’s many marriages and his eventual straying from Yahweh. Did she warn him against repeating David’s mistakes, or was she powerless to prevent her son from repeating history.
Though the Bible leaves much of Bathsheba’s inner life to speculation, her actions speak volumes. She rose above scandal and tragedy to become a mother of kings and a wise strategist in a complicated court. Solomon’s reign, with all its splendor and flaws, was a testament to the strength and influence of the woman who ensured he could live long enough to flourish.
King David’s dramatic and epic story inspires many, both because of his successes and his failures.
Along with the “man after God’s own heart,” we find a host of other fascinating characters supporting and undermining him.
One such character is Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors.
We read about Ahithophel in 2 Samuel 15-17. Ahithophel held a position of immense respect and influence within David’s court. As a counselor, he was one of the king's most trusted and reliable advisors. The Bible describes Ahithophel’s amazing wisdom: “Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom” (2 Sam. 16:23). From this passage we see that everyone considered Ahithophel’s insight near-divine and that he was a rare person of intellect and judgment.
Ahithophel served as one of David’s key strategists and thinkers, someone David relied upon to navigate the complex political and military challenges of his reign. King David had a long and difficult road to becoming king, and unifying the Twelve Tribes proved incredibly challenging. Also, outside nations continually raided and attacked Israel, leading to wars with the Philistines and others. Despite his deep faith and connection with God, David recognized the need for practical wisdom in governing a nation and maintaining power. Ahithophel provided the kind of seasoned advice that helped David make informed decisions in both peace and crisis.
King David’s dramatic and epic story inspires many, both because of his successes and his failures. Along with the “man after God’s own heart,” we find a host of other fascinating characters supporting and undermining him.
One such character is Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors. What can we learn from his story?
We read about Ahithophel in 2 Samuel 15-17. Ahithophel held a position of immense respect and influence within David’s court. As a counselor, he was one of the king's most trusted and reliable advisors. The Bible describes Ahithophel’s amazing wisdom: “Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom” (2 Sam. 16:23). From this passage we see that everyone considered Ahithophel’s insight near-divine and that he was a rare person of intellect and judgment.
Ahithophel served as one of David’s key strategists and thinkers, someone David relied upon to navigate the complex political and military challenges of his reign. King David had a long and difficult road to becoming king, and unifying the Twelve Tribes proved incredibly challenging. Also, outside nations continually raided and attacked Israel, leading to wars with the Philistines and others. Despite his deep faith and connection with God, David recognized the need for practical wisdom in governing a nation and maintaining power. Ahithophel provided the kind of seasoned advice that helped David make informed decisions in both peace and crisis.
The Bible’s portrayal of Ahithophel's counsel reflects the importance of advisors in ancient monarchies. Kings, even ones as powerful and spiritual as David, did not rule in isolation. They faced constant pressure from both internal factions and external enemies. Advisors gave kings an objective view of the kingdom’s needs, risks, and opportunities. Further, counselors’ wisdom helped kings in times of moral crisis. While kings were the ultimate authority, their actions were subject to public opinion and God’s judgment, especially in a society deeply rooted in religious law. Advisors like Ahithophel could guide kings through decisions with long-term ramifications, ensuring that they acted in ways that secured political victory and moral legitimacy.
While the Bible eventually recounts Ahithophel's end, his earlier relationship with David
reminds us of how leaders need outside wisdom.
David allowed Absalom to return to Jerusalem, though he initially refused to see him in person. After another two years, David fully restored Absalom to his court.
Once in court, Absalom began a subtle campaign to undermine the king’s authority. He positioned himself at the city gates where he intercepted people coming to seek the king’s justice. Absalom listened to their grievances and sympathized with them, suggesting that if he were in charge instead of the king, they would receive fair treatment. This tactic allowed Absalom to gain favor with the people by presenting himself as a more accessible and just leader (2 Sam. 15:2-6).
Over time, Absalom secretly gathered supporters from across Israel, planning to overthrow his father. Once he believed he had enough backing, Absalom made his move, declaring himself king in Hebron. With much of Israel now on his side, Absalom marched on Jerusalem, forcing David to flee the city. It was during this politically volatile period that Ahithophel switched allegiances to Absalom.
Since the Bible doesn’t give specific motivation, Ahithophel’s decision to betray David has been the subject of much speculation by biblical scholars. One perspective centers on possible personal grievances. Many believe Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather. David’s affair with Bathsheba and his orchestration to murder Uriah led to great scandal for the king (2 Sam. 23:34)
Another perspective suggests Ahithophel may have been acting out of political calculation. As an experienced advisor, Ahithophel might have seen Absalom’s uprising as an inevitable change in leadership. Given the growing support for Absalom among the Israelites, Ahithophel could have viewed the rebellion as an opportunity to maintain his influence by joining the side he believed would be victorious. In this scenario, Ahithophel’s betrayal would be less a personal vendetta and more a pragmatic move to protect his position and career.
Many biblical scholars believe Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba. It is theorized that his deep bitterness over David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah the Hittite, motivated his sudden betrayal.
Because of the nature of his betrayal—a trusted advisor and close friend turning against the king—Ahithophel is often viewed as an Old Testament parallel to Judas Iscariot.
His advice was held in such high regard that the Bible says it was "as though it had come directly from the mouth of God".
Ahithophel urged Absalom to sleep with David's concubines in public to seal the betrayal and advised a swift, ruthless military strike to kill David while his forces were tired.
David had sent a loyalist, Hushai, to feign allegiance to Absalom and disrupt Ahithophel's plans. Hushai convinced Absalom to reject Ahithophel’s swift military strike for a slower, larger mobilization.
“A Psalm of David,
when he fled from Absalom his son.
O LORD, how
my adversaries have increased!
Many are rising up against me”
(Psa 3:0-1)
The relationship between Psalm 3 and Psalms 1-2 is critically important for identifying King David as a Messianic figure and for understanding the Messianic hope throughout the Psalter. Although Psalms 1-2 promise the establishment of the Messianic kingdom (Psa 1:3, 6; 2:4-9), they also describe a terrible rebellion against the LORD’s Messiah (Psa 1:6; 2:1-3), which anticipates suffering on the Messiah’s part. By placing Psalm 3 (a prophetically inspired song of David) as the first psalm in Book 1 (Psalms 3-41), directly after Psalms 1-2, David’s suffering (Psa 3:1-2) and eventual triumph over the wicked (Psa 3:5-8) become Messianically paradigmatic. When King David cries out, “O LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me” (Psa 3:1), we hear prophetic echoes of the rebellion against the LORD’s Messiah (Psa 2:1-3).
But this rebellion against King David, and by extension the Messiah, is deeper than we might first imagine. In both the first and last psalms of Book 1 (Psalms 3 and 41), David is betrayed by someone from within his inner circle. In Psalm 3, David is betrayed by his son Absalom, whose name in Hebrew means “father of shalom.” In Psalm 41, David is betrayed by a “man of shalom” who lifts his heel against him (Psa 41:9), most likely an allusion to Ahitophel, who partnered with Absalom to overthrow King David
(2 Sam 15:12).
When Yeshua declares that
one from among the
inner circle of His disciples will
betray Him,
it is clear that He has been reading
David’s story
through the prophetic Messianic lens
provided
by the book of Psalms.
By reading the Psalms this way,
Yeshua knows that
His path to
victory must first lead Him
through the
valley of rejection and suffering.
In Romans 9:21, the apostle Paul
uses the
metaphor of a potter shaping clay
to illustrate
God’s sovereignty over humanity:
“Does not the potter
have
power over the clay,
from
the same lump to make
One Vessel
for
Honor and another for Dishonor?”
(Romans 9:21, NKJV)
This metaphor is part of a much larger teaching that spans Romans 9—11, focusing on the nation of Israel and its rejection of Christ’s salvation. In chapter 9, Paul explains that salvation is not based on one’s ancestry or any other human merit, but on God’s merciful election (verses 6–13), His justice and mercy (verses 14–18), and His sovereignty (verses 19–29). Paul also demonstrates that, while God is ultimately sovereign over salvation, His purposes embrace the human factor of responsibility in believing the gospel and spreading it
(see Romans 10:1–21).
The backdrop for Paul’s analogy of the potter and clay is found in the prophecies of Isaiah (see Isaiah 29:16; 45:9; 64:8) and Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 18:4–6). Both prophets stress the potter’s total control over the molding, reshaping, and functioning of his clay creations, underscoring God’s supreme authority over His creation.
In Paul’s word picture, “vessels of honor” are the clay containers crafted by the potter for noble, respectable, and special uses. These vessels represent individuals or groups of people whom God chooses for honorable, significant, or holy purposes. Vessels of honor encompass those who receive God’s mercy and are set apart to serve Him, thereby revealing His glory (see Romans 9:23–24).
By contrast, “vessels of dishonor” are objects intended for ordinary, less distinguished, or even dishonorable use. These represent people or groups whom God allows to serve more common or less glorious roles, including those who face judgment and do not receive His mercy in the same way as the vessels of honor.
In 2 Timothy 2:20–21, Paul sketches a similar word-image that further illuminates the vessel of dishonor. Here, Paul illustrates the difference between true believers and false followers: “Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 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” (ESV).
Jesus presents the same general truth through the parable of the wheat and the tares (see Matthew 13:24–30). Intermixed in the world are two groups of people, some who are faithful to their Lord (the “wheat” or honorable vessels) and others who are impostors (the “tares” or vessels of dishonor). The sovereign Lord knows who belongs to Him. The vessels of honor demonstrate a life of good works, reflecting His holiness, while the vessels of dishonor deny the truth by their doctrine and their unrepentant lives.
Throughout biblical history, there have been and will continue to be unworthy persons serving inferior and temporary purposes as vessels of dishonor. Some biblical examples include Pharaoh (Exodus 9:16; cf. Romans 9:17), Judas (Acts 2:23), and false prophets and teachers (Matthew 7:15; 2 Peter 2:1–3; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15).
The three biblical metaphors cited above emphasize God’s freedom to assign different roles and destinies according to His plan. God has the right to determine how He uses individuals or groups, just as a potter decides the purpose of each vessel. God has absolute authority over His creation, including His dispensing of either salvation or judgment. Other passages of Scripture develop the teaching that, while God is sovereign, individuals still have responsibility for their responses to Him.
Paul’s primary point in Romans 9:21 is that God is God, and we are not. He is the Potter, and we are the clay. It’s a metaphor that drains us of all pride. He is the Creator, and we are His creation. We may not always comprehend why God does what He does or understand His choices. Nevertheless, it is entirely appropriate and acceptable for Him to construct some vessels for honor and others for dishonor. It is not the vessel’s place to question the potter’s design.
In Romans 9:21, Paul concludes that God must be recognized as free. He is the One with ultimate authority to assign humans to different roles in the ongoing narrative of salvation history for the purpose of fulfilling His overall plan.
A vessel of honor
is one whom
God sets apart for His holy purposes,
useful to the Master,
and prepared for good works
(2 Timothy 2:21).
Vessels of dishonor still serve
some useful
(albeit temporary)
Purpose in God's Plan
But, eventually, they will hear God declare,
“I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness”
(Matthew 7:23, ESV)
Jesus’ Parable of the Leaven is found in two
of the Gospels.
It is a very simple story—a snapshot of life, really:
“The kingdom of heaven
is like yeast
that a woman took
and
mixed into a large amount
of flour until it worked all through
the dough”
(Matthew 13:33, GW; cf. Luke 13:20-21).
Jesus uses this story
as an object lesson to illustrate the
kingdom of heaven
A woman takes yeast (leaven) and
mixes it into dough
Eventually, the whole of the dough is leavened
What does it mean?
First, it’s important to define
“kingdom of heaven.”
By this, Jesus is
referring to
His domain as the
Messiah
In the current age, the kingdom of heaven
is spiritual,
existing within the hearts of believers
(Luke 17:21)
Later,
the kingdom will be manifest physically,
when the
Lord Jesus establishes His throne on this earth
(Revelation 11:15)
In the Parable of the Leaven,
we learn several things about
the working of
the
kingdom in our present age
Each of these lessons stems from the
nature of yeast.
First, the kingdom of God may have
small beginnings,
but it will increase.
Yeast is microscopic in size, and only a little is kneaded into the dough.
Yet, given time,
the yeast will
spread
through all the dough.
In the same way,
Jesus’ domain started with twelve men
in an obscure corner of Galilee,
but it has spread throughout the world.
The gospel makes progress.
Second,
the kingdom of God exerts its influence
from
within, not from without.
Yeast makes dough rise from within. God first changes the heart of a person,
and that internal change has external manifestations.
The gospel influences
in a culture works the same way:
Christians within a culture
act as agents of change,
slowly transforming that culture from within.
Third, the effect of the
kingdom of God will be comprehensive. Just as yeast works until
the dough has completely risen,
the ultimate benefit of the kingdom of God will be worldwide
(Psalm 72:19; Daniel 2:35).
“The earth will be filled
with
the knowledge of
the
glory of the Lord
as the
waters cover the sea”
(Habakkuk 2:14).
Fourth, although the
kingdom of God works invisibly,
its effect
is evident to all.
Yeast does its job slowly,
secretly and silently,
but no one can
deny its effect on bread
The same is true of the
Work of grace in our hearts
The nature of yeast is to grow
and to change
whatever it contacts
When we accept Christ,
His grace grows in our hearts
and
changes us from the inside out.
As the gospel transforms lives,
it exerts a
pervasive influence in the world at large.
As we “reflect the glory of the Lord, . . .
the Lord
—who is the Spirit—makes us
more and more like him as we
are
changed into his glorious image”
(2 Corinthians 3:18, NLT).
“For the choir director
A Psalm of David
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! … May He grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your counsel! … You have given him his heart’s desire, and You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. For You meet him with the blessings of good things; You set a crown of fine gold on his head.
He asked life of You, You gave it to him, length of days forever and ever”
(Psa 20:0-1, 4; 21:2-4).
Reading the psalms in sequence, we feel the full force of living for God when He does not answer our prayers as we expect. In Psalms 20-21, David asks God to answer the Messiah on the day of trouble and to give him all that his heart desires (Psa 20:1, 4), including a crown of gold and “length of days forever and ever” (Psa 21:2-4).
In all honesty, we are not prepared for the horrific experiences this King must endure before we can celebrate the fulfillment of David’s prayers. The crown of gold will come, but only after a crown of thorns (Psalm 22) and a journey through the valley of death (Psa 23:4). God will answer the Messiah’s prayers in full (Psa 20:1, 6, 9), but only after he cries out again and again to the silent heavens (Psa 22:1-2). God will give the Messiah “life” and “length of days” (Psa 23:6), but only after a brutal death, when his garments are divided (Psa 22:14-18).
David’s prayers for the Messiah are answered, but in ways that are different and far better than David likely expected. By allowing the Messiah to suffer and die, death and the grave are defeated, not only for the King, but for all the families of the earth, tribes, tongues, and nations (Psa 22:22-31). God answers our prayers as well, but not always according to our expectations or limited perspectives. When those answers come, He gives us far above what we ask or think, so that He alone will receive eternal praise and glory.
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen” (Eph 3:20-21).
Ninety-five years after the first Sacrament of Confirmation and dedication of the church, Sacred Heart parish can look back over a rich history. For a few years in the early 1860's a few Catholic families and the Catholic servant girls employed in the village households were attended by the resident pastor of nearby Grafton. Oberlin was attached to Elyria as a Station. After the first OFFICIAL Mass on June 1,1880 Mass was held in private homes for twenty-five years. Steady growth required additional clergy and added Masses; social and educational programs realized corresponding expansion.
A handsome red brick and stone Romanesque church was built on the corner of Pleasant and Groveland Streets. The Oberlin newspaper for Saturday, September 6, 1890 reports that "fully fifteen hundred people gathered to witness the ceremonies connected with the laying of the corner stone of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the new chapel which the adherents of the Catholic church are erecting... Trains from the east and west brought hundreds of people desirous to be present at the first services connected with the new chapel." For fifteen years the mission parish was serviced by priests from neighboring towns until January 1906 when the Rev. Father Peter E. Dietz was assigned. The "residence" or rectory which was built under Father Dietz's direction beside the church still stands today on the corner, even though the church is no longer there. It was sold with the stipulation that the church building which held so many memories and had resulted from so many sacrifices of parishioners would be torn down lest it ever be used for an ignoble purpose. In 1909 the first Social Service Institute in the United States under Catholic auspices was organized in Oberlin by Father Dietz, a pioneer in the field of Catholic Social Action. New industrial development in Lorain County increased the number of Catholic families; to keep up with the expansion, a ten-acre plot on West Lorain Street was purchased. Between 1959 and 1963 until the new multi-purpose building on West Lorain Street was completed church events took place at both locations. Sacred Heart has played an increasingly active role in the religious life of Oberlin; in November 1995 the sanctuary was the site for an all-community Thanksgiving Service during which a new pipe organ was dedicated. This one-manual organ is unusually designed so that the keyboard can be divided to bring two ranks of pipes into play.
MUSIC,
AND
THE PRESENT CONGREGATION
Hymns with accompaniment are sung from
Missalettes in the pews.
Some favorite hymns are
"Eagle's Wings"; "Gentle Woman";
and
"Let there be peace on earth"
The Song of Solomon is an extended love poem. In Song of Solomon 2:1, the woman declares, “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.” Then the man affirms in verse 2, “Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the young women.” Then in verse 3 the woman responds, “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men.”
In the first verse, the woman says she is a rose of Sharon and a lily of the valleys. Many different plants have been called a rose of Sharon, and we do not know the specific species that is referred to here. There is also some question as to how the lily of the valley is to be identified. Suggestions include wild-growing anemone, hyacinth, tulip, iris, and gladiolus. In any case, the lily of the valley was a beautiful and fragrant plant. In the context of Song of Solomon, it may be that the woman is comparing herself to some common wildflowers that would not necessarily be considered valuable or beautiful when compared to cultivated flowers.
On the contrary, the man sees his beloved as a lily among thorns. Thorns are ugly, unattractive, and uninviting. But his beloved is a lily among the thorns—she stands out in his eyes, and her beauty outshines that of all other women. By the same token, the woman sees her bridegroom as an apple tree among the other trees in the forest—he is unique and valuable in her eyes.
The point seems to be that each lover finds the other superior to all the other options. The bride is a lily, as compared to thorns. The bridegroom is an apple tree, as compared to the other forest trees. There might be a lot of trees in the forest that are large and tall—like the mighty oak or the cedar of Lebanon. A rather small, scrubby apple tree would not seem to be very significant by comparison. However, when one considers the fruit that the apple tree gives, it is extraordinary. A person might chop down any number of trees for firewood, lumber, etc., but would most likely save an apple tree because of the fruit.
The point seems to be that comparing a beloved with others is all a matter of perspective. A lily of the valley compared to cultivated flowers might be rather insignificant, but compared to thorns that grow around it, it is beautiful. An apple tree is not the greatest tree in the forest, but when you consider the fruit that it gives, it is a wonderful tree.
This is the attitude that married people need to have when viewing each other. Each spouse needs to emphasize the positive strengths of the other. If one spouse looks around and starts to compare himself/herself against others who are better looking, more successful, richer, more powerful, more talented, more capable, etc., he or she may begin to feel inadequate or unworthy. It is the responsibility and privilege of the other spouse to point out the strengths and to demonstrate that “I only have eyes for you.” If the other spouse falls into the trap of negatively comparing his or her spouse with others, then things can go downhill quickly. Pornography and so much of what popular media defines as beautiful, sexy, or successful can be devastating to marriages because they set impossible, artificial standards that a spouse in real life can most likely never meet.
Every husband should see his wife as the lily of the valley and thank God for the beautiful and delightful blossom He has provided for him in the wilderness.
Many people today understand the church as a building. This is not a biblical understanding of the church. The word “church” is a translation of the Greek word ekklesia, which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root meaning of church is not that of a building, but of people. It is ironic that when you ask people what church they attend, they usually identify a building. Romans 16:5 says, “Greet the church that is in their house.” Paul refers to the church in their house—not a church building, but a body of believers.
The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the head. Ephesians 1:22–23 says, “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” The body of Christ is made up of all believers in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) until Christ’s return. Biblically, we may regard the church in two ways, as the universal church or as the local church.
The universal church consists of everyone, everywhere, who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). This verse says that anyone who believes is part of the body of Christ and has received the Spirit of Christ as evidence. All those who have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ comprise the universal church.
The local church is described in Galatians 1:1–2: “Paul, an apostle . . . and all the brothers with me, to the churches in Galatia.” Here we see that in the province of Galatia there were many churches—they had a localized ministry and were scattered throughout the province. They were local churches. A Baptist church, a Lutheran church, an E-Free church, etc., is not the church, as in the universal church; rather, it is a local church, a local body of believers. The universal church is comprised of everyone who belongs to Christ. Members of the universal church should seek fellowship and edification in a local church.
In summary, the church is not a building or a denomination. According to the Bible, the church is the body of Christ—all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Local churches are gatherings of people who claim the name of Christ. Members of a local church may or may not be members of the universal church, depending on the genuineness of their faith. The local church is where believers can fully apply the “body” principles of 1 Corinthians chapter 12—encouraging, teaching, and building one another up in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Since ancient times, builders have used cornerstones in their construction projects. A cornerstone was the principal stone, usually placed at the corner of an edifice, to guide the workers in their course. The cornerstone was usually one of the largest, the most solid, and the most carefully constructed of any in the edifice. The Bible describes Jesus as the cornerstone that His church would be built upon. He is foundational. Once the cornerstone was set, it became the basis for determining every measurement in the remaining construction; everything was aligned to it. As the cornerstone of the building of the church, Jesus is our standard of measure and alignment.
The book of Isaiah has many references to the Messiah to come. In several places the Messiah is referred to as “the cornerstone,” such as in this prophecy: “So this is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line’” (Isaiah 28:16–17). In context, God speaks to the scoffers and boasters of Judah, and He promises to send the cornerstone—His precious Son—who will provide the firm foundation for their lives, if they would but trust in Him.
In the New Testament, the cornerstone metaphor is continued. The apostle Paul desires for the Ephesian Christians to know Christ better: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 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” (Ephesians 2:19– 21). Furthermore, in 1 Peter 2:6, what Isaiah said centuries before is affirmed in exactly the same words.
Peter says that Jesus, as our cornerstone, is “chosen by God and precious to him” (1 Peter 2:4). The Cornerstone is also reliable, and “the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (verse 6).
Psalms
Psalm 100:2
serve as the
foundation for worship music,
blending emotional
expression with spiritual truth
to praise God
Scripture highlights that
music—using
voices and instruments—should be
intentional, skillful,
and heart-centered, reflecting God's glory
It is a powerful tool
for teaching
truth and encouraging believers
Worship and Truth: True worship involves singing with both spirit and truth. Psalms 66:2 encourages making praise glorious by honoring God's name rather than just thanking Him for personal blessings.
Music as Command: Music in worship is not optional but commanded, with scriptures like Psalm 150:3-6 encouraging the use of instruments like trumpets, harps, and cymbals.
Role of Psalms: Psalms are seen as Israel's inspired hymnal, used to express emotions, anchor the mind in biblical truth, and facilitate worship that engages all of a person's being.
Corporate Worship: Colossians 3:16 suggests that singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs helps the word of Christ dwell in believers.
Expression of Joy: Psalm 98:4 and Psalm 89:15 both call for joyful noise and singing as part of a blessed, worshipping community.
Ephesians 5:19: Speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
Psalm 33:3: "Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout".
1 Chronicles 15:16: Davidic tradition of pairing vocal praise with instruments
Worshiping in spirit and truth,
based on John 4:24,
means offering authentic, heart-felt praise (spirit) that aligns with God's Word and the person of Jesus (truth).
This approach shifts focus from external rituals or specific locations (like a temple) to an inner, Spirit-enabled connection with God.
Core
Components of Worship
in
Spirit and Truth
"In Spirit"
(Inner Devotion)
- Heartfelt and Sincere: Worship that comes from within, led by the Holy Spirit, rather than just outward, mechanical actions.
- Enables Transformation: It involves a regenerated heart, producing genuine love, humility, and surrender to God.
- Empowered by the Spirit: Relying on the Holy Spirit to guide worship, enabling true connection and intimacy with God.
- "In Truth" (Scriptural Alignment) True worship is not restricted to a specific place, like a church building, but is a lifestyle.
- Balance of Heart and Mind: It unites profound emotion/passion ("spirit") with biblical understanding ("truth").
- God's Requirement: Jesus states that the Father specifically seeks worshippers who will worship in this manner.
"Worship in spirit and truth"
means a lifestyle
of loving God
with your entire heart, mind, and soul,
in accordance with His truth.
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.
“Thus says the LORD, ‘
I will return to Zion
and will
dwell in the midst of Jerusalem
Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’ Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets’”
(Zech 8:3–5)
Although Jerusalem cannot yet be called the “City of Truth,” and God has not fully taken up His dwelling there, the city remains a modern miracle, one that many Christians overlook after falling prey to anti-Israel rhetoric and the habit of blaming the world’s problems on the Jews. When Zechariah first spoke this prophecy, the Jewish remnant that had returned from seventy years of exile in Babylon found his words nearly impossible to believe. The city and its temple were only a faint shadow of their former glory. That Jerusalem would one day become the most important mountain on earth, filled with life and visited by “many peoples and mighty nations,” must have sounded almost sarcastic.
Yet consider the modern city of Jerusalem, filled with elderly men and women drinking coffee and speaking Hebrew together, and children laughing and playing in its streets after a two-thousand-year exile. Is this merely a historical coincidence or a political accident? Consider how Jerusalem came into being again after Rome razed it to the ground, how the Jewish people were scattered and persecuted wherever they lived, Jewish blood flowing in the streets of Germany during the First Crusade, and the expulsions from England and Spain.
How ironic it is that so many Israeli atheists fail to see a miracle looking back at them in the mirror. And how tragic it is that so many in the world fail to recognize the sheer improbability of Jerusalem filled once more with Jewish life apart from the existence of God. Yet a miracle it is, beyond any reasonable explanation.
And when I look at the people of Jerusalem today, despite the many challenges we face, I am encouraged to believe in even greater miracles still to come.
In Hebrew, 5 is often associated with grace,
the five Books of Moses,
and the
five fingers on a hand
Ima (אִמָּא): Means "Mother" in Hebrew. It is pronounced Ee-MAH.
In Hebrew, the number 5 is chamesh (חמש) and often symbolizes divine grace, goodness, and God’s favor toward humanity. It is heavily associated with the five books of the Torah (Pentateuch) and represents redemption, salvation, and the five levels of the soul. The 5th Hebrew letter, Hei (ה), means "to look" or "to behold".
- The Torah and Life: The Torah consists of five books (Pentateuch), which are seen as foundational to life and godliness.
- Levels of the Soul: Kabbalah describes five levels of the soul: Nefesh (instincts), Ruach (emotions), Neshamah (mind), Chayah (bridge), and Yechidah (oneness).
- Humanity: The five senses and the five fingers on a hand represent human experience, which is then redeemed by divine grace.
GRACE in TORAH +4
- Grace and Favor: Frequently linked to God's kindness, such as in the five loaves that fed five thousand, or the "five smooth stones" chosen by David.
- The Fifth Letter (Hei - ה): With a numerical value of 5, Hei represents breath, spirit, and light
. It is often interpreted to mean "to behold" or "to make known".
- Feminine: Chamesh (חמש)
- Masculine: Chamisha (חמישה)
- 5th Letter: ה (Hei or Heh).
- 5th Day of Creation: Birds and fish were created, symbolizing the spreading of the Gospel (Spirit).
- 5th Feasts: Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah
Pentecost (derived from the Greek pentēkostē, meaning "fiftieth") refers to the Jewish festival of Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), celebrated 50 days after Passover. While it marks the 50th day of a 49-day (seven-week) count, it is intimately linked to the Hebrew Bible (Torah) as a harvest festival and the anniversary of the giving of the Torah at Sinai.
Hebrew Bible (Torah)
- Definition & Timing: Shavuot is mandated in the Torah to be celebrated 50 days after the bringing of the Firstfruits offering (oMer count) following Passover.
- Alternative Names: In the Hebrew Bible, it is known as:
- Feast of Weeks (Shavuot): Signifying the seven weeks of counting.
- Festival of Harvest/Firstfruits: Marking the end of the barley harvest and start of the wheat harvest.
- Day of Firstfruits: Offering the first of the new grain to the LORD.
- Biblical References: Instructions for the festival appear in Exodus 23:16, Leviticus 23:15-21, and Deuteronomy 16:9-12.
- Significance: It commemorates the anniversary of God giving the Ten Commandments to the Israelites at Mount Sinai.
"Five" vs. "Fifty"
- Pentecost/Fifty: The Greek pentēkostē (fiftieth) refers directly to the day count (49 days + 1).
- Five Books: While "Penta" means five, this refers to the Pentateuch (the Five Books of Moses/Torah).
The festival connects the physical redemption from Egypt (Passover) to the spiritual purpose of receiving the Torah (Shavuot/Pentecost).
The term "behold" is a significant word found throughout the Bible, often used to draw attention to a particular event, statement, or revelation. In the original Hebrew and Greek texts, the word is translated from terms like "hinneh" (Hebrew) and "idou" (Greek), both of which serve to emphasize the importance or immediacy of what follows. In the Berean Standard Bible , "behold" is used to alert readers to pay close attention to the unfolding narrative or divine message.
Old Testament Usage
In the Old Testament, "behold" frequently appears in narratives and prophetic literature. It serves as a literary device to highlight significant moments in God's interaction with humanity. For example, in Genesis 1:29 , God says, "Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food." Here, "behold" underscores the provision and generosity of God in creation.
In the prophetic books, "behold" often introduces visions or divine pronouncements. Isaiah 7:14 states, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel." This usage marks the prophecy of the coming Messiah, emphasizing its significance and divine origin.
New Testament Usage
In the New Testament, "behold" continues to serve as a marker of divine revelation and important teachings. In the Gospels, it is used to draw attention to the miraculous works and teachings of Jesus Christ. For instance, in Matthew 1:23 , the angel announces, "Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel"—a direct fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah.
The word is also prevalent in the Book of Revelation, where it introduces visions and declarations of future events. Revelation 3:20 states, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me." This passage uses "behold" to emphasize the immediacy and personal nature of Christ's invitation to fellowship.
The use of "behold" in Scripture is not merely a stylistic choice but carries theological weight. It serves as a call to the reader or listener to pause and consider the gravity of what is being communicated. In many instances, it introduces divine action or revelation, inviting believers to witness the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.
In a broader theological context, "behold" can be seen as an invitation to faith and obedience. It calls believers to recognize and respond to God's presence and work in the world. Whether in the context of creation, prophecy, or the life and ministry of Jesus, "behold" functions as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His promises.
The word "behold" is a powerful tool in biblical literature, used to draw attention to key moments and divine truths. Its presence in both the Old and New Testaments underscores the continuity of God's revelation and the importance of attentive faith. Through "behold," Scripture invites believers to witness and participate in the unfolding account of God's interaction with humanity.
Matthew 1:20
But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY NAS RSV)
Matthew 1:23
"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;" which is, being interpreted, "God with us."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 2:1
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 2:9
They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was.
(WEB)
Matthew 2:13
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 2:19
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 3:16
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
(WEB NAS RSV)
Matthew 3:17
Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
(WEB DBY NAS)
Matthew 4:11
Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 6:26
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
(KJV ASV WBS)
Matthew 7:3
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
(Root in KJV ASV WBS YLT)
Matthew 7:4
Or how will you tell your brother,'Let me remove the speck from your eye;' and behold, the beam is in your own eye?
(WEB KJV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 8:2
Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 8:24
Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 8:29
Behold, they cried out, saying, "What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 8:32
He said to them, "Go!" They came out, and went into the herd of pigs: and behold, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the cliff into the sea, and died in the water.
(WEB KJV ASV WBS RSV)
Matthew 8:34
Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 9:2
Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 9:3
Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man blasphemes."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 9:10
It happened as he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 9:18
While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 9:20
Behold, a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment;
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 9:32
As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 10:16
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 11:7
And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?
(ASV RSV)
Matthew 11:8
But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in king's houses.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 11:10
For this is he, of whom it is written,'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 11:19
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say,'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children. "
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 12:2
But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, "Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS)
Matthew 12:10
And behold there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?" that they might accuse him.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 12:18
"Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 12:41
The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 12:42
The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 12:46
While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 12:47
One said to him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 12:49
He stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers!
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 13:3
He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, a farmer went out to sow.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 13:17
for verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye behold and did not see them, and to hear the things which ye hear and did not hear them.
(DBY)
Matthew 15:22
Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely demonized!"
(WEB KJV ASV WBS RSV)
Matthew 17:3
Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.
(WEB KJV ASV WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 17:5
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 18:10
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)
Matthew 19:16
Behold, one came to him and said, "Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"
(WEB KJV ASV WBS RSV)
Matthew 19:27
Then Peter answered, "Behold, we have left everything, and followed you. What then will we have?"
(WEB KJV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 20:18
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 20:30
Behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!"
(WEB KJV ASV WBS RSV)
Matthew 21:5
"Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 22:4
Again he sent out other servants, saying,'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have made ready my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!"'
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 22:11
But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment:
(ASV)
Matthew 23:34
Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city;
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 23:38
Behold, your house is left to you desolate.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 24:23
"Then if any man tells you,'Behold, here is the Christ,' or,'There,' don't believe it.
(WEB DBY NAS)
Matthew 24:25
"Behold, I have told you beforehand.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 24:26
If therefore they tell you,'Behold, he is in the wilderness,' don't go out;'Behold, he is in the inner chambers,' don't believe it.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 25:6
But at midnight there was a cry,'Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!'
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 25:20
He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying,'Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents besides them.'
(WEB KJV DBY WBS)
Matthew 25:22
"He also who got the two talents came and said,'Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents besides them.'
(WEB KJV DBY WBS)
Matthew 25:25
I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.'
(WEB DBY)
Matthew 26:45
Then he came to his disciples, and said to them, "Sleep on now, and take your rest. Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 26:46
Arise, let's be going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 26:47
While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priest and elders of the people.
(WEB DBY NAS)
Matthew 26:51
Behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 26:65
Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Matthew 27:51
Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
(WEB KJV ASV WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 28:2
Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 28:7
Go quickly and tell his disciples,'He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you."
(WEB KJV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 28:9
As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Matthew 28:11
Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all the things that had happened.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)
Matthew 28:20
teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
(WEB DBY)
Mark 1:2
As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Mark 2:24
The Pharisees said to him, "Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?"
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS)
Mark 3:32
A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, "Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Mark 3:34
Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers!
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Mark 4:3
"Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow,
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Mark 4:12
that beholding they may behold and not see, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest it may be, they should be converted and they should be forgiven.
(Root in DBY)
Mark 5:15
And they come to Jesus, and behold him that was possessed with demons sitting, clothed and in his right mind, 'even' him that had the legion: and they were afraid.
(ASV)
Mark 5:22
Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet,
(WEB KJV WEY DBY WBS)
Mark 8:23
and having taken the hand of the blind man, he led him forth without the village, and having spit on his eyes, having put 'his' hands on him, he was questioning him if he doth behold anything:
(YLT)
Mark 8:24
And he looked up, and said, I see men; for I behold 'them' as trees, walking.
(ASV DBY YLT)
Mark 10:28
Peter began to tell him, "Behold, we have left all, and have followed you."
(WEB DBY NAS)
Mark 10:33
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the Gentiles.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Mark 11:21
And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
(KJV ASV WBS)
Mark 13:1
And as he went forth out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Teacher, behold, what manner of stones and what manner of buildings!
(ASV NAS)
Mark 13:21
Then if anyone tells you,'Look, here is the Christ!' or,'Look, there!' don't believe it.
(See NAS)
Mark 13:23
But you watch. "Behold, I have told you all things beforehand.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Mark 14:41
He came the third time, and said to them, "Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Mark 14:42
Arise, let us be going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand."
(WEB ASV DBY NAS)
Mark 15:4
And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.
(KJV ASV WBS)
Mark 15:35
Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Mark 16:6
He said to them, "Don't be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him!
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)
Luke 1:20
Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn't believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Luke 1:31
Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name'Jesus.'
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Luke 1:36
Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Luke 1:38
Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." The angel departed from her.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Luke 1:44
For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!
(WEB ASV DBY NAS RSV)
Luke 1:48
for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Luke 2:9
Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
(WEB)
Luke 2:10
The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)
Luke 2:25
Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS)
Luke 2:34
and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.
(WEB KJV ASV WBS NAS RSV)
Behold
Behind (188 Occurrences)
Jephunneh (16 Occurrences)
First-fruit (19 Occurrences)
Trier (5 Occurrences)
Erech (2 Occurrences)
Miracle (15 Occurrences)
Beholders (7 Occurrences)
Blesseth (55 Occurrences)
Beholding (45 Occurrences)
Beholdeth (25 Occurrences)
Ascend (86 Occurrences)
Spectator (1 Occurrence)
Swallows (6 Occurrences)
Entrance (190 Occurrences)
Beauty (98 Occurrences)
Sela (5 Occurrences)
Dwelleth (142 Occurrences)
Behold (1513 Occurrences)
Israel (27466 Occurrences)
Religion (23 Occurrences)
The world is presently under
a curse
pronounced by its
Creator
because of sin and rebellion
(Genesis 3:14, 17)
Along with everything else in creation, the children of God groan under the heavy weight of that curse (see Romans 8:19–23). This dark and broken world is all we know right now. But one day, the curse of sin will be lifted (Revelation 22:1–5). The newly created heavens and earth and all who are made new in Christ will bask in God’s glory (Revelation 22:1–5). Until then, believers experience a foretaste of that future glory: “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:22–23, ESV).
Firstfruits is an Old Testament term indicating the first and best portion of the harvest, which God designated for Himself and His priests (Leviticus 2:12; 23:10; Deuteronomy 18:4). Here in Romans 8:23, the apostle Paul uses the expression firstfruits of the Spirit as a metaphor for God’s transformative work of the Spirit in His people—a work of sanctification that will eventually culminate in resurrection glory. We groan now because we live in a fallen world, but we know the best is yet to come.
At salvation, when we receive the Holy Spirit, we get a taste of the entire, all-you-can-eat spiritual buffet that will be ours in heaven when we come into our full inheritance as God’s children. Paul tells the Corinthians that God has “set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 1:22; see also 2 Corinthians 5:5).
Paul writes to the Ephesians, “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession” (Ephesians 1:13–14, see also Ephesians 4:30). The firstfruits of the Spirit are equivalent to a deposit or a down payment from God providing the certainty that one day we will be given of our complete spiritual inheritance as adopted sons and daughters of God.
Having the firstfruits of the Spirit enables us to “lay aside every weight” of sin (Hebrews 12:1). It also allows us to endure hardship in our current state because “what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later” (Romans 8:18, NLT). We can be “pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed, . . . perplexed, but not driven to despair, . . . hunted down, but never abandoned by God, . . . knocked down, but we are not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9, NLT).
The firstfruits of the Spirit empower us to “rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance” (Romans 5:3, NLT; see also James 1:1–12; 5:7–12). And we don’t give up or lose hope because, “though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:16–17, NLT). We know with all assurance “that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us . . . to himself” (2 Corinthians 4:14).
The firstfruits of the Spirit remind us daily as we groan in this life that this world is not our permanent home: “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. . . . [W]e want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:1–4, NLT).
One day we will stand before Jesus face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). We will see Him, and we will be like Him (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:49), and we will live with Him and serve Him forever in glory (Romans 6:8; 2 Timothy 2:11; 4:18; 1 John 2:25; 5:11; Revelation 1:6; 20:6).
In a wonderful presentation of God’s continuous, unchanging goodness, James says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created” (James 1:17–18).
James contrasts the new birth that Christians experience with what is “given birth” in the previous verses. Desire gives birth to sin, and sin gives birth to death (James 1:15). God, in contrast, gives birth to us—His redeemed, sanctified children. Sin brings forth death, but God brings forth life. And we are the “firstfruits of his creatures” (James 1:18, KJV).
Being called “firstfruits” sounds strange to our ears, but to the original readers of James’ epistle—Jewish believers—it was quite meaningful. James’ audience was familiar with the Feast of Firstfruits (see Leviticus 23:9–14). On the third day after Passover, the people brought a sheaf of grain to the priest, who would wave it before the Lord. A burnt offering, a meal offering, and a drink offering were also required at that time. The firstfruits was an offering of gratitude, as the first part of the harvest belonged to God.
How are believers considered “firstfruits”? A couple of ways:
Firstfruits of salvation.
The first-century believers were the firstfruits of a spiritual harvest—they were the first to be saved and be part of the New Testament church. Of course, in calling these early believers the “firstfruits,” James implies that there would many, many more to come! Indeed, through the centuries, the gospel has circled the globe, and people have continued to be saved. One historian estimates that, at the end of the first century, there were not even ten thousand Christians in the world (Wilken, R., The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity, Yale University Press, 2012, p. 65). In 2015, according to the Pew Research Center, there were 2.3 billion people in the world who identified as Christians (www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/05/christians-remain-worlds-largest-religious-group-but-they-are-declining-in-europe, accessed 6/7/22). The harvest continues to grow.
Firstfruits of the new creation. Believers are new creations in Christ (Ephesians 4:24). When God saves us and gives us eternal life, He cancels out the curse of sin in our lives. That change in the believer is a bellwether of a bigger change coming, because God will one day cancel out the curse of sin on all of creation, restoring nature to its former glory:
“The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:19–23).
In summary, the Father, who gives a continual stream of good gifts, began to do something completely new and wonderful through His Son and His Spirit. Namely, He gave birth to the church. The early church, although small in number and despised by the world, was the precursor to something much bigger: a worldwide “harvest” of people who follow the Lord and the beginning of God’s total restoration of the universe. In Revelation 21:5, Jesus says, “I am making everything new!” And He started with the firstfruits of the church.
Greetings from Paul and Timothy
(Philippians 1:1–2; Philemon 1:1–3)
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
(1 Corinthians 1:4–9; Philippians 1:3–11)
3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints— 5the faith and love proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6that has come to you.
All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God. 7You learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on ourb behalf, 8and who also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified youc to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
13He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption,d the forgiveness of sins.
The Supremacy of the Son
(Hebrews 1:1–14)
15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence. 19For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, 20and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.
21Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds. 22But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence— 23if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creaturee under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Paul’s Suffering for the Church
(2 Corinthians 11:16–33)
24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church. 25I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God, 26the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints. 27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfectf in Christ. 29To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.
The Son is the image of the invisible God,
Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
2 Corinthians 4:4
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.
the firstborn over all creation.
Psalm 89:27
I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
Hebrews 1:2
But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.
John 1:3
Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
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, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
Philippians 2:6
Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
1 Corinthians 8:6
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.
Revelation 3:14
To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.
Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” / So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Proverbs 8:22-31
The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old. / From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began. / When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water. …
John 14:9
Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Hebrews 1:6
And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”
John 1:14
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.
Romans 8:29
For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
Exodus 24:10
And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
Numbers 12:8
With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
Ezekiel 1:26-28
And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it…
the invisible.
1 Timothy 1:17
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 6:16
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Hebrews 11:27
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
the firstborn.
Colossians 1:13
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Psalm 89:27
Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Colossians 1:16,17
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: …
Proverbs 8:29-31
When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: …
Revelation 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
The Beginning
(Genesis 1:1–2; Hebrews 11:1–3)
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. 4In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcomea it.
The Witness of John
6There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9The true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. 11He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
The Word Became Flesh
(Psalm 84:1–12)
14The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.b We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Sonc from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”
16From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God andd is at the Father’s side,e has made Him known.
The Mission of John the Baptist
(Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20)
19And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” 20He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, “I am not the Christ.”
21“Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
22So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
24Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26“I baptize withg water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know. 27He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Jesus the Lamb of God
(Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22)
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ 31I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
32Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him. 33I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.h”
The First Disciples
(Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11)
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
38Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked.
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”
39“Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.i
40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus. 41He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ).
42Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter).
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.” 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.
45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46“Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.”
48“How do You know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
49“Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50Jesus said to him, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”j
1 John 4:12
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
1 Timothy 6:16
He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
Exodus 33:20
But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”
but the one and only Son,
1 John 4:9
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
who is Himself God
Colossians 2:9
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.
Titus 2:13
as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 1:8
But about the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
and is at the Father’s side,
John 17:5
And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Acts 7:55-56
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. / “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
has made Him known.
John 17:6
I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
Matthew 11:27
All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
Luke 10:22
All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”
Colossians 1:15
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
John 6:46
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
Exodus 33:20
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Deuteronomy 4:12
And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.
the only.
John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 3:16-18
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…
1 John 4:9
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
in the.
John 13:23
Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Proverbs 8:30
Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
Isaiah 40:11
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
he hath.
John 12:41
These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
John 14:9
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
John 17:6,26
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word…
No one has ever seen God
This phrase emphasizes the transcendence and invisibility of God. In the Old Testament, God is described as dwelling in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16) and as a spirit (John 4:24). Instances where God appears, such as to Moses in Exodus 33:20-23, are mediated through visions or representations, not direct encounters. This underscores the holiness and otherness of God, who cannot be fully comprehended by human senses.
but the one and only Son
The term "one and only" (Greek: monogenēs) signifies uniqueness and exclusivity. It highlights the special relationship between Jesus and the Father, distinguishing Him from all other beings. This phrase connects to John 3:16, where Jesus is described as God's "only begotten Son," emphasizing His unique divine sonship and role in salvation history.
who is Himself God
This affirms the deity of Christ, a central tenet of Christian doctrine. It aligns with John 1:1, which states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This phrase asserts the full divinity of Jesus, countering early heresies that denied His divine nature. It is foundational for understanding the Trinity, where Jesus is fully God, co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
and is at the Father’s side
This phrase indicates the intimate relationship and unity between the Father and the Son. The imagery of being "at the Father’s side" suggests closeness and shared authority. It reflects the cultural context of the ancient Near East, where sitting at the right hand of a ruler signified honor and power. This is echoed in Hebrews 1:3, where Jesus is described as sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
has made Him known
Jesus, as the incarnate Word, reveals the Father to humanity. This revelation is not just through His teachings but through His very life and actions. In John 14:9, Jesus tells Philip, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." This phrase fulfills the prophetic anticipation of a Messiah who would bring knowledge of God to the people, as seen in passages like Isaiah 9:6 and Isaiah 11:2. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection provide the ultimate revelation of God's character and purpose.
1. God
The eternal, omnipotent, and omniscient Creator of the universe, who is invisible to human eyes.
2. The One and Only Son
Refers to Jesus Christ, who is uniquely begotten of the Father and shares in the divine nature.
3. The Father
God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, who is in a close and intimate relationship with the Son.
4. The Incarnation
The event of God the Son taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ to reveal God to humanity.
The Unseen God
Understand that God, in His essence, is invisible and beyond human comprehension. This calls for reverence and awe in our approach to Him.
The Revelation through Christ
Jesus, being fully God and fully man, uniquely reveals the nature and character of God. This encourages us to study the life and teachings of Jesus to know God more intimately.
The Intimacy of the Father and the Son
The close relationship between the Father and the Son is a model for our relationship with God. We are invited into this intimacy through faith in Christ.
The Role of the Incarnation
The incarnation is central to understanding how God communicates with humanity. It shows God’s love and desire to be known by us.
Living in Light of Revelation
As Jesus has made God known, we are called to live in a way that reflects His character and truth to the world.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of John 1:18?
2. How does John 1:18 reveal the uniqueness of Jesus in knowing God?
3. What does "No one has ever seen God" imply about God's nature?
4. How does John 1:18 connect with Exodus 33:20 about seeing God?
5. How can we apply the revelation of God through Jesus in daily life?
6. How does Jesus being "at the Father's side" impact our relationship with God?
7. How does John 1:18 affirm the divinity of Jesus?
8. Why does John 1:18 say no one has seen God?
9. How does John 1:18 relate to the concept of the Trinity?
10. What are the top 10 Lessons from John 1?
11. Has anyone ever seen God?
12. Jesus says, “No one has seen God” (John 1:18), but Genesis 32:30 says Jacob saw God face to face. Isn’t this a contradiction?
13. What are the main Trinitarian heresies?
14. Has anyone ever witnessed God?
What Does John 1:18 Mean
No one has ever seen God
John opens with a staggering truth: the Almighty dwells in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16). Moses caught only a glimpse of God’s back (Exodus 33:20–23), Isaiah saw His robe fill the temple (Isaiah 6:1), yet none beheld His unveiled essence. This reminds us:
• God’s holiness and glory are so pure that fallen humanity cannot survive direct exposure.
• Every Old Testament encounter—burning bush, cloud, or angel—was a veiled manifestation pointing ahead to something greater.
but the one and only Son
The phrase spotlights Jesus’ uniqueness. He is not one of many; He is “the only begotten” (John 3:16) in the sense of being utterly singular. Where prophets were servants, the Son is heir (Hebrews 1:1–2). His exclusive status means He alone can fully bridge heaven and earth.
who is Himself God
Here the Spirit leaves no room for doubt about Christ’s deity. Other passages echo the claim: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1); “In Him the whole fullness of Deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Jesus isn’t a lesser divine figure; He shares the same eternal nature as the Father, making His revelation of God absolutely authoritative.
and is at the Father’s side
Literally “in the bosom of the Father,” portraying closeness, affection, and perfect fellowship. Before creation, the Son enjoyed glory “with You before the world existed” (John 17:5). From that place of intimate communion, He now communicates the Father’s heart to us. This assures believers that every word and act of Jesus flows directly from the Father’s loving presence.
has made Him known
The Greek verb behind “made Him known” gives us our word exegesis—drawing out meaning. Jesus is the living exposition of God:
• His teaching articulates the Father’s mind (John 12:49).
• His compassion displays the Father’s heart (Matthew 9:36).
• His cross reveals the Father’s justice and love in full harmony (Romans 3:25–26; 5:8).
• His resurrection unveils the Father’s power over death (Acts 2:24).
To see Jesus is to see the Father (John 14:9). No further, fuller revelation will surpass Him.
Revelation 14 describes a group of Jews during the tribulation period who will “follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb” (verse 4). This group of men, numbering 144,000, will have a special commission during the tribulation. They are faithful to complete their divine task, and they are, in some way, “firstfruits” to God.
In general, firstfruits are the beginning of the harvest—literally the first fruits that the farmer gathers out of the fields, orchards, or vineyards. The Feast of Firstfruits, which is described in Deuteronomy 26:1–11, is celebrated in spring, when, in ancient times, the wheat and barley harvest took place.
In 1 Corinthians 15:20, Christ is said to be the firstfruits of all who will later be resurrected. His resurrection was just the “first of the harvest,” and there will be much more to come. The fact that many more will be resurrected is guaranteed by Christ’s resurrection (see John 14:19).
In Revelation 14:4, the 144,000 are said to be the firstfruits of the redeemed. To use another metaphor, the 144,000 are but the “tip of the iceberg.” There are many, many more who will come to faith in Christ during the tribulation.
As to the question of “who” they are, that is a point of disagreement among interpreters. We view the 144,000 as a literal Jewish men, who fit the description given in Revelation. They are sealed “servants of God,” which means they have the special protection of God (Revelation 7:3). They are kept safe from the divine judgments of the tribulation and from the wrath of the Antichrist. They are virgins (Revelation 14:4). They follow and obey Christ. They are redeemed, “and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless” (verse 5, ESV).
The 144,000 are said to be “redeemed from the earth” and “purchased from among mankind” (Revelation 14:3–4). Since they are “offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb” (verse 4), we know that there will be many others to follow who will also be redeemed. The Bible predicts that Israel will one day repent and turn back to God (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25–27), and the 144,000 Jews are the “firstfruits” of that redeemed Israel.
With God’s protection, these “firstfruits” of salvation can freely perform their mission during the tribulation. Their job seems to be to evangelize the post-rapture world and proclaim the gospel. As a result of their ministry, “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) will come to faith in Christ. Sinners are saved, and God is glorified.
These future missionaries will go throughout the earth spreading the gospel. They are the firstfruits—men who are saved early on in the tribulation and help bring in a great harvest of souls to the glory of their Redeemer.
In his vision in Revelation 19:7–10, John saw and heard the heavenly multitudes praising God because the wedding feast of the Lamb—literally, the “marriage supper”—was about to begin. The concept of the marriage supper is better understood in light of the wedding customs in the time of Christ.
These wedding customs had three major parts. First, a marriage contract was signed by the parents of the bride and the bridegroom, and the parents of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself would pay a dowry to the bride or her parents. This began what was called the betrothal period—what we would today call the engagement. This period was the one Joseph and Mary were in when she was found to be with child (Matthew 1:18; Luke 2:5).
The second step in the process usually occurred much later, when the bridegroom, accompanied by his male friends, went to the house of the bride. If he came in the night, he and his companions would create a torchlight parade through the streets. The bride would be ready with her maidens, and when the bridegroom arrived, they would all join the parade and end up at the bridegroom’s home. This custom is the basis of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13. The third phase was the marriage supper itself, which might go on for days, as illustrated by the wedding at Cana in John 2:1–2.
What John’s vision in Revelation pictures is the wedding feast of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) and His bride (the Church) in its third phase. The implication is that the first two phases have already taken place. The first phase was completed on earth when each individual believer placed his or her faith in Christ as Savior. The dowry paid by the bridegroom’s parent (God the Father) would be the blood of Christ shed on the Bride’s behalf. The Church on earth today, then, is “betrothed” to Christ, and, like the wise virgins in the parable, all believers should be watching and waiting for the appearance of the Bridegroom (the rapture). The second phase symbolizes the rapture of the Church, when Christ comes to claim His bride and take her to the Father’s house. The marriage supper then follows as the third and final step. It is our view that the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place in heaven between the rapture and the second coming (during the tribulation on earth).
Attending the wedding feast will be not only the Church as the Bride of Christ, but others as well. The “others” include the Old Testament saints—they will not have been resurrected yet, but their souls/spirits will be in heaven with us. As the angel told John to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). The marriage supper of the Lamb is a glorious celebration of all who are in Christ!
In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist makes a profound declaration about the coming Messiah: “I baptize you with water, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (ESV). John baptized with water to signify repentance, but he was preparing the way for One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire—a spiritual baptism, not a physical one.
John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus (see Mark 1:1–4). John called people to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2). The word repent means to “change one’s mind.” In the Old Testament, repentance involved turning away from sin and turning to God (2 Chronicles 7:14; Ezekiel 33:11). Because the kingdom of heaven was near (or imminent), John preached that all should repent “for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4) and to show their change of heart by being baptized.
As John baptized and preached, he looked ahead to someone greater than himself (Matthew 3:11). In fact, the words he who is coming after me alludes to the messianic hope that had defined Judaism for generations: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2, ESV; cf. Isaiah 9:6–7).
John acknowledges that he is inferior compared to the Coming One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). First, he says that the coming one is “more powerful” than he. Indeed, Jesus the Messiah is mightier than John in every respect: Jesus is divine (Colossians 2:9), sinless (Hebrews 4:15), and the Savior of the world (John 3:16). No one can compare to Him.
Second, John states that he is unworthy of carrying the sandals of the coming Messiah (Matthew 3:11). In other words, John is unworthy of performing the most menial task in the service of the Messiah. John the Baptist believed that the imminent arrival of the Messiah meant that John would need to step aside (John 3:30).
Last, John compares his water baptism to the Messiah’s baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). John’s baptism was a symbolic act of repentance, whereas the Messiah would inaugurate two types of spiritual baptism: a baptism with the Holy Spirit and a baptism with fire.
The baptism with the Holy Spirit occurs when a person is born again and made a part of the body of Christ. All believers in Jesus are partakers of the baptism of the Spirit: “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
The baptism by fire that John predicts could be seen in two ways:
1. For those who confess their sins and repent, the baptism of fire alludes to the purifying and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. The same symbol is seen in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples with a visible token: “They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them” (Acts 2:3).
2. For those who refuse to repent, the baptism of fire has to do with judgment. “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29, ESV). John the Baptist clearly had judgment in mind when he spoke of the baptism of fire, as he followed up that prediction with these words: “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 3:12). Those who continue in sin and unrepentance are destined for the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14–15, ESV).
John the Baptist’s announcement of the coming Messiah reflects the culmination of messianic expectations and the uniqueness of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Now that Jesus has ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9–12), we eagerly await His return (Philippians 3:20). And we continue to worship Him who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire.
The Two Witnesses
1Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there. 2But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. 3And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.a 5If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone who wants to harm them must be killed. 6These witnesses have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophecy, and power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.
The Witnesses Killed and Raised
7When the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them. 8Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city—figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where their Lord was also crucified. 9For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb. 10And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send one another gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them.
11But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them. 12And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.
13And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is coming shortly.
The Seventh Trumpet
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven:
“The kingdom of the world
has become the kingdom of our Lord
and of His Christ,
and He will reign forever and ever.”
16And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,
saying:
“We give thanks to You, O Lord God Almighty,
the One who is and who was,
because You have taken Your great power
and have begun to reign
18The nations were enraged,
and Your wrath has come.
The time has come to judge the dead
and to reward Your servants the prophets,
as well as the saints and those who fear Your name,
both small and great--
and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple.
And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.
4 a See Zechariah 4:14.
17 b TR includes and who is to come.
18 c See Psalm 2:1.
18 d See Daniel 12:2.
Isaiah 43:10
“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come.
Deuteronomy 19:15
A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
2 Corinthians 13:1
This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
are the two olive trees
Zechariah 4:2-3
“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. / There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left.”
Zechariah 4:11-12
Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?” / And I questioned him further, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes from which the golden oil pours?”
and the two lampstands
Revelation 1:20
This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Matthew 5:15
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
that stand before the Lord of the earth.
Zechariah 4:14
So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing beside the Lord of all the earth.”
1 Kings 17:1
Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was among the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there will be neither dew nor rain in these years except at my word!”
Luke 1:19
“I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
Revelation 2:1
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. / Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. / In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 15:5
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
Romans 11:17-24
Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, / do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. / You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” …
Romans 8:16-17
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. / 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.
Psalm 52:8
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
Jeremiah 11:16
The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
Zechariah 4:2,3,11-14
And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: …
two candlesticks.
Revelation 1:20
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Matthew 5:14-16
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid…
Luke 11:33
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
standing.
Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
1 Kings 17:1
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
the God.
Exodus 8:22
And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
Isaiah 54:5
For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
Micah 4:13
Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.
Candlesticks Earth Lampstands Lamp-Stands Olive Olive-Trees Presence Stand Standing Trees Witnesses
Candlesticks Earth Lampstands Lamp-Stands Olive Olive-Trees Presence Stand Standing Trees Witnesses
Revelation 11
1. The two witnesses prophesy.
6. They have power to shut heaven so that it rain not.
7. The beast shall fight against them, and kill them.
8. They lie unburied;
11. and after three and a half days rise again.
14. The second woe is past.
15. The seventh trumpet sounds.
https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/05-06-2026
Charlotte Gambill
May 6, 2026
Part1
“But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people”
(Psa 22:6).
This verse, more than any other in Psalm 22, captures the extent to which our Messiah “emptied himself of glory” (see Phil 2:7) to become the Savior of God’s people. This king, whom David said God would answer on the day of trouble (Psa 20:1), receives no answer from God on the day of his trouble (Psa 22:1-2, 11). This same king, of whom it was said that God would remember his meal offerings (Psa 20:3), is abandoned by God and forgotten (Psa 22:11, 19). This same king, whom God’s people adore with a crown of gold upon his head (Psa 21:3), is likened to a worm, surrounded by mockers who wag their heads at him in scorn (Psa 22:6-8). This king, who asked for eternal life (Psa 21:4) along with splendor and majesty (Psa 21:5), dies a shameful and ignominious death, naked and completely alone
(Psa 22:12-18).
When we consider our Messiah’s self-degrading sacrifice for our sake (Psa 22:22-31), let us willingly set aside the respect that comes with status, achievement, and titles, and get down on our hands and knees to wash the feet of those whom Yeshua now calls his sisters and brothers
(Psa 22:22).
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”
(Phil 2:3-8).
The Psalms
Who Are They About and For?
The Psalms is firstly a collection of the songs and cries of the ancient people of God—in all the drama and trauma of life. Real and raw, these inspired prayer-songs express all that we think and feel as we face life and seek hard after God in a broken and hostile world. We may rightly read them as our own testimony, pray them as our own prayers, and sing them as our own songs.
But with that understood, most of the inspired psalms are also prayer-songs about the drama, trauma, struggles, and triumphs of a king; the ancient ruler of Israel, King David. King David (who had a heart like God’s, 1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) went through a lot—both before becoming king and after he was crowned. He had a hard life mixed with lots of blessings—and his prayer-songs show it.
But there is something we should know about King David. He was a shadow (or foreshadow) of another King—David’s son and David’s Lord (Matt.22:41-45). And for this reason, his life and words prefigured and predicted the drama and trauma—and eventual glory and triumph of the ultimate and eternal Son of David, Jesus Christ (Isa. 9:6, 7; Matt. 1:1; Luke 1:30-33).
Our appreciation of The Psalms will be too narrow and shallow if we think they are mostly about us, or even about David. They are not. They are much, if not mostly about David’s Son and David’s Lord whom David foreshadows. In other words, we are meant to see Jesus standing over The Psalms, casting his shadow upon them in such a way that we see shapes, hints, contours, and glimpses of him everywhere.
Seeing What David Longed to SeeInterestingly, the original psalmists did not know all of these connections; but they longed to. We learn from Jesus and the apostles that Old Testament prophet-writers often did not know what their own words meant. So true was this that they studied their own writings to figure out more about the Messiah-King to come. (1 Peter 1:10-12). We can say that they wrote Spirit-inspired words (2 Peter 1:20, 21), and then read them and wondered: “Who is this about and what does it mean! It cannot be just about me! I know I’m writing about a greater person—indeed a King—who is going to suffer greatly, but then be exalted even more greatly. What do these things mean?” They knew that they were writing (and in the case of the psalmists, praying and singing) about Someone yet to come; one who turned out to be none other than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
And the earliest Christians didn’t miss the message. For example, in the earliest chapters of the Book of Acts, Luke cites The Psalms several times, interpreting various phrases, paragraphs and more as being about Christ or events around his life and death (Acts 1:16; 2:25-36; 4:24-28; 13:22, 23, 34-36). This is so much the case that one author writes that in those chapters “One is…given a hint as to how the early Christians read the psalms, namely, as royal texts that foreshadow the life and experiences of David’s royal son.” And again: “…Luke read the psalms as a portrait of the life and experiences of Jesus the Messiah…[A]s the autobiographical speech of the suffering Davidic Messiah…” [Joshua W. Ipp, “Luke’s Scriptural Suffering Messiah: A Search for Precedent, a Search for Identity”, (Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322), 267, 269, 274].
How the New Testament Views the PsalmsThis is all clear from how Jesus and New testament writers interpreted the book of The Psalms. Of the 283 New Testament citations of the 66 books of the Old Testament, 116 of them are from one book, The Psalms. That means that New Testament writers—and Jesus—believed the book of The Psalms to be about King Jesus, the Son of David. Jesus tells us explicitly that the book of The Psalms is about him (Luke 24:44), and cites them as many as 50 times in connection to his own life, ministry, sufferings, and glory.
In addition, New Testament writers seem to see The Psalms as being about Jesus the Christ-Messiah so thoroughly and pervasively that they lift even short phrases and/or sentences from the middle of various psalms and say they are about him. This indicates that in their mind, The Psalms as a collection of writings are frequently, if not thoroughly and primarily about David’s Son, and could be cited at virtually any point as applying to him… [For some of these thoughts, I am indebted to Bruce K. Waltke’s chapter “Christ in the Psalms”].
It is significant how many times phrases and words in various psalms are said to be fulfilled in Christ. The Greek word behind that translation means to fill up or complete, or bring to realization or actuality. This means that until actualized in the experience of Christ (either in history past, present, or future), the words of those psalms cited were only partially completed; and could not be brought to their fullness of meaning apart from him.
In this light, Jesus and the early Christians were not just citing The Psalms as we might lift a phrase from Shakespeare to serve our own purposes. When we do this, we’re simply saying that something Shakespeare wrote is one way of saying what we’re trying to say. We are not suggesting that Shakespeare’s Hamlet or Othello or Romeo or Juliet are about or fulfilled in us. But that is precisely what Jesus and the New Testament authors are saying in the way they reference The Psalms. By citing the various psalms so often and by claiming that Jesus is the fulfillment of specific words and phrases in the book of The Psalms, they are saying that the collection of The Psalms is about Christ. They understood The Psalms to be (or at least to include) the words, emotions, experiences, and life and ministry of Jesus; prefigured and foreshadowed in the words, emotions, experiences, and life and work of King David (and the other psalmists).
What this means is that in reading and singing The Psalms we gain intimate access into the mind and heart of our Lord and Savior. The Psalms is not just about how God’s people have felt, or King David once felt. They are about how Jesus has felt and thought and suffered and triumphed. They are a window into the inner life of our Redeemer-King…
Conclusion
While the Psalms may legitimately be sung as real and raw expressions of authentic fear, faith and hope from the vantage of suffering and triumphant saints, they may, and must be sung, too, from the vantage of the suffering and triumphant Savior. I would encourage those who use the “Shorey” Psalter to do both. Perhaps read and sing the day’s psalm first as an expression of personal faith or lament or cry for help. Then proceed to read and/or sing it, imagining Christ in Gethsemane, or on Golgotha, or facing the raging Pharisees, or before an angry mob, or hanging in public open shame at Golgotha, or ascended and enthroned on his Coronation Day, or ruling in justice and judgment both now and forevermore.
Beneath and behind and throughout The Psalms, there is Jesus—either in his sufferings or in his glory. So let us look for Jesus everywhere… throughout the sorrow and glory-filled pages of this first hymn-book of the church.
The Psalms
Who Are They About and For?
The Psalms is firstly a collection of the songs and cries of the ancient people of God—in all the drama and trauma of life. Real and raw, these inspired prayer-songs express all that we think and feel as we face life and seek hard after God in a broken and hostile world. We may rightly read them as our own testimony, pray them as our own prayers, and sing them as our own songs.
But with that understood, most of the inspired psalms are also prayer-songs about the drama, trauma, struggles, and triumphs of a king; the ancient ruler of Israel, King David. King David (who had a heart like God’s, 1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) went through a lot—both before becoming king and after he was crowned. He had a hard life mixed with lots of blessings—and his prayer-songs show it.
But there is something we should know about King David. He was a shadow (or foreshadow) of another King—David’s son and David’s Lord (Matt.22:41-45). And for this reason, his life and words prefigured and predicted the drama and trauma—and eventual glory and triumph of the ultimate and eternal Son of David, Jesus Christ (Isa. 9:6, 7; Matt. 1:1; Luke 1:30-33).
Our appreciation of The Psalms will be too narrow and shallow if we think they are mostly about us, or even about David. They are not. They are much, if not mostly about David’s Son and David’s Lord whom David foreshadows. In other words, we are meant to see Jesus standing over The Psalms, casting his shadow upon them in such a way that we see shapes, hints, contours, and glimpses of him everywhere.
Seeing What David Longed to SeeInterestingly, the original psalmists did not know all of these connections; but they longed to. We learn from Jesus and the apostles that Old Testament prophet-writers often did not know what their own words meant. So true was this that they studied their own writings to figure out more about the Messiah-King to come. (1 Peter 1:10-12). We can say that they wrote Spirit-inspired words (2 Peter 1:20, 21), and then read them and wondered: “Who is this about and what does it mean! It cannot be just about me! I know I’m writing about a greater person—indeed a King—who is going to suffer greatly, but then be exalted even more greatly. What do these things mean?” They knew that they were writing (and in the case of the psalmists, praying and singing) about Someone yet to come; one who turned out to be none other than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
And the earliest Christians didn’t miss the message. For example, in the earliest chapters of the Book of Acts, Luke cites The Psalms several times, interpreting various phrases, paragraphs and more as being about Christ or events around his life and death (Acts 1:16; 2:25-36; 4:24-28; 13:22, 23, 34-36). This is so much the case that one author writes that in those chapters “One is…given a hint as to how the early Christians read the psalms, namely, as royal texts that foreshadow the life and experiences of David’s royal son.” And again: “…Luke read the psalms as a portrait of the life and experiences of Jesus the Messiah…[A]s the autobiographical speech of the suffering Davidic Messiah…” [Joshua W. Ipp, “Luke’s Scriptural Suffering Messiah: A Search for Precedent, a Search for Identity”, (Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322), 267, 269, 274].
How the New Testament Views the PsalmsThis is all clear from how Jesus and New testament writers interpreted the book of The Psalms. Of the 283 New Testament citations of the 66 books of the Old Testament, 116 of them are from one book, The Psalms. That means that New Testament writers—and Jesus—believed the book of The Psalms to be about King Jesus, the Son of David. Jesus tells us explicitly that the book of The Psalms is about him (Luke 24:44), and cites them as many as 50 times in connection to his own life, ministry, sufferings, and glory.
In addition, New Testament writers seem to see The Psalms as being about Jesus the Christ-Messiah so thoroughly and pervasively that they lift even short phrases and/or sentences from the middle of various psalms and say they are about him. This indicates that in their mind, The Psalms as a collection of writings are frequently, if not thoroughly and primarily about David’s Son, and could be cited at virtually any point as applying to him… [For some of these thoughts, I am indebted to Bruce K. Waltke’s chapter “Christ in the Psalms”].
It is significant how many times phrases and words in various psalms are said to be fulfilled in Christ. The Greek word behind that translation means to fill up or complete, or bring to realization or actuality. This means that until actualized in the experience of Christ (either in history past, present, or future), the words of those psalms cited were only partially completed; and could not be brought to their fullness of meaning apart from him.
In this light, Jesus and the early Christians were not just citing The Psalms as we might lift a phrase from Shakespeare to serve our own purposes. When we do this, we’re simply saying that something Shakespeare wrote is one way of saying what we’re trying to say. We are not suggesting that Shakespeare’s Hamlet or Othello or Romeo or Juliet are about or fulfilled in us. But that is precisely what Jesus and the New Testament authors are saying in the way they reference The Psalms. By citing the various psalms so often and by claiming that Jesus is the fulfillment of specific words and phrases in the book of The Psalms, they are saying that the collection of The Psalms is about Christ. They understood The Psalms to be (or at least to include) the words, emotions, experiences, and life and ministry of Jesus; prefigured and foreshadowed in the words, emotions, experiences, and life and work of King David (and the other psalmists).
What this means is that in reading and singing The Psalms we gain intimate access into the mind and heart of our Lord and Savior. The Psalms is not just about how God’s people have felt, or King David once felt. They are about how Jesus has felt and thought and suffered and triumphed. They are a window into the inner life of our Redeemer-King…
Conclusion
While the Psalms may legitimately be sung as real and raw expressions of authentic fear, faith and hope from the vantage of suffering and triumphant saints, they may, and must be sung, too, from the vantage of the suffering and triumphant Savior. I would encourage those who use the “Shorey” Psalter to do both. Perhaps read and sing the day’s psalm first as an expression of personal faith or lament or cry for help. Then proceed to read and/or sing it, imagining Christ in Gethsemane, or on Golgotha, or facing the raging Pharisees, or before an angry mob, or hanging in public open shame at Golgotha, or ascended and enthroned on his Coronation Day, or ruling in justice and judgment both now and forevermore.
Beneath and behind and throughout The Psalms, there is Jesus—either in his sufferings or in his glory. So let us look for Jesus everywhere… throughout the sorrow and glory-filled pages of this first hymn-book of the church.
“A Psalm of David.
Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my INTEGRITY, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Examine me, O LORD, and try me; test my mind and my heart…. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked…. Do not take my soul away along with sinners, nor my life with men of bloodshed.”
(Psa 26:0-2, 5, 9).
In this passage,
King David invites
the LORD
to examine his heart, expressing his deep pursuit of personal integrity. A desire for integrity is a repeated theme in Book I of the Psalter (see Psa 7:8; 15:2; 18:23, 25, 32; 19:13; 25:21; 26:1, 11; 37:18; 41:12). David desires to be like the blessed man of Psalm 1, who “walks” (Psa 26:1, 3, 11), “stands” (Psa 26:12), and “sits” (Psa 26:4-5) in the right places.
As part of this pursuit, David pleads with the LORD to keep him from following the counsel of the wicked (Psa 26:4-5, 9-10). He also affirms his love for the house of the LORD, the one place on earth where God’s glory dwells in perfect holiness and purity
(Psa 26:6-7).
How much we need the courage to pray David’s prayer today, when we spend countless hours scrolling through feeds of fake news and conspiracy theories, and when our love for “going it alone” replaces a love for celebrating God’s presence with the community of believers.
Let us dare to pray this prayer again and again, asking that God would give us the heart of King David: “But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. My foot stands on a level place; in the congregations I shall bless the LORD”
(Psa 26:11-12).
Spring Feasts, Upcoming Feasts and Special Days, Videos & Articles
Sefirat ha Omer: Counting Our Days
ONE FOR ISRAEL
There’s a period of time between Passover and Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks) known as “Counting the Omer” when the people of Israel were commanded to count the days. For fifty days after Passover, Jewish families do a countdown to the next festival: The Feast of Weeks, or in Hebrew, Shavuot (meaning ‘weeks’). This daily counting enterprise is known as sefirat haomer, which is Hebrew for Counting of the Omer. It’s been making me think of this verse:
Teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom
(Psalm 90:12)
ProvisionGenerally speaking, if you ask Israelis what Shavuot is all about, they’ll talk about the giving of the Torah. Jewish people count fifty days from Passover, when God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and seven weeks later it’s Shavuot, when He gave people of Israel the Law at Sinai.
“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:15-16)
You might notice though, that even as the instruction to count the days is clear here in Leviticus, there’s no mention of an omer. It merely mentions the wave offering of a sheaf of wheat for the Feast of Firstfruits, which points to the resurrection. The omer is mentioned, however, multiple times in Exodus 16. The omer is a biblical measurement, roughly equivalent to ten cups, and the Israelites were given their daily bread in the form of manna from heaven as they traveled through the desert on the way to Israel.
“This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” (Exodus 16:16)
The first mention of a word in the Bible is typically the key to understanding the meaning behind it, and here we see God providing for his people. It was part of the giving of the Law: God included instructions about what they could expect from Him on their journey regarding meal times. Free food! Enough for everyone. He also gave instructions for when they’d finally get to the Promised Land, and were able to sow crops for themselves. He knew not everyone would be wealthy, and so included provision for the poor—farmers were to leave gleanings at the edges of the field for those who were in need. It’s for this reason that the story of Ruth is read every Shavuot. It’s written right into the same passage about counting the omer:
“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”
In parallel we see in the New Testament the giving of the Holy Spirit, fifty days after the crucifixion. We need God’s Spirit even more than we need food. And God provides. He provided for poor after the harvesters, He provided manna in the desert, He gave the Law to the people of Israel gathered at Sinai, and the Holy Spirit to the disciples waiting in Jerusalem. God is a giver. Knowing this deep in the core of our being really matters.
Wait: transition timeCounting the omer is also about waiting and transition. There’s a seven week gap between Passover and Pentecost, and the days are counted as they go by. Numbers have great significance in the Bible: Noah and his family waited for forty days and forty nights for the rain to stop. Jesus was tested in the desert for forty days, and came back after rising from the dead for another glorious forty days. Right before He then ascended to heaven, Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem. They waited ten days, till the Feast of Shavuot. It was at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit, came and it caused quite the commotion. They were clothed with power from on high, just as Jesus said, and went out with great boldness to proclaim the gospel and explain to all who had come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks how the Messiah had come, been crucified, and that God had raised Him from the dead! Now is the time of salvation. The time of waiting for the Messiah, and for the Holy Spirit, was complete.
Counting days is what we do when we’re waiting for something to happen, and in general we are wishing for the limbo to be over and the day to arrive already. I’m sure the disciples must have had those thoughts as they waited in the upper room. Whether it’s looking forward to an event, a new baby, a vacation or a special day, we often count days wishing them to pass. Time moves slowly when you watch it. And perhaps that’s the point of counting the omer. God wants us to be conscious of our time, of our days. We’re often told that it’s the journey, not the destination, that’s more important but it doesn’t usually feel like that along the way.
CountdownThe truth is though that a countdown can be good or bad. What are we moving towards? The Iranian regime recently made a poster of an hourglass warning that Israel’s days were numbered. Israel returned the favor with a similar message. A countdown can be ominous, like a threat. A warning.
The Hebrew word for harvest is katzir, connected to the word for cut. Similarly, the word for summer is kaitz, because of the harvest and the end of the agricultural year. It’s not for nothing that the grim reaper carries a harvesting scythe: life is cut off and brought to an end. The Hebrew for end is ketz, the end of days is ketz ha yamim. There is a cut off point to this world. The wheat and the chaff will be separated, and while there is joy in the harvest, the chaff will be thrown into the fire.
Sometimes parents will do a countdown as a warning to their children, encouraging them that there’s still time to avoid punishment. Sometimes there’s a countdown on gameshows to urge the contestants that time is running out. When we understand our time is limited, it helps us make good choices about how to spend that time. When we understand we are in control of our destiny and that our decisions matter, it encourages us to make wiser choices.
Teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
(Psalm 90:12)
The second month, a time of second chances
God doesn’t want anyone to perish, and wants all to be saved. Passover happens in the first month of the biblical year and the Feast of Weeks lands in the third month. When we look closely at the appearances of the second month in the Bible, in the middle of the counting of the omer, we notice that references to it are replete with the message of grace and second chances.
For example, while Noah’s ark landed on Mount Ararat on the 17th of the 7th month, the waters had not receded until the following Spring, and it was only in the second month, on the 27th day we’re told in Genesis 8:14, that the earth was finally dry and they all came out of the ark and started again. It was a new beginning, God gave the earth a second chance.
In the second month we also have “Pesach haShani” which is a provision from God for those who couldn’t celebrate Passover in the first month with everyone else, so He established “Second Passover” to give a second chance to celebrate for those who missed out for whatever reason.
However, when the countdown is at zero, there will be no more chances. God is gracious and has made provision for us in every way. His law demonstrates the generosity and grace in the heart of our Father, caring for the poor and the ones who missed out… giving us His Word, His Spirit, and everything that we need for the journey. He has given us instructions and warnings, second chances and ways of escape we can take, but Judgment Day will come. Let’s be wise with the choices we’re making and the way we live our lives here on earth. Don’t waste the days you’ve been given!
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
where your fathers put me to the test
and saw my works for forty years.
Therefore I was provoked with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;
they have not known my ways.’
As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest.’”
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”
(Hebrews 3:7-13)
Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
(2 Samuel 12:1–12)
For the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David.
When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me,O God,
according to Your loving devotion;
according to Your great compassion,
blot out my transgressions.
2Wash me clean of my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4Against You, You only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You may be proved right when You speak
and blameless when You judge.b
5Surely I was brought forth in iniquity;
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
6Surely You desire truth in the inmost being;
You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9Hide Your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquities.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from Your presence;
take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
and sustain me with a willing spirit.
13Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
and sinners will return to You.
14Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
15O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare Your praise.
16For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and a contrite heart,
O God, You will not despise.
18In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
in whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Giving to the Needy
(Deuteronomy 15:7–11)
1“Be careful not to perform your righteous actsa before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
The Lord’s Prayer
(Luke 11:1–4)
5And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 6But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
9So then, this is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
14For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.
Proper Fasting
16When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 17But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Treasures in Heaven
(Luke 12:32–34)
19Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rustc destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Lamp of the Body
(Luke 11:33–36)
22The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good,d your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad,e your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness's
24No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Jesus 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. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17–18). This important statement of our Lord gives us insight into His mission and the character of God’s Word.
Jesus’ declaration that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, not to abolish them, obviously contains two statements in one. There is something Jesus did and something He did not do. At the same time, Jesus emphasized the eternal nature of the Word of God.
Jesus goes out of His way to promote the authority of the Law of God. He did not come to abolish the Law, regardless of what the Pharisees accused Him of. In fact, Jesus continues His statement with a commendation for those who teach the Law accurately and hold it in reverence: “Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19).
Note the qualities that Jesus attributes to the Word of God, referenced as “the Law and the Prophets”: 1) The Word is everlasting; it will outlast the natural world. 2) The Word was written with intent; it was meant to be fulfilled. 3) The Word possesses plenary authority; even the smallest letter of it is established. 4) The Word is faithful and trustworthy; “everything” it says will be accomplished. No one hearing Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount could doubt His commitment to the Scriptures.
Consider what Jesus did not do in His ministry. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says that He did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets. In other words, Jesus’ purpose was not to abrogate the Word, dissolve it, or render it invalid. The Prophets will be fulfilled; the Law will continue to accomplish the purpose for which it was given (see Isaiah 55:10–11).
Next, consider what Jesus did do. Jesus says that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. In other words, Jesus’ purpose was to establish the Word, to embody it, and to fully accomplish all that was written. “Christ is the culmination of the law” (Romans 10:4). The predictions of the Prophets concerning the Messiah would be realized in Jesus; the holy standard of the Law would be perfectly upheld by Christ, the strict requirements personally obeyed, and the ceremonial observances finally and fully satisfied.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the Prophets in that, in His first coming alone, He fulfilled hundreds of prophecies concerning Himself (e.g., Matthew 1:22; 13:35; John 19:36; Luke 24:44). Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law in at least two ways: as a teacher and as a doer. He taught people to obey the Law (Matthew 22:35–40; Mark 1:44), and He obeyed the Law Himself (John 8:46; 1 Peter 2:22). In living a perfect life, Jesus fulfilled the moral laws; in His sacrificial death, Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial laws. Christ came not to destroy the old religious system but to build upon it; He came to finish the Old Covenant and establish the New.
Jesus came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them. In fact, the ceremonies, sacrifices, and other elements of the Old Covenant were “only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves” (Hebrews 10:1). The tabernacle and temple were “holy places made with hands,” but they were never meant to be permanent; they were but “copies of the true things” (Hebrews 9:24, ESV). The Law had a built-in expiration date, being filled as it was with “external regulations applying until the time of the new order” (Hebrews 9:10).
In His fulfillment of the Law and Prophets, Jesus obtained our eternal salvation. No more were priests required to offer sacrifices and enter the holy place (Hebrews 10:8–14). Jesus has done that for us, once and for all. By grace through faith, we are made right with God: “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 2:14).
There are some who argue that, since Jesus did not “abolish” the Law, then the Law is still in effect—and still binding on New Testament Christians. But Paul is clear that the believer in Christ is no longer under the Law: “We were held in custody under the Law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the Law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” (Galatians 3:23–25, BSB). We are not under the Mosaic Law but under “the law of Christ” (see Galatians 6:2).
If the Law is still binding on us today, then it has not yet accomplished its purpose—it has not yet been fulfilled. If the Law, as a legal system, is still binding on us today, then Jesus was wrong in claiming to fulfill it and His sacrifice on the cross was insufficient to save. Thank God, Jesus fulfilled the whole Law and now grants us His righteousness as a free gift. “Know that a person is not justified by the works of 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 the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16).
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.
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.
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.
The New Covenant is the promise that God will forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned toward Him. Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant, and His death on the cross is the basis of the promise (Luke 22:20). The New Covenant was predicted while the Old Covenant was still in effect—the prophets Moses, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all allude to the New Covenant.
The Old Covenant that God had established with His people required strict obedience to the Mosaic Law. Because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), the Law required that Israel perform daily sacrifices in order to atone for sin. But Moses, through whom God established the Old Covenant, also anticipated the New Covenant. In one of his final addresses to the nation of Israel, Moses looks forward to a time when Israel would be given “a heart to understand” (Deuteronomy 29:4, ESV). Moses predicts that Israel would fail in keeping the Old Covenant (verses 22–28), but he then sees a time of restoration (Deuteronomy 30:1–5). At that time, Moses says, “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” (verse 6). The New Covenant involves a total change of heart so that God’s people are naturally pleasing to Him.
The prophet Jeremiah also predicted the New Covenant. “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. . . . This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people’” (Jeremiah 31:31–33). Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses (Matthew 5:17) and to establish the New Covenant between God and His people. The Old Covenant was written in stone, but the New Covenant is written on hearts. Entering the New Covenant is made possible only by faith in Christ, who shed His blood to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Luke 22:20 relates how Jesus, at the Last Supper, takes the cup and says, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (ESV).
The New Covenant is also mentioned in Ezekiel 36:26–27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel lists several aspects of the New Covenant here: a new heart, a new spirit, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and true holiness. The Mosaic Law could provide none of these things (see Romans 3:20).
The New Covenant was originally given to Israel and includes a promise of fruitfulness, blessing, and a peaceful existence in the Promised Land. In Ezekiel 36:28–30 God says, “Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. . . . I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.” Deuteronomy 30:1–5 contains similar promises related to Israel under the New Covenant. After the resurrection of Christ, God in His grace brought the Gentiles into the blessing of the New Covenant, too (Acts 10; Ephesians 2:13–14). The fulfillment of the New Covenant will be seen in two places: on earth during the Millennial Kingdom, and in heaven for all eternity.
We are no longer under the Law but under grace (Romans 6:14–15). The Old Covenant has served its purpose, and it has been replaced by “a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22). “In fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).
Under the New Covenant, we are given the opportunity to receive salvation as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8–9). Our responsibility is to exercise faith in Christ, the One who fulfilled the Law on our behalf and brought an end to the Law’s sacrifices through His own sacrificial death. Through the life-giving Holy Spirit who lives in all believers (Romans 8:9–11), we share in the inheritance of Christ and enjoy a permanent, unbroken relationship with God (Hebrews 9:15).
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).
It has been said that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The Lord Jesus frequently used parables as a means of illustrating profound, divine truths. Stories such as these are easily remembered, the characters bold, and the symbolism rich in meaning. Parables were a common form of teaching in Judaism. Before a certain point in His ministry, Jesus had employed many graphic analogies using common things that would be familiar to everyone (salt, bread, sheep, etc.) and their meaning was fairly clear in the context of His teaching. Parables required more explanation, and at one point in His ministry, Jesus began to teach using parables exclusively.
The question is why Jesus would let most people wonder about the meaning of His parables. The first instance of this is in His telling the parable of the seed and the soils. Before He interpreted this parable, He drew His disciples away from the crowd. They said to Him, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?” (Matthew 13:10). Jesus answered them, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables” (Matthew 13:11–13). In the case of Jesus’ story-telling, a prophecy of Isaiah was being fulfilled:
Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand. . . .
You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.
Matthew 13:13–15, quoting Isaiah 6:9–10
Jesus continues speaking to His disciples:
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired
to see what you see,
and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it”
(Matthew 13:10–17).
From this point on in Jesus’ ministry, when He spoke in parables, He explained them only to His disciples. But those who had continually rejected His message were left in their spiritual blindness to wonder as to His meaning. He made a clear distinction between those who had been given “ears to hear” and those who persisted in unbelief—ever hearing, but never actually perceiving and “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). The disciples had been given the gift of spiritual discernment by which things of the spirit were made clear to them. Because they accepted truth from Jesus, they were given more and more truth. The same is true today of believers who have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth (John 16:13). He has opened our eyes to the light of truth and our ears to the sweet words of eternal life.
Our Lord Jesus understood that truth is not sweet music to all ears. Simply put, there are those who have neither interest in nor regard for the deep things of God. So why, then, did He speak in parables? To those with a genuine hunger for God, the parable is both an effective and memorable vehicle for the conveyance of divine truths. Our Lord’s parables contain great volumes of truth in very few words—and His parables, rich in imagery, are not easily forgotten. So, then, the parable is a blessing to those with willing ears. But to those with dull hearts and ears that are slow to hear, the parable is also an instrument of both judgment and mercy.
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 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 Phariseesand 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.
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 10:39–43is 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 Philippians 3:19, Paul writes, “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (ESV). Here, the phrase “glory in their shame” refers to those who “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18). As enemies of the gospel, they pursue earthly things rather than godly things. In doing so, they honor the dishonorable. This is how they “glory in their shame.”
The phrase “glory in their shame” highlights a paradoxical lifestyle. In Scripture, glory is associated with honor (Psalm 49:12), dignity (Hebrews 2:7), majesty (Isaiah 4:5), and the perfection of God (Ephesians 1:12). For enemies of the cross, however, glory is found in things that should produce shame (Romans 6:20–21). This spiritual and moral inversion signifies their separation from Christ. They are, Paul notes, preoccupied with temporary and fleeting desires rather than devotion to God: “Such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive” (Romans 16:18 ESV).
The destiny of those who “glory in their shame” (Philippians 3:19) is death and destruction. Paul writes, “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:5–6 ESV). To focus on the flesh, then, is to choose death.
In the New Testament, there is a theme of choosing between two paths. On the one hand, there is a path that leads to life. On the other hand, there is a path that leads to destruction. Jesus says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13–14 ESV). The narrow path is “hard” because it is through Christ alone (Acts 4:12). However, whoever chooses the “easy” path will discover that it leads to death and destruction. This is the tragic consequence for those who “glory in their shame” (Philippians 3:19).
In Galatians 6:8, Paul articulates the eternal consequences of our present choices. He says, “The one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (ESV). This principle of sowing and reaping relates to the idea of “glory in their shame” (Philippians 3:19). People who take pride in shameful things sow to their flesh. Consequently, they will reap corruption.
Paul contrasts his own life with those who “glory in their shame,” providing a remarkable example of what it means to follow Christ. He says, “Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7, ESV). Instead of focusing on power, prestige, and obedience to the law, Paul chose to pursue Christ above all. Believers should follow Paul’s example of renouncing earthly pleasures and privileges for the sake of knowing Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
The new creation is described in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” The word “therefore” refers us back to verses 14-16 where Paul tells us that all believers have died with Christ and no longer live for themselves. Our lives are no longer worldly; they are now spiritual. Our “death” is that of the old sin nature which was nailed to the cross with Christ. It was buried with Him, and just as He was raised up by the Father, so are we raised up to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). That new person that was raised up is what Paul refers to in 2 Corinthians 5:17 as the “new creation.”
Spikenard was an expensive perfume mentioned in the Song of Solomon (1:12; 4:13–14) and in the gospels’ accounts of women anointing Jesus (Mark 14:3; John 12:3). The word spikenard is found in the King James Version; other translations simply say “pure nard.”
Spikenard had a strong, distinctive aroma, similar to an essential oil, that clings to skin and hair and continues to give off its heady perfume. It was also thought to have medicinal properties. According to Eastman’s Bible Dictionary, spikenard “is the root of an Indian plant, the Nardostachys jatamansi, of the family of Valeriance, growing on the Himalaya mountains. It is distinguished by its having many hairy spikes shooting out from one root.” The ointment prepared from the root was highly valued. Spikenard symbolized the very best in ancient cultures the way that “Tiffany diamond” or the “gold standard” does to us.
Spikenard had a unique fragrance, and the presence of its aroma was an indication that the very best had been offered. In the Song of Solomon, spikenard is mentioned in reference to the love between bride and groom. In Song of Solomon 1:12, the bride says, “While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.” Those words imply that, despite all other fragrances in the room, only his bride’s would matter to the groom. The presence of spikenard represented their passion for each other and their desire to have only the best define their love.
When Mary of Bethany broke her alabaster jar of spikenard (John 12:3) and bathed the feet of Jesus with the oil, she, too, wanted only the best to define her love for Him. It has been speculated that this jar may have been Mary’s dowry or her inheritance. In other words, this jar of spikenard ointment may have been all she had of value, and she poured it out on Him. Her extravagant gift is a picture of the kind of offering expected of each of us. Only the best was worthy of her Lord, and she was willing to give everything as an act of worship. The same should be true of us (see Numbers 18:29).
When Judas rebuked Mary for wasting such a precious ointment (John 12:4–5), Jesus silenced him: “Leave her alone. . . . It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial” (John 12:7). Only Jesus truly understood what He was saying. He knew that in a few days He would be arrested, tried, and crucified. It may well have been that, as He felt the whip lacerate His flesh, as He felt the nails pierce His hands and feet, He could also inhale the fragrance of that gift of spikenard and remember why He was doing this. Mary’s gift may have strengthened and encouraged Him, even throughout His horrific ordeal, as its strong scent still clung to His skin. Mary had not known it at the time she offered her valuable gift, but she was the first to anoint the Son of God as He became no longer simply their teacher but the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world (John 1:29; 2 Corinthians 5:12).
To understand the new creation, first we must grasp that it is in fact a creation, something created by God. John 1:13 tells us that this new birth was brought about by the will of God. We did not inherit the new nature from our parents or decide to re-create ourselves anew. Neither did God simply clean up our old nature; He created something entirely fresh and unique. The new creation is completely new, brought about from nothing, just as the whole universe was created by God ex nihilo, from nothing. Only the Creator could accomplish such a feat.
Second, “old things have passed away.” The “old” refers to everything that is part of our old nature—natural pride, love of sin, reliance on works, and our former opinions, habits and passions. Most significantly, what we loved has passed away, especially the supreme love of self and with it self-righteousness, self-promotion, and self-justification. The new creature looks outwardly toward Christ instead of inwardly toward self. The old things died, nailed to the cross with our sin nature.
Along with the old passing away, “the new has come!” Old, dead things are replaced with new things, full of life and the glory of God. The newborn soul delights in the things of God and abhors the things of the world and the flesh. Our purposes, feelings, desires, and understandings are fresh and different. We see the world differently. The Bible seems to be a new book, and though we may have read it before, there is a beauty about it which we never saw before, and which we wonder at not having perceived. The whole face of nature seems to us to be changed, and we seem to be in a new world. The heavens and the earth are filled with new wonders, and all things seem now to speak forth the praise of God. There are new feelings toward all people—a new kind of love toward family and friends, a new compassion never before felt for enemies, and a new love for all mankind. The things we once loved, we now detest. The sin we once held onto, we now desire to put away forever. We “put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:9), and put on the “new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).
What about the Christian who continues to sin? There is a difference between continuing to sin and continuing to live in sin. No one reaches sinless perfection in this life, but the redeemed Christian is being sanctified (made holy) day by day, sinning less and hating it more each time he fails. Yes, we still sin, but unwillingly and less and less frequently as we mature. Our new self hates the sin that still has a hold on us. The difference is that the new creation is no longer a slave to sin, as we formerly were. We are now freed from sin and it no longer has power over us (Romans 6:6-7). Now we are empowered by and for righteousness. We now have the choice to “let sin reign” or to count ourselves “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11-12). Best of all, now we have the power to choose the latter.
The new creation is a wondrous thing, formed in the mind of God and created by His power and for His glory.
Jesus had just finished explaining to the disciples the meaning of the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, and these two short parables are a continuance of His discussion of the “kingdom of heaven.” He expressed truths about the kingdom in three pairs of parables in Matthew 13: the seed and the sower (vv. 3-23) and the weeds in the field (vv. 24-30); the mustard seed (vv. 31-32) and the leaven (v. 33); and the hidden treasure (v. 44) and the pearl of great price (vv. 45-46).
The similarities of these two short parables make it clear they teach the same lesson—the kingdom of heaven is of inestimable value. Both parables involve a man who sold all he had to possess the kingdom. The treasure and the pearl represent Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers. And while we cannot pay for salvation by selling all our worldly goods, once we have found the prize, we are willing to give up everything to possess it. But what is attained in exchange is so much more valuable that it is comparable to trading an ounce of trash for a ton of diamonds (Philippians 3:7-9).
In both parables, the treasures are hidden, indicating that spiritual truth is missed by many and cannot be found by intelligence or power or worldly wisdom. Matthew 13:11-17 and 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 14 make it clear that the mysteries of the kingdom are hidden from some who are unable to hear, see, and comprehend these truths. The disobedient reap the natural consequences of their unbelief—spiritual blindness. Those whose eyes are opened by the Spirit do discern spiritual truth, and they, like the men in the parable, understand its great value.
Notice that the merchant stopped seeking pearls when he found the pearl of great price. Eternal life, the incorruptible inheritance, and the love of God through Christ constitute the pearl which, once found, makes further searching unnecessary. Christ fulfills our greatest needs, satisfies our longings, makes us whole and clean before God, calms and quiets our hearts, and gives us hope for the future. The “great price,” of course, is that which was paid by Christ for our redemption. He emptied Himself of His glory, came to earth in the form of a lowly man and shed His precious blood on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
The Parable of the Sower (also known as the Parable of the Four Soils) is found in Matthew 13:3-9; Mark 4:2-9; and Luke 8:4-8. After presenting this parable to the multitude, Jesus interprets it for His disciples in Matthew 13:18-23; Mark 4:13-20; and Luke 8:11-15.
The Parable of the Sower concerns a sower who scatters seed, which falls on four different types of ground. The hard ground “by the way side” prevents the seed from sprouting at all, and the seed becomes nothing more than bird food. The stony ground provides enough soil for the seeds to germinate and begin to grow, but because there is “no deepness of earth,” the plants do not take root and are soon withered in the sun. The thorny ground allows the seed to grow, but the competing thorns choke the life out of the beneficial plants. The good ground receives the seed and produces much fruit.
Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower highlights four different responses to the gospel. The seed is “the word of the kingdom.” The hard ground represents someone who is hardened by sin; he hears but does not understand the Word, and Satan plucks the message away, keeping the heart dull and preventing the Word from making an impression. The stony ground pictures a man who professes delight with the Word; however, his heart is not changed, and when trouble arises, his so-called faith quickly disappears. The thorny ground depicts one who seems to receive the Word, but whose heart is full of riches, pleasures, and lusts; the things of this world take his time and attention away from the Word, and he ends up having no time for it. The good ground portrays the one who hears, understands, and receives the Word—and then allows the Word to accomplish its result in his life. The man represented by the “good ground” is the only one of the four who is truly saved, because salvation’s proof is fruit (Matthew 3:7-8; 7:15-20).
To summarize the point of the Parable of the Sower: “A man’s reception of God’s Word is determined by the condition of his heart.” A secondary lesson would be “Salvation is more than a superficial, albeit joyful, hearing of the gospel. Someone who is truly saved will go on to prove it.” May our faith and our lives exemplify the "good soil" in the Parable of the Sower.
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.
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.
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).
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.”
sanctification is the ongoing, progressive work of the Holy Spirit conforming a believer into the "image of Christ" (Romans 8:29). This process separates Christians from the world, making them holy, and gradually transforming their character to mirror Jesus’ love and righteousness.
Key Aspects of Being Conformed to Christ's Image:
- Definition: Sanctification is the process of setting believers apart to be made holy, distinct from justification (a one-time act).
- The Goal: The ultimate aim is for believers to act, think, and love like Jesus.
- The Process: This transformation involves the renewal of the mind (Rom 12:2), where the Holy Spirit works to remove sinful patterns and replace them with Christlike attributes.
- Result: It is a lifelong, sometimes uncomfortable journey that results in victory over sin and, eventually, full conformity to Jesus' image upon His return.
While God commands believers to be holy, He also enables this transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit
The phrase “the Body of Christ” is a common New Testament metaphor for the Church (all those who are truly saved). The Church is called “one body in Christ” in Romans 12:5, “one body” in 1 Corinthians 10:17, “the body of Christ” in 1 Corinthians 12:27 and Ephesians 4:12, and “the body” in Hebrews 13:3. The Church is clearly equated with “the body” of Christ in Ephesians 5:23 and Colossians 1:24.
When Christ entered our world, He took on a physical body “prepared” for Him (Hebrews 10:5; Philippians 2:7). Through His physical body, Jesus demonstrated the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly—especially through His sacrificial death on the cross (Romans 5:8). After His bodily ascension, Christ continues His work in the world through those He has redeemed—the Church now demonstrates the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly. In this way, the Church functions as “the Body of Christ.”
The Church may be called the Body of Christ because of these facts:
1) Members of the Body of Christ are joined to Christ in salvation (Ephesians 4:15-16).
2) Members of the Body of Christ follow Christ as their Head (Ephesians 1:22-23).
3) Members of the Body of Christ are the physical representation of Christ in this world. The Church is the organism through which Christ manifests His life to the world today.
4) Members of the Body of Christ are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9).
5) Members of the Body of Christ possess a diversity of gifts suited to particular functions (1 Corinthians 12:4-31). “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ” (verse 12).
6) Members of the Body of Christ share a common bond with all other Christians, regardless of background, race, or ministry. “There should be no division in the body, but . . . its parts should have equal concern for each other” (1 Corinthians 12:25).
7) Members of the Body of Christ are secure in their salvation (John 10:28-30). For a Christian to lose his salvation, God would have to perform an “amputation” on the Body of Christ!
8) Members of the Body of Christ partake of Christ’s death and resurrection (Colossians 2:12).
9) Members of the Body of Christ share Christ’s inheritance (Romans 8:17).
10) Members of the Body of Christ receive the gift of Christ’s righteousness (Romans 5:17).
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.”
Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians to help them understand better the greatness of Christ, their new position in Christ, and the expectations God has for them. Paul summarizes much about Christ in the statement that in Christ all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 1:19).
For believers to truly understand the riches they have in Christ, they need to understand more about who He really is. Paul explains that in Christ we have forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14). Christ is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15a), or, as Matthew Henry put it, “the visible discovery of the invisible God” (Commentary, Col. 1:15–23). Christ has sovereign rights over all creation (Colossians 1:15b). In fact, Christ is the Creator of all—everything that exists was created “in him . . . through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). If you want to see God, look at Jesus, “for God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Colossians 1:19).
After explaining the preeminence of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:17–18), Paul adds that it is the Father’s pleasure that all the fullness of deity dwell in Christ (Colossians 1:19)—Jesus isn’t usurping anything that doesn’t belong to Him. He is God. Because Jesus is Deity, He has the qualification and authority to bring redemption and reconciliation with God to humanity (Colossians 1:20).
As John put it, Jesus has revealed and explained the Father to us (John 1:18). No one else was qualified to do this because no one had even seen the Father; only Christ could communicate the Father to humanity. Paul adds that Jesus is God’s mystery revealed (Colossians 2:2). Jesus is the revelation of God, and it is in Him that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge can be found (Colossians 2:3). Because of Jesus’ intimate relationship with the Father and how He reveals the Father to humanity, we can trust in Him as sufficient for providing reconciliation or peace with the Father through His shed blood on the cross (Colossians 2:20).
Just as the Colossians had received Christ, they were to walk in Him (Colossians 2:6). They were also to beware of philosophies, traditions, and basic principles that were not of Christ (Colossians 2:8), because only in Christ does the fullness of the Godhead dwell bodily. If a system of thought is rooted in anything other than Christ, then it can deceive and take someone captive. On the other hand, if the Colossians would acknowledge the philosophy (or system of ideas) that is according to Christ, then they would be able to put the principles into practice that God had designed for them. If Jesus is the physical person of God (both fully God and fully man), then we can be confident that following Him is following the truth. Believers should avoid falsehood, hold fast to Jesus as “the head,” and understand that their growth in God comes from Him (Colossians 2:19). We no longer live according to the elementary principles of a world that denies Christ (Colossians 2:20)—those principles are powerless to help us.
Because in Christ the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9), believers can have confidence that one day, when He is revealed in glory, we will also appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4). Our future is certain, based on the person and work of Jesus Christ. Believers need to focus on seeking the things that matter to Christ, who is in heaven and who will return one day (Colossians 3:1–3).
We have a new position in Christ and new life through belief in Him, and we should prioritize what is important to Him, knowing that in Christ the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 1:19). Because of who He is, He can and will deliver on His promises.
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.”
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 the first episode of the television series The Chosen, Mary Magdalene testifies to Jewish religious leader Nicodemus of the absolute transformation she experienced because of knowing Jesus Christ: “I was one way, and now I am completely different. And the thing that happened in between was Him.” This dramatic scene was fashioned on the apostle Paul’s teaching that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV).
When a person encounters Jesus Christ and surrenders to Him as Lord and Savior, that individual is now “in Christ,” joined to Jesus in His death and resurrection: “We were therefore 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” (Romans 6:4). We become a whole new creation in Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:15). Our “former way of life,” or “old self,” which was “corrupted by its deceitful desires” (Ephesians 4:22), was “one way,” as Mary put it in the television series. But the “new self” in Christ, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24), is “completely different.” Scripture says that, when Mary Magdalene encountered Jesus, He cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:1–3). After being set free, Mary was forever changed into a devoted follower of Christ.
Through union with Jesus Christ, all things have become new for born-again believers. Our old life dominated by sin no longer controls us: “Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him” (Romans 6:5–8, NLT).
All things have become new illustrates the beginning of our transformation—our inward renewal and regeneration—that will culminate in the fullness of our salvation to be experienced in eternity. Our Savior’s death and resurrection ushered in a foretaste of an entirely new world still to come: “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). Eventually, everything in creation will be made new (Romans 8:19–20; cf. Isaiah 65:17–25).
Paul explained that the Christian’s new self “is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:10). Through the inner working of the Holy Spirit, believers grow into the image of Christ “with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). God promises to give us a new, undivided heart, removing our “heart of stone” and replacing it with a “heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26). “And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:27). The changes begin in the heart but then spill out to our behavior (Romans 12:2).
Paul explained that these changes don’t happen through our own force of will and self-effort (Philippians 3:4–9) but through living by faith in Christ: “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).
For believers, all things have become new in us and in our relationships with other people. We now look at unbelievers with compassion, seeing them as Christ saw them—“like sheep without a shepherd” or as lost sinners in need of a Savior (Matthew 9:36). No matter how different they may be, we recognize fellow Christians as part of one united body—the new creation: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28; see also Romans 12:5).
All things have become new through our union with Christ, and we no longer live for ourselves (2 Corinthians 5:15). To the new creation in Christ, Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34–35). Instead of living to please ourselves, we now live to please Christ, serve Him (2 Corinthians 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1), and look out for the interests of others (Philippians 2:3–4; Galatians 6:2).
In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist makes a profound declaration about the coming Messiah: “I baptize you with water, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (ESV). John baptized with water to signify repentance, but he was preparing the way for One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire—a spiritual baptism, not a physical one.
John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus (see Mark 1:1–4). John called people to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2). The word repent means to “change one’s mind.” In the Old Testament, repentance involved turning away from sin and turning to God (2 Chronicles 7:14; Ezekiel 33:11). Because the kingdom of heaven was near (or imminent), John preached that all should repent “for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4) and to show their change of heart by being baptized.
As John baptized and preached, he looked ahead to someone greater than himself (Matthew 3:11). In fact, the words he who is coming after me alludes to the messianic hope that had defined Judaism for generations: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2, ESV; cf. Isaiah 9:6–7).
John acknowledges that he is inferior compared to the Coming One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). First, he says that the coming one is “more powerful” than he. Indeed, Jesus the Messiah is mightier than John in every respect: Jesus is divine (Colossians 2:9), sinless (Hebrews 4:15), and the Savior of the world (John 3:16). No one can compare to Him.
Second, John states that he is unworthy of carrying the sandals of the coming Messiah (Matthew 3:11). In other words, John is unworthy of performing the most menial task in the service of the Messiah. John the Baptist believed that the imminent arrival of the Messiah meant that John would need to step aside (John 3:30).
Last, John compares his water baptism to the Messiah’s baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). John’s baptism was a symbolic act of repentance, whereas the Messiah would inaugurate two types of spiritual baptism: a baptism with the Holy Spirit and a baptism with fire.
The baptism with the Holy Spirit occurs when a person is born again and made a part of the body of Christ. All believers in Jesus are partakers of the baptism of the Spirit: “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
The baptism by fire that John predicts could be seen in two ways:
1. For those who confess their sins and repent, the baptism of fire alludes to the purifying and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. The same symbol is seen in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples with a visible token: “They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them” (Acts 2:3).
2. For those who refuse to repent, the baptism of fire has to do with judgment. “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29, ESV). John the Baptist clearly had judgment in mind when he spoke of the baptism of fire, as he followed up that prediction with these words: “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 3:12). Those who continue in sin and unrepentance are destined for the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14–15, ESV).
John the Baptist’s announcement of the coming Messiah reflects the culmination of messianic expectations and the uniqueness of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Now that Jesus has ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9–12), we eagerly await His return (Philippians 3:20). And we continue to worship Him who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire.
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 Philippians 3 Paul exhorts the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord rather than in their own perceived adequacy (Philippians 3:1). Paul uses himself as an illustration, explaining that in his flesh he had many reasons to have confidence (Philippians 3:4–6). Yet he put none of his confidence in his own accomplishments (Philippians 3:3). Instead, he looked to the power of Jesus’ resurrection (Philippians 3:10). He counted all the things that most would consider as gain to be loss (Philippians 3:7). In comparison to Christ, everything else was rubbish (Philippians 3:8). Only Christ was of value to Paul. Paul found his confidence and joy in the Lord, and he looked to the power of Jesus’ resurrection: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection.”
Rather than put confidence in the flesh, Paul was confident in the work God had done in his life to make Paul righteous not by works of the Law of Moses, but by faith in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:9). Paul knew that real righteousness does not come from works but from belief in Jesus (Romans 3:20; Ephesians 2:8–9). Paul counted his own personal achievements to be nothing. He counted of utmost importance the fact that by God’s grace he had gained Christ (Philippians 3:8) and righteousness (Philippians 3:9). Paul would be found in Christ (Philippians 3:9) and knew Christ and the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10).
Paul even knew the fellowship of Jesus’ sufferings, being conformed to the death of Christ (Philippians 3:10). This is another way of saying that Paul (and all believers in Christ) had been accounted as dying with Christ. Because of these things, Paul looked forward to being resurrected from the dead (Philippians 3:11). As Paul put it elsewhere, if we have died with Christ, we believe we will also be raised up with Him and glorified with Him (Romans 6:6–8). This was the power of His resurrection.
Jesus died as a substitute for sin. All who believe in Him receive His righteousness and are redeemed from death and separation from God. One day, Jesus will be revealed in glory, and we will be revealed in glory with Him (Colossians 3:4). This is what Paul understood. Everything in life pales in comparison to the great glory of knowing Christ. Christ showed by His resurrection that He has the power to conquer death and ultimately to provide true life to all who believe in Him. This knowledge was more valuable to Paul than anything else in life.
Because of the power of Jesus’ resurrection, Paul had confidence in Jesus and could rejoice in the Lord. Because of the power of Jesus’ resurrection, Paul could challenge all believers to rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 3:1) and to value above all else the knowledge of Christ (Philippians 3:8), counting everything else as worthless in comparison.
Since ancient times, builders have used cornerstones in their construction projects. A cornerstone was the principal stone, usually placed at the corner of an edifice, to guide the workers in their course. The cornerstone was usually one of the largest, the most solid, and the most carefully constructed of any in the edifice. The Bible describes Jesus as the cornerstone that His church would be built upon. He is foundational. Once the cornerstone was set, it became the basis for determining every measurement in the remaining construction; everything was aligned to it. As the cornerstone of the building of the church, Jesus is our standard of measure and alignment.
The book of Isaiah has many references to the Messiah to come. In several places the Messiah is referred to as “the cornerstone,” such as in this prophecy: “So this is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line’” (Isaiah 28:16–17). In context, God speaks to the scoffers and boasters of Judah, and He promises to send the cornerstone—His precious Son—who will provide the firm foundation for their lives, if they would but trust in Him.
In the New Testament, the cornerstone metaphor is continued. The apostle Paul desires for the Ephesian Christians to know Christ better: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 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” (Ephesians 2:19– 21). Furthermore, in 1 Peter 2:6, what Isaiah said centuries before is affirmed in exactly the same words.
Peter says that Jesus, as our cornerstone, is “chosen by God and precious to him” (1 Peter 2:4). The Cornerstone is also reliable, and “the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (verse 6).
Unfortunately, not everyone aligns with the cornerstone. Some accept Christ; some reject Him. Jesus is the “stone the builders rejected” (Mark 12:10; cf. Psalm 118:22). When news of the Messiah’s arrival came to the magi in the East, they determined to bring Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But when that same news came to King Herod in Jerusalem, his response was to attempt to kill Him. From the very beginning, Jesus was “a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall” (1 Peter 2:8).
How can people reject God’s chosen, precious cornerstone? Simply put, they want to build something different from what God is building. Just as the people building the tower of Babel rebelled against God and pursued their own project, those who reject Christ disregard God’s plan in favor of their own. Judgment is promised to all those who reject Christ: “Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed” (Matthew 21:44).
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.
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).
The scattering and gathering
of Israel
is a central theme in the Bible,
representing God’s covenantal discipline
followed
by restoration and protection.
scattering occurred due to disobedience,
while the promise
of gathering is rooted in God's faithfulness,
where He acts
as a shepherd assembling His flock.
Jeremiah 31:10: Proclaims that He who scattered Israel will gather them and keep them as a shepherd keeps his flock.
Isaiah 11:12: Mentions God raising a banner to assemble the dispersed/outcasts of Israel and Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Ezekiel 36:24: God promises to take the people from among the heathen, gather them out of all countries, and bring them into their own land.
Ezekiel 28:25: States that after gathering, the house of Israel will dwell in their own land given to Jacob.
Key Aspects of the Gathering:
- Purpose: The gathering is not merely physical, but also spiritual, symbolizing a return to covenant faithfulness and a new heart.
- The Shepherd Motif: God is depicted as the shepherd who not only scatters in judgment but also carefully gathers and protects his people.
- Future Restoration: These prophecies suggest a ultimate restoration of the people to their land and to God
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 Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan River on dry land was of tremendous significance to the Israelites. Joshua explained the significance of this event before it took place, stating, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap” (Joshua 3:10–13). Their miraculous crossing affirmed God’s presence with them and His promise to remove their enemies from the land.
Why did the Israelites build a memorial? Joshua said, “When your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever” (Joshua 4:6–7). The memorial was to serve as a lasting sign of God’s work among the Israelites.
The conclusion of this event offers an additional insight into its significance and the reason for the memorial. Joshua 4:23–24 says, “The Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 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.” First, a comparison is made with the crossing that took place at the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses. This emphasis on God’s miraculous provision was an ongoing sign to the people of Israel.
Second, there was an emphasis on the power of God. The miracle was done “so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful.” No other god could compare in power. The gods of Israel’s enemies were created things that had no ability to move water and provide dry passage across a river.
Third, the result of the miracle was that the Israelites would fear the Lord forever. The idea was that this miracle would leave the people in such awe that they and their descendants would talk about it and live in the fear of God and worship Him as a result.
God showed His power and presence in the crossing of the Jordan, and the memorial set up by His people served as a reminder of His might and why the Israelites should fear the Lord. Both the act and its memorial worked to point to God’s glory, presence, and strength, which would empower the Israelites as they took possession of their land in the days ahead. Still today, a look at this powerful miracle reveals the greatness of God, and our only appropriate response—to worship and serve Him.
The crossing of the Jordan River (Joshua 3-4) and the struggle against idolatry are deeply intertwined in the biblical narrative, representing a transition from the old life of wilderness wandering to a new life of obedient devotion in the Promised Land. The act of crossing served as a divine intervention to solidify faith in God over the surrounding pagan influences.
Key
Connections Between
Crossing
Jordan and Idolatry
- A Transition Away from Idolatry: The crossing represents a move away from the "wilderness," often associated with spiritual immaturity and disobedience, into a life of promise, requiring a total separation from the idolatrous practices of Canaan.
- A "Cleansing" or "Baptism": The Jordan acts as a symbolic boundary or "womb" that cuts away the old life of bondage and sin, initiating a new life focused on worshiping the one true God.
- The Danger of "Stuck" Living: The Israelites were warned that failing to fully "cross over"—metaphorically living between the old life and the new—left them vulnerable to the idolatry of the surrounding culture.
- The Memorial Stones as Protection: Following the crossing, Joshua instructed the setting up of twelve stones from the riverbed as a memorial. This was designed to prevent future idolatry by ensuring future generations remembered the power of God, rather than turning to other gods.
Contextual Warnings and Struggles:
Despite the miraculous crossing, the Israelites continually struggled with idolatry once in the land.
- The Warning in Deuteronomy: Before crossing, Moses sternly warned the people to "not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything" once they entered the land, noting that God is a "consuming fire".
- The Altar Conflict (Joshua 22): The two-and-a-half tribes that settled east of the Jordan built an altar, which the rest of Israel initially feared was an act of rebellion and idolatry, highlighting the extreme sensitivity to anything that looked like a departure from strict worship of Yahweh.
In contemporary Christian, the crossing is often seen as a metaphor for leaving behind sinful patterns (idolatry) to walk in the "fullness of life" in Christ.
The term born of God
is found
primarily in the book of
1 John
First John 5:1 says,
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.” Other references are found in 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; and 5:4, 18.
The term born of God closely mirrors Jesus’ words in John 3:3 when He told Nicodemus that he must be “born again” or, in some translations, “born from above.” Nicodemus responded the way anyone would. He asked, “How can someone be born when they are old?” (verse 4) Jesus’ answer was even more puzzling. He said, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (verse 8).
Why did Jesus begin talking about the wind in relation to being born again? The Greek word for “wind” is pneuma, the same word used for “spirit.” When wind blows, we cannot see it, but we see where it has been. Tree leaves move, plants bend, and we feel the wind touch our faces. Yet no one can catch it or restrain it. When wind blows, it changes everything it touches. So it is with the Spirit. Spiritual birth is an act of the Holy Spirit. He is invisible, yet whenever He moves, there are definite changes. Neither persuasive words nor intellectual agreements have the power to make someone “born of God.” Only the Holy Spirit can perform that transformation in a repentant heart (Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38).
So how does one become born again, or born of God? Jesus used an earthly metaphor to explain a spiritual idea. When a baby is born, a new life emerges that did not previously exist. The baby is a brand-new being who begins to grow to look like the parents. A puppy grows up to look like a dog. A calf grows to look like a cow. An infant grows to look like an adult human. So it is with those born of God. Second Corinthians 5:17 says that, if anyone is in Christ, he is a “new creature.” Later on in John 3, Jesus explains how to become born of God: “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life” (verse 16). When we are born into the family of God (John 1:12), we grow to look more like our Father.
First John 3:9 describes a person who has been born of God: “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.” God our Father is holy, and He desires that His children become holy like He is (1 Peter 1:15–16). When we are born of God, we have a new heart, one that wants to please God (Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 5:9; Colossians 1:10). This does not come about by good intentions or white-knuckled effort. We please our new Father by surrendering to His Holy Spirit who lives within us. We allow Him to change our desires, our goals, and our will to conform to His (Romans 8:29; Philippians 2:13). As a baby grows to look like the parents to whom it was born, so do we grow to be more like our heavenly Father when we are born of God (Philippians 3:10; Romans 6:1–2).
One day, the disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?” (Matthew 9:14, NLT). The Lord’s response included this parable: “No one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved” (Matthew 9:17, NLT).
Jesus often taught with parables, using illustrations from everyday life to reveal spiritual truths. He did this so people could hear the truth without rejecting it, even if they couldn’t yet grasp the parables’ deeper meaning (see Mark 4:11–12; Luke 8:9–10). Before He introduced the concept of putting new wine in old wineskins, Jesus made a similar point using another familiar analogy: “Who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before” (Matthew 9:16, NLT).
The problem with patching an old, pre-shrunk garment with a new, unshrunk cloth is something most of us can relate to even today. New fabrics that have never been washed or run through a dryer tend to shrink. Mending old clothing with an unshrunk piece of material would cause the new patch to pull away from the old in the wash, ruining the garment. The problem with putting new wine in old wineskins is similar.
As wine ages, it ferments, releasing gases that pressurize an airtight container. In Jesus’ day, wineskins were leather pouches used for storing and fermenting wine. A new wineskin’s fresh, supple leather could expand and stretch as the wine fermented. But old leather from a previously used wineskin would have already been stretched to its capacity. Putting new wine into old wineskins would cause the leather to crack, burst, and be ruined.
The parables reveal this truth: if we fail to understand that something new is needed, two valuable items—clothing and wineskins—risk ruin. But what does this have to do with the original question about fasting? What deeper message was Jesus conveying through these illustrations?
Through the parables, Jesus emphasized that He was doing something new—inaugurating a new covenant relationship between God and His people. John’s disciples were Jews. They were still following the rules of Judaism and living under the obligations of the Old Covenant, with its ceremonial rituals and religious regulations, including fasting on certain days (see Leviticus 16:29–31; 23:32; Luke 18:12).
Jesus asked John’s disciples, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15, NLT). Jesus had come to establish a new era. Now was a time for joy in the presence of the bridegroom. The disciples of Jesus would mourn and fast later. But while He was here among them, they would celebrate the forgiveness, fellowship, freedom, and new direction that His coming had ushered in. In other words, Jesus’ parables said, “Out with the old way of thinking and doing things, and in with the new.” If the Jews did not adjust their rigid religious mindset, they would experience a loss much like that of the ruined garments and wineskins.
The problem with putting new wine in old wineskins is that the old skins of the law cannot contain the new wine of the gospel. The Jewish followers of John would have to expand their view of God’s provision of mercy and grace to include Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin, not just for Israel but for the whole world (Matthew 26:28; John 1:29; Hebrews 9:23–26; 10:14; 1 Corinthians 11:25). They would need to understand that salvation comes by grace through faith and not works (John 3:16–18; Ephesians 2:5, 8–9); that the need for temple sacrifices had ended (Hebrews 7:26–27; 10:1–18); and that, through the coming of the Holy Spirit, all believers of all races on earth are God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19) and His own beloved children (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1). This new reality was tough for the Jews to accept—including those who became Christians after the death and resurrection of Jesus (see Acts 10:1—11:18).
Though strict and inflexible as an old wineskin, the Old Covenant of the law was solid, familiar and comforting to the Jews who resisted embracing the New Covenant. But Jesus had no intention of putting a patch on the old garment of Judaism. By ushering in a totally new covenant, Jesus didn’t try to fix up or even throw out the law, but rather to fulfill all of it (Matthew 5:17–18). No mere human can keep the law perfectly as God requires (Matthew 5:20, 48; Exodus 32:33; James 2:10). Only Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God could (and did) perfectly fulfill the law’s requirements (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 10:12). So as comforting as having the law was for Jews, it was a heavy burden that no one could bear (Acts 15:10).
The gospel of Jesus—the good news—represents the New Covenant of salvation by grace through faith, not works, obtained for us by the blood of Christ (Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 10:29). John’s disciples were fasting as an act of religious piety. Such actions may have been appropriate under a legalistic, works-based system, but they are no longer needed under the covenant of grace (Romans 3:20–24; 5:20; John 1:16–17; Galatians 2:16; 5:4).
Just as we can’t put new wine in old wineskins or patch up old garments with new, unshrunk cloth, we can’t mix the law with grace. The old, lifeless religious rituals are done, and we have a new life of freedom in Jesus. Our faith is ruined if it’s based on dead works instead of on the saving grace of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:11–28).
Jesus discussed the new birth in His conversation with Nicodemus, a Jewish leader, in John 3. Jesus said to him, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3). Nicodemus was puzzled and asked how anyone could re-enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time. Jesus doubled down: “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit” (verse 5). Then He expounded on what the new birth is.
Jesus explained that this new birth is not physical, but spiritual. The new birth that we must experience in order to “see the kingdom of God” is a work of the Holy Spirit. Just as a mother does all the work in physical birth, so the Holy Spirit does all the work in the new birth. Upon our faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit enters our spirits, regenerates us, and begins His work of transforming us into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are born again.
We are all born with a sin nature that separates us from our Creator. We were designed in His own image (Genesis 1:27), but that image was tarnished when we fell into sin. As sinners, we cannot fellowship with a holy God the way we are. We cannot be repaired, restored, or rehabilitated. We need to be reborn.
In answer to Nicodemus’s questions about the new birth, Jesus began talking about the wind: “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:5–8).
In His analogy of the wind in John 3:8, Jesus was comparing physical birth and growth with spiritual birth and growth. Jesus points out that Nicodemus need not marvel at the necessity of the Spirit causing one to be “born again.” Nicodemus naturally believed in other things as difficult to understand, such as the wind, which he could not see. The effects of the wind are obvious: the sound is heard, and things move as it moves. The wind, unseen, unpredictable, and uncontrollable, is mysterious to us, but we see and understand its effects. So it is with the Spirit. We do not see the Spirit, but we see the changes the Spirit produces in people. Sinful people are made holy; liars speak truth; the proud become humble. When we see such changes, we know they have a cause. The Spirit affects us just as the wind affects the trees, water, and clouds. We don’t see the cause, and we don’t understand all the in’s and out’s of how it works, but we see the effect and believe.
When an infant is born, he continues to grow and change. A year later, two years later, ten years later, the child has changed. He does not remain an infant because a live birth results in growth. We may not see this growth happening, but we see the changes it produces. So it is with the new birth. When a person is born again in spirit, he or she is born into the family of God “like newborn babies” (1 Peter 2:2). This birth is not visible, but it begins to produce changes that are evident.
The following are some changes that follow the new birth:
1. The “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22–23). Someone who has experienced the new birth will begin to exhibit character qualities that are more like Jesus. This doesn’t happen overnight, but just as a fruit tree grows and begins to produce fruit in season, we begin to produce godly character traits such as love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. These traits are the natural result of yielding to the Spirit and spending time with God in His Word, with His people, and in worship.
2. Godly choices. Sins that once captivated us begin to fall away as we grow closer to Jesus. Our new birth broke the power that sin had over us and enables us to live in freedom. Romans 6 explains that we have died to our old way of life and are free to live as we were designed to live. Colossians 3:5 says, “Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry” (cf. 1 Peter 4:1). This death to sin is an ongoing process as we grow in our faith and love for the Lord.
3. Love for other Christians. One of the changes the new birth produces is love: “We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” (1 John 4:19–21). A person who has been born into the family of God craves fellowship with other believers. God did not create a team where players can be traded. He did not create a corporation where employees can be fired. He created a family where every member is valued and equally loved. As part of His family, those who’ve been born again are to love and appreciate the other members of this worldwide family.
4. Spiritual gifts. A part of God’s welcome package to those who are born of His Spirit are spiritual gifts that we can use to serve Him and edify the church. Spiritual gifts are special abilities that enable us to be more effective in the particular callings God places on our lives. As each member uses his or her gifts for the good of all, God’s family thrives.
New babies crave milk, and, without it, they won’t grow. Likewise, new Christians crave biblical teaching or they won’t grow. Peter wrote, “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.” The new birth is only the beginning of the life God designed for us. It is also the only way we can enter the family of God and receive the privilege of calling Him “Father” (see Matthew 6:9; Romans 8:15).
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).
It’s clear
we have approached a significant
discrepancy
with what constitutes morality
Between
Moses and Christ
The Pool of Bethesda
1Some time later there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool with five covered colonnades, which in Hebrewa is called Bethesda.b 3On these walkwaysc lay a great number of the sick, the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed.
5One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and realized that he had spent a long time in this condition, He asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
7“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am on my way, someone else goes in before me.”
8Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.”
9Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk.
Now this happened on the Sabbath day, 10so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath! It is unlawful for you to carry your mat.”
11But he answered, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”
12“Who is this man who told you to pick it up and walk?” they asked.
13But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while the crowd was there.
14Afterward, Jesus found the man at the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.”
15And the man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
The Father and the Son
16Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews began to persecute Him. 17But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.”
18Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
19So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these. 21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.
22Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son, 23so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
24Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
25Truly, truly, I tell you, the hour is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. 27And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.
28Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice 29and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
30I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Testimonies about Jesus
31If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid. 32There is another who testifies about Me, and I know that His testimony about Me is valid.
33You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34Even though I do not accept human testimony, I say these things so that you may be saved.
35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light. 36But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the Father has sent Me. 37And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, 38nor does His word abide in you, because you do not believe the One He sent.
The Witness of Scripture
(Luke 16:19–31)
39You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, 40yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.
41I do not accept glory from men, 42but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you. 43I have come in My Father’s name, and you have not received Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
45Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope. 46If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. 47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”
The Pool of Bethesda is a famous biblical site in Jerusalem where Jesus healed a paralytic, as described in John 5. Known for its five porches and as a place of healing, the site—likely a ritual bath (mikveh) or reservoir—was discovered in the 19th century near the Church of Saint Anne.
Key Aspects of the Pool of Bethesda
(John 5:1-15)
Situated in
Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate,
north of
the Temple Mount.
Structure
Archaeological findings indicate two adjacent pools, a central partition, and
surrounding colonnades,
consistent with the "five porches" description.
It was a place where people with ailments gathered,
believing in the
miraculous stirring of the water.
The Miracle
Jesus healed a man
who had been sick for 38 years,
saying,
"Rise, take up your mat, and walk"
The pool functioned
as a
ritual bath in the first century,
later became
a Roman healing center
In Revelation 22:1-2, the
"tree of life"
is depicted growing on
both sides
of the
"river of the water of life,"
which flows from
the
throne of God
through the center of the
New Jerusalem
This imagery signifies
eternal life,
abundant provision, and
the healing of nations.
The river flows down the middle of the city's main street, with the tree(s) positioned on
either side of the bank.
The Tree of Life
While described in the singular ("the tree of life"), the placement on "either side" often implies a vast, unified, or widespread, lush, life-giving grove, producing twelve kinds of fruit (one for each month).
Healing
The leaves of this tree are specifically for "the healing of the nations".
This scene parallels Eden's restorative state (Genesis) and echoes Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 47:1-12), where trees on a riverbank provide food and healing, with water flowing from the sanctuary.
"Either Side"
One Tree/Two Banks: It could represent a single tree with a root system that spans both sides of the river.
Clonal Colony: Some commentators suggest the tree of life may be a "clonal colony," similar to a large, interconnected root system, like a Pando aspen grove.
Literary/Symbolic: It is a symbolic representation of abundance and eternal life, reminiscent of Eden (Genesis 2:9).
Removal of the Curse: The scene signifies a complete reversal of the curse found in Genesis, with eternal, unchecked life provided for the people of God.
Abundant Supply: Fruit is available continually, symbolizing that the residents of the New Jerusalem will never face scarcity.
God’s Presence: The river originates from the throne of God, making it the source of life and sustenance.
Passover (Pesach) in spring
and
Sukkot in autumn
are two of Judaism's three major pilgrimage festivals (Shalosh Regalim), serving as bookends to the agricultural year and commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. While Passover celebrates the spring harvest and liberation,
Sukkot
marks the fall harvest and the
40 years of
wandering in the desert
(43 but whatever)
- Significance: Passover is a time of receiving freedom (spring), while Sukkot is a time of rejoicing in God's protection during the desert wandering (autumn).
- Rituals: Passover features the Seder, matzah, and searching for chametz (leaven). Sukkot involves building a sukkah (booth) and holding the lulav and etrog (four species).
- Intermediate Days: Both festivals feature Chol HaMoed, intermediate days between the first and last, full-fledged festival days (Yom Tov) that have a semi-festive, communal status.
- The Symbolism of Time: Sukkot is celebrated in the fall rather than immediately after Passover to avoid the appearance of building booths just for nice summer weather, emphasizing the spiritual reliance on God.
- Divine Protection: Passover's revelation is likened to fire (lighting the way out of slavery), while Sukkot's is likened to clouds (sheltering from the desert heat)
Pentecost is significant
in both
the Old and New Testaments.
“Pentecost”
is actually the Greek name for
a festival
known in the Old Testament as the
Feast of Weeks
(Leviticus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:9)
The Greek word means “fifty” and refers to the fifty days that have elapsed since the wave offering of Passover. The Feast of Weeks celebrated the end of the grain harvest. Most interesting, however, is its use in Joel and Acts. Looking back to Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28–32) and forward to the promise of the Holy Spirit in Christ’s last words on earth before His ascension into heaven (Acts 1:8), Pentecost signals the beginning of the church age.
The only biblical reference to the actual events of Pentecost is Acts 2:1–3. Pentecost is reminiscent of the Last Supper; in both instances the disciples are together in a house for what proves to be an important event. At the Last Supper the disciples witness the end of the Messiah’s earthly ministry as He asks them to remember Him after His death until He returns. At Pentecost, the disciples witness the birth of the New Testament church in the coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers. Thus the scene of the disciples in a room at Pentecost links the commencement of the Holy Spirit’s work in the church with the conclusion of Christ’s earthly ministry in the upper room before the crucifixion.
The description of fire and wind mentioned in the Pentecost account resounds throughout the Old and the New Testament. The sound of the wind at Pentecost was “rushing” and “mighty.” Scriptural references to the power of wind (always understood to be under God’s control) abound. Exodus 10:13; Psalm 18:42 and Isaiah 11:15 in the Old Testament and Matthew 14:23–32 in the New Testament are only a few examples. More significant than wind as power is wind as life in the Old Testament (Job 12:10) and as spirit in the New (John 3:8). Just as the first Adam received the breath of physical life (Genesis 2:7), so the last Adam, Jesus, brings the breath of spiritual life. The idea of spiritual life as generated by the Holy Spirit is certainly implicit in the sound of the wind at Pentecost.
Fire is often associated in the Old Testament with the presence of God (Exodus 3:2; 13:21–22; 24:17; Isaiah 10:17) and with His holiness (Psalm 97:3; Malachi 3:2). Likewise, in the New Testament, fire is associated with the presence of God (Hebrews 12:29) and the purification He can bring about in human life (Revelation 3:18).
God’s presence and holiness
are implied in the
Pentecostal tongues of fire
Indeed,
fire is identified with
Christ Himself
(Revelation 1:14; 19:12);
this association naturally underlies the Pentecost
gift of the Holy Spirit,
who would teach the disciples the things of Christ
(John 16:14).
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).
Key Aspects of the Wisdom House:
- The Seven Pillars: Often interpreted as representing the complete, multifaceted nature of wisdom. Common interpretations include:
- Biblical/Virtue View: Prudence, Discernment, Knowledge, Discretion, Judgment, Understanding, Counsel.
- Metaphorical View: Representing the perfection, stability, and elegance of the structure of a wise life.
- Building the House (Proverbs 14:1): While a wise woman builds her home through careful management and character, a foolish one tears it down.
- The Foundation: Wisdom is practical skill in living, anchored in the "fear of the Lord" (Proverbs 1:7).
- The Contrast (Matthew 7:24–27): Jesus describes the wise man building his house on the rock (putting words into practice), which stands, while the foolish man builds on sand, and it collapses.
- What are the pillars? They are symbolic of complete, divine wisdom that makes a house secure and orderly.
- Is it a literal house? No, it is a poetic personification of wisdom inviting people to a stable, blessed life.
- What is the "house"? It represents a person's life, family, reputation, or household management
The eternal nature of God
In biblical literature,
the imagery of white hair is often
associated with
Wisdom, dignity, and the divine
Symbol of Wisdom and Honor
White hair is frequently seen as a symbol of wisdom and honor in the Bible. In the book of Proverbs, the aging process and the resulting white hair are depicted as a crown of glory. Proverbs 16:31 states, "Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness." This verse suggests that a life lived in righteousness and obedience to God is rewarded with the honor of gray or white hair, representing accumulated wisdom and experience.
Similarly, Leviticus 19:32 commands respect for the elderly, saying, "You are to rise in the presence of the elderly, honor the aged, and fear your God. I am the LORD." This respect for the aged, often characterized by white hair, underscores the value placed on wisdom and life experience in the biblical tradition.
Divine Imagery
White hair is also used to describe the divine nature of God and His eternal existence. In the book of Daniel, the Ancient of Days is depicted with white hair, symbolizing purity and timelessness. Daniel 7:9 describes this vision: "As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze."
This imagery is echoed in the New Testament in the book of Revelation, where the glorified Christ is described with similar attributes. Revelation 1:14 states, "The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire." Here, the white hair of Christ signifies His divine wisdom, purity, and eternal nature, reinforcing His identity as the eternal Son of God.
Cultural and Historical Context
In the cultural and historical context of the Bible, white hair was often associated with the elderly, who were revered for their life experience and knowledge. The patriarchal society of ancient Israel placed great value on the counsel and guidance of elders, who were often characterized by their white hair. This cultural respect for the aged is reflected in various biblical passages that emphasize the importance of listening to and honoring those with white hair.
The imagery of white hair in the Bible serves as a powerful symbol of wisdom, honor, and the divine nature of God. Whether representing the accumulated wisdom of a righteous life or the eternal purity of the divine, white hair holds significant meaning within the biblical narrative.
In biblical terminology, the word "fine" is often associated with quality, purity, and excellence, particularly in the context of materials, craftsmanship, and moral character. The term is used to describe various elements in the Scriptures, from precious metals and fabrics to the attributes of individuals and their actions.
Fine Gold and Silver
The Bible frequently mentions "fine gold" and "fine silver" as symbols of wealth, purity, and divine blessing. In the construction of the Tabernacle and the Temple, fine metals were used to create sacred objects and adornments. For instance, in 1 Kings 6:20-22, Solomon's Temple is described as being overlaid with fine gold, signifying its sanctity and the glory of God. Similarly, Proverbs 8:19 states, "My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, and my yield than choice silver," highlighting the value of wisdom over material wealth.
Fine Linen
Fine linen is another significant material mentioned in the Bible, often symbolizing purity, righteousness, and status. In Exodus 28:5-6, the garments of the high priest are described as being made of fine linen, indicating their sacred purpose and the holiness required of those who serve before God. Revelation 19:8 also uses fine linen to represent the righteous acts of the saints: "She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure. For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints."
Fine Flour
In the context of offerings and sacrifices, fine flour is a recurring element. It was used in grain offerings, which were part of the Levitical sacrificial system. Leviticus 2:1 states, "When anyone presents a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. He is to pour oil on it, put frankincense on it." The use of fine flour signifies the offering of one's best to God, reflecting a heart of devotion and gratitude.
Moral and Spiritual Excellence
Beyond physical materials, the concept of "fine" extends to moral and spiritual excellence. The Bible encourages believers to pursue what is fine and noble in character. Philippians 4:8 exhorts, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things." This passage underscores the importance of focusing on virtues that reflect the character of Christ.
Fine Speech and Wisdom
The Scriptures also address the quality of speech and wisdom. Proverbs 25:11 states, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver," illustrating the beauty and value of well-chosen words. Fine speech is not only about eloquence but also about truthfulness and edification, aligning with the biblical call to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).
In summary, the concept of "fine" in the Bible encompasses both tangible and intangible qualities, emphasizing the importance of purity, excellence, and devotion in all aspects of life. Whether in the context of materials, offerings, or personal conduct, the pursuit of what is fine reflects a heart aligned with God's standards and purposes.
1. (superl.) Finished; brought to perfection; refined; hence, free from impurity; excellent; superior; elegant; worthy of admiration; accomplished; beautiful.2. (superl.) Aiming at show or effect; loaded with ornament; overdressed or overdecorated; showy.
3. (superl.) Nice; delicate; subtle; exquisite; artful; skillful; dexterous.
4. (superl.) Not coarse, gross, or heavy
5. (superl.) Not gross; subtle; thin; tenous.
6. (superl.) Not coarse; comminuted; in small particles; as, fine sand or flour.
7. (superl.) Not thick or heavy; slender; filmy; as, a fine thread.
8. (superl.) Thin; attenuate; keen; as, a fine edge.
9. (superl.) Made of fine materials; light; delicate; as, fine linen or silk.
10. (superl.) Having (such) a proportion of pure metal in its composition; as, coins nine tenths fine.
11. (superl.) (Used ironically.)
12. (v.) To make fine; to refine; to purify, to clarify; as, to fine gold.
13. (v.) To make finer, or less coarse, as in bulk, texture, etc.; as. to fine the soil.
14. (v.) To change by fine gradations; as (Naut.), to fine down a ship's lines, to diminish her lines gradually.
15. (n.) End; conclusion; termination; extinction.
16. (n.) A sum of money paid as the settlement of a claim, or by way of terminating a matter in dispute; especially, a payment of money imposed upon a party as a punishment for an offense; a mulct.
17. (n.) A final agreement concerning lands or rents between persons, as the lord and his vassal.
18. (n.) A sum of money or price paid for obtaining a benefit, favor, or privilege, as for admission to a copyhold, or for obtaining or renewing a lease.
19. (n.) To impose a pecuniary penalty upon for an offense or breach of law; to set a fine on by judgment of a court; to punish by fine; to mulct; as, the trespassers were fined ten dollars.
20. (v. i.) To pay a fine. See Fine, n., 3 (b).
21. (v. t.) To finish; to cease; or to cause to cease.
In Revelation 1:14, Jesus is described as having hair "white like wool, as white as snow". This imagery in the Bible symbolizes divine glory, holiness, purity, and supreme wisdom, rather than indicating physical age. It highlights his eternal nature and authoritative, glorified state, often comparing him to the "Ancient of Days".
Biblical Context: The description comes from the apostle John’s vision of the "Son of Man" in Revelation 1:14-15, which is considered the only physical description of the glorified Jesus in the biblical canon.
Symbolism: White hair represents wisdom, dignity, and the majesty of God. It signifies the sinless and perfect nature of Christ.
"Like Wool": The phrase "white like wool" (and sometimes interpreted with "woolly" texture in the context of "fine brass" skin) is seen by some scholars as describing a distinct appearance from typical, historical, or artistic depictions, focusing on the brilliance of his glorified state.
Contrast with Earthly Depictions: While artistic traditions often show Jesus with brown or long hair, the Revelation description represents his resurrected, heavenly form, not his appearance on Earth.
"Ancient of Days"
The description closely mirrors
Daniel 7:9,
where the
"Ancient of Days"
is described
as having hair like pure wool,
signifying God's eternity
In Revelation 1:12–16, Jesus is described using multiple similes such as “the hair on His head was white like wool, as white as snow” (Revelation 1:14). John the apostle, the author of Revelation, is in the presence of Jesus Christ in chapter 1. Throughout this chapter, John provides an introduction and an account of his vision of Jesus Christ. Jesus will then give John the imperative to record “what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later” (Revelation 1:19).
In his description of Jesus, John utilizes the images of wool and snow to symbolize the color of Jesus’ hair in the vision. As John sees Jesus for the first time in Revelation, he simply describes Jesus’ appearance. Throughout the Bible, authors utilize various figures of speech to emphasize a fact or observation. The meanings of these figures of speech are not left to the reader to determine in some obscure way; rather, the meanings are intended to be discovered utilizing context and other passages.
In examining Revelation 1:14, we should remember at least three things. One, John is seeing a vision, and what he sees is symbolic, not literal. Second, John is using an obvious simile: Jesus’ hair is like wool; it is not actually wool. And, third, John is describing the color of Jesus’ hair in the vision, not the texture. The hair is only like wool in that it is white—John also compares the color to that of snow.
Why might John have described the hair of Jesus, and what was his intended meaning in saying that it was “white like wool”? There are many aspects of Jesus’ appearance John could have described, but he focused on just a few, including the color of Jesus’ hair. As Paul shows in Galatians 3:16, every detail of Scripture has significance—John described what he did for a reason. Jesus’ hair being white like wool creates an interesting connection with Daniel 7:9.
Daniel 7 records an eschatological vision giving details about the millennial kingdom (cf. Revelation 20:1–6) and the One who will reign in an everlasting kingdom. In Daniel 7:9, Daniel sees the “Ancient of Days,” the covenant-keeping God of the Bible, Yahweh. In this description of God, Daniel describes His clothing as “white as snow” and His hair as “white like wool.” The whiteness of the clothing and hair, in both Daniel 7 and Revelation 1, speak of purity and holiness. God is holy and completely unstained by sin.
In the next verses, “one like a son of man” (later revealed as Jesus Christ) approaches the Ancient of Days and receives from Him a never-ending kingdom (Daniel 7:13–14). The description of Jesus’ hair in Revelation 1:14 is the same as Daniel used for God, showing that Jesus has a oneness and shared identity with God Himself. It is likely that John’s original audience would have quickly made this connection.
Jesus claimed in His earthly ministry, “Before Abraham was even born, I Am!” (John 8:58, NLT), pointing to the self-proclaimed name of God in Exodus. Paul claims the deity of Jesus as well in Colossians 1:15–20. The deity of Christ is proclaimed throughout the Bible, including the symbol of Revelation 1:14.
Jesus’ hair
is “white like wool”
in
Revelation 1:14 to emphasize the
holiness,
purity, and perfection
of the
sinless Lord.
New Living Translation
Jesus said
to the man with
the
Deformed Hand,
“Come and stand in front of everyone.”
New International Version
Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”
English Standard Version
And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.”
Berean Literal Bible
And He says to the man having the withered hand, “Arise into the midst.”
King James Bible
And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
New King James Version
And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.”
New American Standard Bible
He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!”
Pentecost Preparation for What’s Coming…
ONE FOR ISRAEL
The biblical season of “Counting the Omer” happens between Passover and Pentecost. Pentecost in the Bible is known as the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot in Hebrew, but it all means the same thing: 50 (pente) days, or the equivalent seven weeks (shavuot) if you’re counting in weeks.
Many ears are pricking up and eyes are opening to biblical matters in the wake of recent events, even among those for whom much of this Jewish stuff may be unfamiliar territory. But if it’s in the God-breathed word on your bookshelf, it concerns us all. Particularly in these extraordinary times, everything seems to be all the more magnified in meaning.
What’s with the counting?
In Leviticus 23, the chapter in which God lays down the law on how to celebrate all the feasts, He says this:
“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:15-16)
God told His people to count 50 days after Passover. Each year they were to celebrate Passover on 14th Nisan, then the following Sunday was to be a celebration of Firstfruits. Sheaves of wheat are to be waved in the air, representing gratitude to God for the harvest and trust in His provision. Then, and only then, should The Counting begin. The counting is essentially the journey of waiting between Passover and Shavuot, which is Pentecost.
And that’s where we are, folks. In that season of counting. Waiting. Anticipation.
To understand the counting, we need to understand Shavuot. What’s this countdown leading up to?
Imagine what you might say to the Israelites who had just walked through the Red Sea with the drama of Sinai ahead of them. Looking back at the closed sea in shock, the Egyptian army gone forever and the water now apparently back to its original state… free at last! What a victory! What a miracle! That blood! That water! Now what?
Perhaps you might encourage them with words like these: “You have a long journey ahead of you. The way will be rocky and hard, but full of adventure. You will encounter hunger, thirst, illness, and will at times lose all hope, but God’s going to look after you. You will certainly get there in the end.”
Who could have imagined what was coming? But God was with them and was going to provide everything they needed along the way. God saw their journey coming with all its twists and turns, and He also saw the day they would arrive at the Promised Land. He knew every moment of that perilous journey and all that they would encounter.
This situation has a couple of parallels:
- One is our own journey to our heavenly home. We have been through the blood and water of salvation and baptism, we have been miraculously rescued from slavery and now we are walking in relationship with God. But we have not reached our eternal home yet, and the way there is fraught with difficulties. We’re going to need some help.
- The other parallel is the Calvary event where the blood of Jesus, our Passover Lamb was poured out for us, followed by the historic outpouring of His Spirit 50 days later at Pentecost. Jesus was with them for 40 of those days, then ascended into heaven, with the instruction: “WAIT!”
For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. (Deuteronomy 8:7-9)
God gave Israel a land of milk and honey, verdant, abundant, and flowing with goodness. Today milk and honey epitomize Shavuot in Israel, which has become something of a dairy goods festival! But milk and honey also represent the Torah. It is believed that the Torah was given to Israel at Shavuot, and many will stay awake all night, reading the Bible, for this reason.
David declared in Psalm 119:103:
“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Similarly, the phrase appears in Song of Songs 4:11:
“Sweetness drops from your lips, O bride; Honey and milk are under your tongue.”
Milk and honey here are thought to refer to the Torah, since Song of Songs is seen as an analogy of the love relationship between God and His people. Certainly, God’s word is both sweet and sustaining to all who know Him and love Him. Where would we be without the Bible? And where would we be without the Holy Spirit, poured out at Pentecost?
Pentecost celebrates God, the giver of all good giftsSeven weeks after the Exodus, at Sinai, God graciously gave His people a guidebook – the Torah.
Seven weeks after the cross, at Pentecost, He gave them a personal guide – the Holy Spirit.
Today, we are greatly blessed to have both God’s Word and His Spirit to help us on our journey. And friends, we’re going to definitely need BOTH of them for what’s up ahead.
Pentecost is about our gratitude for God’s generosity, giving us everything we need as we travel on our journey home. We have forgiveness – as much as we are ever going to need. We have grace that never runs out and love that has no end. We have our Father God, the dread warrior by our side, an ever present help in times of trouble. We have His written Word to turn to and His Spirit to help us, embolden us and do the works of Jesus through us. We have everything we need for the journey.
“He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
In sending His Spirit to dwell in us, God has given us the power to live a completely different life. Elisha might have been sad to see the one who was discipling him disappear into the heavens, but he received a mantle of Elijah’s power and anointing, and went on to do even greater things. In the same way, the disciples might have felt a twinge of sorrow as Jesus disappeared from view, but they were to receive His own power not long after that. But as Jesus told them, they had to wait for it:
“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)
Spiritual PreppersMany have had a glimpse of life without well-stocked supermarkets and are now frantically planting vegetables and building chicken coops. The chaos caused by Coronavirus has been a sharp wake up call for how very unprepared we are. However, more than “preppers” in the natural who invest in tinned goods, bunkers and ammunition, we must be preparing spiritually. That means understanding the times we are in, and being ready for the new reality which lies ahead. We need to be prepping our hearts, and learning to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.
We dare not to rush out in haste before we’re properly prepared. We too need to be clothed with power from on high.
We are witnessing the stirrings of a great end-time revival. Here in Israel we have seen a huge increase in spiritual interest and response1, as other countries also have around the world. People are hungry and thirsty for truth and for meaning as our world has been shaken. We need to be ready to share the reason for the hope that we have.
What would you actually say or do if someone came to you, wanting to know how to read the Bible? How to get to know Jesus? Have you thought about that? Are you ready for it? But more than practical programs and strategies, the most important preparation we can do at this time is prepare our own hearts.
God is shaking the nations and it’s serious. It’s a time for repentance, starting with God’s house. That means you and I. It’s often said that revivals go as far as repentance goes deep. Let’s use this waiting time, this countdown to Pentecost, to listen closely to God’s heart. We can identify with His grief over sin – first of all in our own lives, but also our households, our congregations, and then our nations. God is moving. He is shaking the earth. He is calling, drawing, and bringing conviction. We need to be prepared and available to Him: holy, clean vessels, ready for Him to use for what lies ahead.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
Just as the Israelites fearfully kept their distance from the mountain while God was imparting His word at Sinai… and just as disciples waited in the upper room at Pentecost, let us adopt an attitude of fearful reverence and expectation in this time of waiting. May repentance among the saints go deep, carving a great channel for the Spirit to flow. Prepare the way of the Lord!
The Feast of Weeks,
also known
As Shavuot in Hebrew,
Is one of the major Jewish festivals outlined in the Old Testament. It is celebrated seven weeks, or fifty days, after the Feast of Firstfruits, which occurs during the Passover season. This timing gives the festival its Greek name, Pentecost, meaning "fiftieth day." The Feast of Weeks is primarily a harvest festival, marking the end of the grain harvest in Israel, and it holds significant religious and historical importance.
Mercy
In the Book of Hosea, God
commands the prophet Hosea to marry
an adulterous woman, Gomer, as
a living parable
representing Israel’s spiritual adultery against God
This unfaithfulness signifies Israel breaking their covenant with Jehovah by chasing false idols, specifically Baal
Hosea's marriage and pursuit of his unfaithful wife mirror God’s enduring love and pursuit of rebellious Israel
Key
Aspects of Hosea's Message
on
Israel's Adultery
- The Symbolic Marriage: God tells Hosea to "take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom" to demonstrate that the nation is guilty of spiritual adultery by abandoning the Lord
- Symbolic Children: The children's names represent God’s judgment: Jezreel (bloodshed), Lo-Ruhamah (not loved), and Lo-Ammi (not my people)
- Israel's "Lovers": Israel, like an adulterous wife, is described as running after other gods (Baal) and attributing their economic prosperity to these idols rather than to God
- The Call to Return: Despite their adultery, God instructs Hosea to seek out and bring back Gomer, symbolizing his intention to restore Israel after a period of discipline
- Unrelenting Love: God's love is shown to be stronger than his judgment, characterized by a persistent desire for restoration
- Idolatry as Betrayal: The worship of other gods is framed not just as a mistake, but as a direct betrayal of a sacred, marital-like covenant with God
- Restoration: Hosea ends with a promise of reconciliation, where God will heal Israel's faithlessness and restore their relationship
Mercy
And grace are closely
related
While the terms have similar meanings,
grace and mercy
are not exactly the same.
Mercy has to do
with kindness and compassion; it is often spoken
of in the context of
God’s not punishing us as our sins deserve.
Grace includes
kindness and compassion, but also carries the idea
of bestowing a gift or favor.
It may help to view mercy as a subset of grace.
In Scripture,
mercy is often equated with a
deliverance from judgment
(e.g., Deuteronomy 4:30–31; 1 Timothy 1:13),
and grace is
always the extending of a blessing
to the unworthy.
According to the Bible, we have all sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8). As a result of that sin, we all deserve death (Romans 6:23) and eternal judgment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12–15). Given what we deserve, every day we live is an act of God’s mercy. If God gave us all what we deserve, we would all be, right now, condemned for eternity. In Psalm 51:1–2, David cries out, “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.” Pleading for God’s mercy is asking Him to show kindness and withhold the judgment we deserve.
We deserve nothing good from God.
God does not owe us any good thing. What good we experience is a result of the grace of God (Ephesians 2:5). Grace is simply defined as “unmerited favor.” God favors us—He shows us approval and kindness—in blessing us with good things that we do not deserve and could never earn. Common grace refers to the blessings that God bestows on all of mankind regardless of their spiritual standing before Him, while saving grace is that special blessing whereby God sovereignly bestows unmerited divine assistance upon His elect for their regeneration and sanctification.
Mercy and grace are evident in the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ. We deserved judgment, but in Christ we receive mercy from God and are delivered from judgment. In Christ we receive eternal salvation, forgiveness of sins, and abundant life (John 10:10)—all gifts of grace. Our response to the mercy and grace of God should be to fall on our knees in worship and thanksgiving. Hebrews 4:16 declares, “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.”
“Now He said to them,
‘These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’
Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures”
(Luke 24:44-45).
How desperately we need Yeshua to open our minds to understand the Scriptures as well. To be clear, Yeshua is referring explicitly to the Hebrew Scriptures, that is, Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. Without an understanding of these Scriptures, Yeshua’s life will remain a partially closed book, like watching a 3-D movie without the special glasses.
Consider, for a moment, the often overlooked importance of the Psalms in Luke’s account of the crucifixion. In Luke 23:34, the soldiers cast lots for Yeshua’s garments, an obvious reference to Psalm 22:18. In Luke 23:35 and 37, those mocking Yeshua and telling him to “save himself” unwittingly echo the words of Psalm 22:7-8. In Luke 23:36, the soldiers give Yeshua sour wine to drink, clearly an allusion to Psalm 69:21. And last but not least, Yeshua’s final prayer on the cross in Luke’s account is a citation of Psalm 31:5.
Each of these allusions to the Psalms is a nugget of gold, a treasure waiting to be discovered.
To read these Psalms
with
“opened minds to understand”
leaves us at the foot of the cross in
awe of their
striking fulfillment in
Yeshua.
So much of Luke’s Gospel, and indeed the New Testament as a whole, invites the reader to ponder the life and teachings of Yeshua in light of the Hebrew Scriptures. So please, Yeshua, please open our minds to see and understand the Jewish Scriptures!
“Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law”
(Psa 119:18).
Covenant Renewal Worship
is a liturgical structure
based on the biblical pattern of God
initiating a relationship, cleansing His people,
consecrating them,
feeding them, and sending them out.
The 5 C's of
Covenant Renewal Worship
- Call (to Worship): God initiates the service, summoning His people into His presence, much like a king calling his subjects.
- Confession (and Absolution): The congregation recognizes its need for purification, confessing sin and receiving assurance of pardon through Christ.
- Consecration: The people are set apart (consecrated) to God through the hearing of His Word (preaching) and offering prayers/tithes, moving from "outside" to "inside".
- Communion: The fellowship offering/sacrificial meal, where the church eats in God's presence, typically observed through the Lord's Supper every week.
- Commission (and Benediction): God sends His people out with His blessing to act as His ambassadors in the world, often featuring a final benediction.
The Psalms are central to Christian worship as they are viewed as prophetic testimonies of Christ's life, death, and resurrection, often quoted in the New Testament to reveal his glory. Through the Psalms, believers offer praise to God and engage in heartfelt worship, often viewing them as the voice of Christ himself.
Key Aspects of Psalms in Worshiping Christ:
- Prophetic Songs: Psalms testify to the resurrection and eternal life of Christ, such as in Psalm 16:10, which Peter quotes to affirm Jesus' resurrection in Acts 13:35.
- The Reign of Christ: Paul uses Psalm 8:6 in 1 Corinthians 15:25-27 to demonstrate that all things are subjected under Christ’s feet, highlighting his authority.
- Messianic Praise: Jesus is shown to be the focus of the Psalms, making them an essential tool for Christian prayer, song, and worship.
- Corporate and Private Worship: The Psalms are used for lament, thanksgiving, and praise (e.g., Psalms 56, 92, 150), allowing Christians to voice their devotion in song.
Commonly Used Psalms in Worship:
- Psalm 150: A final, enthusiastic call to praise God for his mighty acts, often using instruments.
- Psalm 96: A call to declare God’s glory and salvation among the nations.
- Psalm 118: Used as a call to worship, highlighting the "day the Lord has made".
- Psalm 63: Expresses deep, personal longing for God.
The Psalms
remain a foundational resource for
Christian worship,
enabling congregations to
"let the word of Christ dwell in [them]
richly"
through song
"When they had approached Jerusalem and had
come to Bethphage, at
the Mount of Olives...
And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves"
(Matt 21:1, 12).
Matthew presumes upon his reader's familiarity with the Hebrew Scriptures to catch his allusions to the final chapter of the book of Zechariah. The Mount of Olives is mentioned only twice in the Hebrew Bible, and both times in a verse that refers to the LORD'S coming to Jerusalem (Zech 14:4). A few verses after Matthew mentions the Mount of Olives, he tells us that Yeshua enters the temple and drives out the merchants. This is an allusion to the final verse of Zechariah 14: "And there will no longer be a Canaanite [tradesman] in the house of the LORD of hosts in that day" (v. 21). [Although not readily apparent, the word "Canaanite" also means "tradesman" in Biblical Hebrew
(see Prov 31:24; Zech 11:7 in the LXX).]
Now let's consider the radical theological implications of Matthew's linking of Yeshua's actions in Matthew 21 to the final chapter of Zechariah. Matthew is not only proclaiming that Yeshua is Israel's king, but also identifying him as the embodiment of Israel's God. After all, Zechariah says quite explicitly that it is Y-H-W-H himself who will stand upon the Mount of Olives on that final day
(see Zech 14:3-4).
No doubt, Matthew knew that Zechariah's prophecy will only be fulfilled at Yeshua's second coming. But the purpose of his allusions to Zechariah 14 is to make it absolutely clear to his readers that Yeshua is the LORD (God with us!) who has come to save his people. And just like the wise men of old (Matt 2:1-2), genuinely wise people still seek and worship him! "And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one"
(Zech 14:9).
Throughout the Old Testament,
we read accounts of
idol worship among the Israelites,
especially the worship of
Baal and Asherah,
or sometimes
Baal and Ashtoreth
The paganism
that surrounded God’s people
crept in,
gained a foothold,
and led
to much misery.
It was a constant struggle
to stay true
to the
Lord their God
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.
God had commanded Israel not to worship idols (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7)—indeed, they were to avoid even mentioning a false god’s name (Exodus 23:13). To prevent compromise, they were warned not to intermarry with the pagan nations and to shun practices that might be construed as pagan worship rites (Leviticus 20:23; 2 Kings 17:15; Ezekiel 11:12). Israel was the nation chosen by God to one day give rise to the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. Yet, even with their heritage and so much riding on their future, Israel was continually drawn into dalliances with Baal and Asherah.
Baal was the supreme god in ancient Canaan and Phoenicia. As the storm god, he was usually depicted holding a raised lightning bolt. His consort, Asherah, was the chief female deity and was represented by a carved pole or limbless tree trunk planted in the ground. Baal and Asherah are often mentioned together in Scripture. Sometimes Baal is mentioned with the goddess Ashtoreth who, in Canaanite mythology, was closely related to Asherah and may have been for a time considered the same goddess. All of them were fertility gods, and their worship rites involved sexual perversion.
After the death of Joshua, the worship of Baal and Asherah became a plaguing and perennial problem for Israel. It didn’t take long: in the very next generation after Joshua, “The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs” (Judges 3:7). Later, God told the judge Gideon to clean house: “Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it” (Judges 6:25). Again, in the days of Jephthah, “the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths” (Judges 10:6).
During the monarchy, the kings got involved, forsaking the Lord and bringing the worship of Baal and Asherah into Israel. Under King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, Israel was a state sponsor of a Phoenician form of idol worship, and the prophet Elijah had to confront “four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and . . . four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table” (1 Kings 18:19). The evil King Manasseh of Judah undid all the reforms of his father Hezekiah and “erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole” (2 Kings 21:3). In His indictment of Israel before sending them into exile, God said, “They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal” (2 Kings 17:16).
There are several reasons why the worship of Baal and Asherah was such a problem for Israel. First, the worship of Baal and Asherah held the allure of illicit sex, since the religion involved ritual prostitution. This is exactly what we see in the incident of Baal of Peor, as “the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods” (Numbers 25:1–2). During this episode an Israelite named Zimri brazenly brought a Midianite woman into the camp and went straight to his tent, where the two began having sex (verses 6–8, 14–15).
Another reason that the worship of Baal and Asherah was a perennial problem for Israel is what we could call international peer pressure. Israel wanted to be like the other nations (see 1 Samuel 8:5, 20). The other nations worshiped Baal and Asherah, and so many Israelites felt a pull to do the same.
And, most basically, Israel worshiped Baal and Asherah because of Satan’s temptations coupled with mankind’s sinfulness. The enemy of our souls tempted Israel to worship idols; the sacrifices made to Baal and Asherah were really sacrifices to demons (1 Corinthians 10:20). The stubborn willfulness of humanity works in tandem with Satan’s seductions, and the result is rebellion against God. Israel repeatedly forsook their covenant with God, lost God’s blessings, and chased after the Baals and Asherahs to their own destruction.
The book of Hosea aptly uses adultery as a metaphor to describe Israel’s idol worship. Forsaking the God of their covenant and chasing after false gods such as Baal and Asherah was akin to spiritual adultery. But God promised to restore His unfaithful people and love them forever:
“In that day,” declares the Lord, . . .
“I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips;
no longer will their names be invoked. . . .
I will betroth you to me forever;
I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
in love and compassion.
I will betroth you in faithfulness
and you will acknowledge the Lord.”
(Hosea 2:16–17, 19–20)
The problem of Baal and Asherah worship was finally solved after God removed Israel from the Promised Land. Due to the Israelites’ idolatry and disregard of the law, God brought the nations of Assyria and Babylon against them in an act of judgment. After the exile, Israel was restored to the land, and the people did not dally again with idols.
Christians today may be quick to judge the Israelites for their idolatry, but we should remember that idols take many forms. Idolatrous sins still tempt the modern-day believer (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8–10). Instead of bowing down to the ancient forms of Baal and Asherah, we today sometimes honor possessions, success, and physical pleasure to the dishonoring of God. Just as God disciplined the Israelites for their idolatry and forgave them when they repented, He graciously disciplines us and extends the offer of forgiveness in Christ (Hebrews 12:7–11; 1 John 1:9; 2 Peter 3:9).
2 Timothy 3:15
and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." This verse highlights the importance of early spiritual education, the power of scripture, and that salvation is achieved through faith in Christ.
2 Timothy 3:15:
- Early Education: Timothy was taught the scriptures from infancy/childhood, likely by his mother and grandmother.
- Purpose of Scripture: The Holy Scriptures (the Old Testament, in context) are described as capable of giving wisdom that leads directly to salvation.
- The Focus of Faith: True wisdom leads to faith in Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of those scriptures.
- Context: This verse is part of Paul's encouragement to Timothy to stand firm against false teachings by relying on the scriptures.
The term "Wicked Generation" is used
in the Bible
to describe a group of people characterized by
their persistent unbelief,
moral corruption, and rebellion against God.
This concept is most prominently featured in the
teachings of Jesus Christ, who often referred to the
people of His time
as a "wicked and adulterous generation"
(Matthew 12:39)
Old Testament Context
The notion of a wicked generation is not new to the New Testament. In the Old Testament, the Israelites frequently fell into periods of rebellion and idolatry, prompting God to describe them as a "stiff-necked people" (Exodus 32:9). The generation that wandered in the wilderness for forty years is often cited as an example of disobedience and lack of faith. Despite witnessing God's miracles, they repeatedly tested Him, leading to their exclusion from the Promised Land (Numbers 14:22-23).
New Testament Usage
In the New Testament, Jesus uses the term "wicked generation" to address the spiritual state of the people during His earthly ministry. In Matthew 12:39, Jesus responds to the Pharisees and teachers of the law who demanded a sign from Him: "A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." Here, Jesus condemns their lack of faith and spiritual blindness, despite the clear evidence of His divine authority.
Similarly, in Matthew 16:4, Jesus reiterates this condemnation: "A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." This repetition underscores the persistent unbelief and moral decay of the people, who were more interested in miraculous signs than in genuine repentance and faith.
Characteristics of this "supposed" Generation
1. Unbelief and Skepticism: The wicked generation is marked by a refusal to believe in God's works and words, even when presented with clear evidence. This skepticism is often accompanied by a demand for signs and wonders as proof of divine authority.
2. Moral Corruption: The term "adulterous" in Jesus' rebuke highlights not only physical adultery but also spiritual unfaithfulness. The people were unfaithful to God, pursuing idolatry and worldly desires.
3. Rebellion Against God: The wicked generation is characterized by a rebellious spirit, rejecting God's commandments and the message of repentance preached by Jesus and the prophets before Him.
4. Spiritual Blindness: Despite the presence of Jesus, the Light of the World, the wicked generation remained spiritually blind, unable to recognize the truth and the fulfillment of God's promises in Christ.
Warnings and Consequences
The Bible warns of the dire consequences faced by a wicked generation. In Matthew 23:36, Jesus warns the scribes and Pharisees, "Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation." This prophecy was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, a judgment upon the unrepentant and unbelieving people.
The concept of a wicked generation serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of faith, repentance, and obedience to God. It calls believers to examine their own hearts and to remain steadfast in their commitment to Christ, avoiding the pitfalls of unbelief and moral compromise.
apostasy is defined as a willful, conscious abandonment or rejection of a previously held allegiance to God, rather than a passive season of doubt. It is heavily linked with rebellion and disobedience, often described as a "standing away from" or a "defection" from the faith.
Key Aspects of Apostasy in the Bible
- Definition & Language: Derived from the Greek apostasia (a defection or revolt), it refers to a total abandonment of faith, not merely temporary failure.
- Theological Meaning: It is seen as a breach of covenant with God, often characterized by idolatry in the Old Testament and a rejection of Christ in the New Testament.
- Apostasy and Disobedience: Apostasy is presented as a persistent, defiant disobedience (such as that of King Saul or the Israelites in the wilderness), rather than a single mistake.
- Examples in Scripture: Key instances include the golden calf incident (Exodus 32), the idolatry during the period of the Judges, and Solomon’s heart turning away from God.
Warnings and Consequences
- Judgment: Scripture warns of severe consequences for turning away, including spiritual "exile," the loss of divine favor, and divine judgment (e.g., Deuteronomy 28).
- The Unpardonable Sin: While all sin can be forgiven through repentance, Bible commentaries often associate final, unrepentant apostasy with "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit," which is described as unforgivable (Matthew 12:31–32).
- New Testament Warning: The Apostle Paul warns of a future "falling away" or rebellion before the return of Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
Daniel's Prayer for his People
1In the first year of Darius the son of Assuerus of the seed of the Medes, who reigned over the kingdom of the Chaldeans: 2The first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, concerning which the word of the Lord came to Jeremias the prophet, that seventy years should be accomplished of the desolation of Jerusalem. 3And I set my face to the Lord my God, to pray and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. 4And I prayed to the Lord my God, and I made my confession, and said: I beseech thee, O Lord God, great and terrible, who keepest the covenant, and mercy to them that love thee, and keep thy commandments. 5We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly, and have revolted: and we have gone aside from thv commandments, and thy judgments. 6We have not hearkened to thy servants the prophets, that have spoken in thy name to our kings, to our princes, to our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7To thee, O Lord, justice: but to us confusion of face, as at this day to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel to them that are near, and to them that are far off in all the countries whither thou hast driven them, for their iniquities by which they have sinned against thee. 8O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our princes, and to our fathers that have sinned. 9But to thee, the Lord our God, mercy and forgiveness, for we have departed from thee: 10And we have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his law, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 11And all Israel have transgressed thy law, and have turned away from hearing thy voice, and the malediction, and the curse, which is written in the book of Moses the servant of God, is fallen upon us, because we have sinned against him. 12And he hath confirmed his words which he spoke against us, and against our princes that judged us, that he would bring in upon us a great evil, such as never was under all the heaven, according to that which hath been done in Jerusalem. 13As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: and we entreated not thy face, O Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and think on thy truth. 14And the Lord hath watched upon the evil, and hath brought it upon us: the Lord our God is just in all his works which he hath done: for we have not hearkened to his voice.
15And now, O Lord our God, who hast brought forth thy people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, and hast made thee a name as at this day: we have sinned, we have committed iniquity, 16O Lord, against all thy justice: let thy wrath and thy indignation be turned away, I beseech thee, from thy city Jerusalem, and from thy holy mountain. For by reason of our sins, and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem, and thy people are a reproach to all that are round about us. 17Now therefore, O our God, hear the supplication of thy servant, and his prayers: and shew thy face upon thy sanctuary which is desolate, for thy own sake. 18Incline, O my God, thy ear, and hear: open thy eyes, and see our desolation, and the city upon which thy name is called: for it is not for our justifications that we present our prayers before thy face, but for the multitude of thy tender mercies. 19O Lord, hear: O Lord, be appeased: hearken and do: delay not for thy own sake, O my God: because thy name is invocated upon thy city, and upon thy people.
Gabriel's Prophecy of the
Seventy Weeks
20Now while I was yet speaking, and praying, and confessing my sins, and the sins of my people of Israel, and presenting my supplications in the sight of my God, for the holy mountain of my God: 21As I was yet speaking in prayer, behold the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, flying swiftly touched me at the time of the evening sacrifice. 22And he instructed me, and spoke to me, and said: O Daniel, I am now come forth to teach thee, and that thou mightest understand. 23From the beginning of thy prayers the word came forth: and I am come to shew it to thee, because thou art a man of desires: therefore do thou mark the word, and understand the vision.
24Seventy weeks are shortened upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, that transgression may be finished, and sin may have an end, and iniquity may be abolished; and everlasting justice may be brought; and vision and prophecy may be fulfilled; and the saint of saints may be anointed. 25Know thou therefore, and take notice: that from the going forth of the word, to build up Jerusalem again, unto Christ the prince, there shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: and the street shall be built again, and the walls in straitness of times. 26And after sixty-two weeks Christ shall be slain: and the people that shall deny him shall not be his. And a people with their leader that shall come, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary: and the end thereof shall be waste, and after the end of the war the appointed desolation. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many, in one week: and in the half of the week the victim and the sacrifice shall fall: and there shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation: and ihe desolation shall continue even to the consummation, and to the end.
“For the choir director.
A Psalm of David. May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! … We will sing for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions…. Save, O LORD; may the King answer us in the day we call. For the choir director. A Psalm of David. O LORD, in Your strength the king will be glad, and in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice! … Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your power”
(Psa 20:0-1, 5, 9; 21:0-1, 13).
The many similarities and shared language between Psalms 20 and 21 provide strong evidence that the sequence of the individual psalms within the Psalter is strategic, not random. In both psalms, there is an “I,” a “he,” and a “we.” The “I” in these psalms is David, who prays for God to strengthen, save, and bless the king. The “he” in these psalms, the exalted king for whom David prays, points beyond David. The “we” in these psalms is David together with the people of God, prophetically celebrating the victory of the LORD’s Messiah.
Psalms 20–21 affirm by faith that there will be shouts of joy and songs of victory after we pass through the agonizing cries of Psalm 22, when it appears that our Messiah has lost the battle entirely. In these dark times, let us find strength together in praise and faithful confession. For after our cries of “my God, my God,” God’s people will, through our Messiah’s defeat of death, enter into green pastures
(Psalm 23).
As the psalmist declares, “O LORD,
You have
brought up my soul from Sheol;
You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning”
(Psa 30:3-5)
What is Shavuot?
ONE FOR ISRAEL
Unlike every other feast in God’s calendar, Shavuot (Pentecost) is held not a specific date but a specified DAY: Sunday. Passover is always on the 14th of the first month, Nisan, Yom Kippur is always on the 10th of the seventh month, Tishri, but the date of Shavuot changes from year to year. It is always supposed to land on a Sunday—the day after the seventh Shabbat. God said to start counting the days and weeks after the Shabbat after Passover, but unfortunately the rabbinic authorities took it to mean something else and so many times start the countdown on a day other than a Sunday, and thus land on the wrong day too. Never mind. You can see the biblical instruction here below: it’s supposed to lead up to a Sunday, the Sunday of Pentecost, the biblical Feast of Weeks. Seven weeks—fifty days—are to be counted according to God’s instructions in Leviticus 23:
“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count 50 days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:15-16)
Today Jewish people celebrate the giving of the Law at Shavuot, since the Sinai event happened 50 days after the night of Passover, according to Exodus 19:1. People stay up all night to read the Torah and there is a great celebration of dairy products (in the light of the Jewish tradition of keeping milk and meat separate, based on the commandment not to boil a kid in its mother’s milk). But despite all appearances and Shavuot traditions in Israel today—and as glad as I am that cheesecake is celebrated each year in all its glory—this is not really a festival about dairy products.
What does the Feast of Shavuot mean?
So the Jewish people have been “Counting the Omer” since Passover, which is the countdown to Shavuot. Or perhaps we should say we have been counting up, rather than down? Because counting the days is inevitably leads to a build up of expectation all the way up to Shavuot, which means “weeks” in Hebrew, hence the name “the Feast of Weeks”. Passover celebrates the time the angel of death passed over the Hebrew houses, and the feast of Tabernacles remembers the desert wandering in tents, but what is the Feast of Weeks all about?
If one only looks at the Bible rather than Jewish tradition, Shavuot seems to be missing an obvious reason for its existence in contrast to other festivals, but make no mistake, the Feast of Weeks is infused with great significance. Its meaning continues to unfold with God’s ongoing story of salvation.
Its main anchor point is Passover, in that it is intrinsically linked to counting the time since Passover and the Exodus event. After counting seven weeks down (up!) to the Sunday of Shavuot, the original biblical instructions involve celebrating with animal sacrifices as well as grain and drink offerings, and a good rest. The fruits of the land are celebrated, and it seems to be some sort of harvest festival. Somewhat randomly, after delineating the required sacrifices and wave offerings, this verse appears:
“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 23:22)
This commandment is in keeping with the theme of harvest, but seems misplaced in the chapter on biblical feasts. However, the themes of the poor and the sojourner end up playing a significant part in the true, prophetic meaning of the feast. It was thanks to this verse that the Moabite Ruth was able to find the gleanings of the field to survive, and in doing so, met her kinsman redeemer, Boaz. A love story between Jew and Gentile… it should be no surprise then that the story of Ruth has become a significant feature of Shavuot. Moreover, the theme of Jew and Gentile comes into greater focus in the New Testament, when the Feast of Shavuot comes into fulfillment—except that in the New Testament, written in Greek, Shavuot is translated as Pentecost.
The harvest is ripePentecost comes from the Greek word for 50 (pente) after the instruction to count 50 days, 7 weeks. Here’s how it was rather famously celebrated among the disciples of Jesus:
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)
Just as John the Baptist foresaw, Jesus baptized His disciples with the Holy Spirit and with fire! And it is interesting that John’s words were also in the context of the harvest, as he goes on to talk about the winnowing fork, the wheat and the chaff (Matthew 1:11-12). Jesus often described evangelism and the flourishing of the word of God in our lives in agricultural terms, using the metaphor of seeds and crops, harvest and harvesters. He said the fields were white and all that was needed was the harvesters. He was not wrong. Look what happened just 50 days after His resurrection:
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.
And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
(Acts 2:5-12)
Three thousand people came to faith that day! Peter stood up to address the crowd and enormous numbers of people from many nations believed in Jesus, right there and then. This was essentially the birth of the church. The gospel was for all nations, Jew and Gentile. The Holy Spirit was suddenly available to all people, men, women, slave and free. True fellowship with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was now possible for anyone who wanted to be include in the New Covenant with Israel, promised in Jeremiah 31:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
(Jeremiah 31:31-34)
The New Covenant (New Testament) was with Israel, but all nations were now invited to be grafted in! It was a bit of a culture shock at first, and it took some work getting used to, but suddenly, at Pentecost, the Feast of Shavuot, everything changed. The God of Israel opened up a new and living way for everyone to come to Him through that New Covenant in the Messiah’s blood and His Spirit could now be poured out on all flesh. Now, the Law could be written on our hearts! God’s Spirit could now indwell each and every believer, helping us to live His way.
The significance of 50The number 50 signifies freedom. The fiftieth year is the year of Jubilee, when all debts are cancelled and slaves go free. It shouldn’t be surprising then that the events of the Law being given at Sinai at Shavuot and the Holy Spirit falling at Pentecost occurred 50 days after the earth-shattering events of the Exodus and Calvary respectively. Let’s go into that a bit more. Backing up: Seven weeks are counted for the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) which is 50 days (Pentecost). Whether it’s checking off days before you get to go on vacation, chalking up days till a prisoner gets released from jail, or days till Christmas on an advent calendar, counting down builds anticipation and hopeful expectation. God deliberately created this drama, this dynamic, and wove it into the Feast of Pentecost. We see this even as Jesus tells His disciples to wait:
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now… But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
(Acts 1:4-5,8)
Jesus had risen from the dead and was among them, teaching them for forty days. That’s well over a month! And then He told them to wait another ten days, until Pentecost. Forty plus ten. Forty is a very significant number in Scripture, representing gestation—things reaching their zenith. Whether it’s pregnancy or punishment, it’s often a season of development until maturity and fulfillment. So why fifty? Why the extra ten days? First of all, ten is an important number in its own right. Ten signifies authority, completeness of order, responsibility, holiness… consider the Ten Commandments, for example. Then fifty: fifty represents freedom! The fiftieth year is the jubilee when all things are restored and set free.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
(2 Corinthians 3:17)
Shavuot and Jubilee joyEven before the liberation that came with the Holy Spirit, the Law itself, the covenant of Sinai, was a radical expression on freedom in its own right. Consider the very first words after the Ten Commandments, as God gives the Law to Moses in Exodus:
“Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.”
(Exodus 21:1-2)
The very first rule is about how slaves should be set free, for nothing. As much as the Old Testament Law might seem primitive to many New Testament followers, it was a radical departure from the tyranny and slavery of the cultures around them. The Law laid down the infrastructure of a fair and free society. Os Guinness is a thinker who has written much about the extraordinary and liberating nature of the Mosaic covenant, calling it a “Magna Carta” for humanity.1 He observes that there is a form of separation of powers, by which even kings are subject to the law since the prophets had the right to call them out according to its standards. The law brought in a new degree of equality, the value of human life, and many other fundamental principles which form the basis of Judeo-Christian societies in the West. In short, God’s law was given to enable people to live freely. God took His people out of slavery in Egypt, but they had to learn to be free. He gave them the handbook at Shavuot.
We can see in our world today that the less moral boundaries there are, the less free we become. Feminists are finally coming to the conclusion that the so-called “sexual revolution” enabled by birth control has shackled women, not liberated them.2 We are learning, through trial and many errors, that the law of God is good. Monogamy and fidelity might sound restrictive, but they in fact lead to liberty. God’s law takes into account our sinful nature and enables the best possible society given the fact that our tendency is towards evil. For example, it is expected that the Israelites would trade and prosper, but it was also expected (because of greed and selfishness) the land would be overworked and farmed beyond repair, so God legislated a shabbat every seven years, the “shmita” year, where the land could rest. Also, left unchecked, wealth would inevitably end up in the hands of the few, and others becoming poor and oppressed. So it was built into the law that every so often there would be a big reset where lands, property, and freedom would be returned every 50 years. This was the law of Jubilee.
“You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years… And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan. That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of itself nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. For it is a jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You may eat the produce of the field. In this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his property. And if you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. You shall pay your neighbor according to the number of years after the jubilee, and he shall sell to you according to the number of years for crops… You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord your God. Therefore you shall do my statutes and keep my rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely.
(Leviticus 25:8-18)
The Hebrew word for Jubilee (yovel) comes from the root word יָבַל to bring, lead, carry, conduct, bear along, much as the wind carries things along, or as the Holy Spirit rushed like a powerful wind bringing change at Pentecost. But the word Jubilee itself (יוֹבֵל) is connected with the shofar, the ram’s horn, and the joyful sound of the trumpet announcing freedom. We also think of a “horn of plenty” which very much sums up the biblical pronouncement of rejoicing in the harvest.
Sunday and the Spirit of FreedomIn Shavuot we have two tiers of freedom and revolution in God’s manifest purposes on the earth. In the first 50 days since Passover in giving the Law, God creates His covenant people. He gives the Law and invites Israel to respond. They agree to the terms, and now the tribes of Jacob were no longer just an ethnicity, they became a faith community. This is essential to understand. Jewish people not only belong to a tribe, but a faith, and this is the handiwork of God (Exodus 24:3, Isaiah 43:1). It is unique.
And if keeping God’s Law is the basis for a free and flourishing society, how much more the Spirit of freedom!
Then fifty days after Calvary God pours out His Spirit and establishes His church. God establishes another faith community, but this time including all the families of the earth. Now we can enjoy a new level of freedom in the New Covenant, with the Holy Spirit available to all. We can walk in God’s ways because His law is engraved on the hearts of all those who believe. But now here comes the another dimension of freedom entirely. The freedom of the Spirit. Jesus explains to Nicodemus how it is with those who are born again:
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
(John 3:8)
Moses communed with God for 40 days on that mountain before returning with the stone tablets, just as Jesus tarried 40 days with His disciples teaching them about the kingdom. The critical events involving blood and sacrifice were behind them (Passover and the cross) and God was building up to something new and wonderful. This is why Pentecost had to fall on a Sunday. In the Bible, the first day of the week is the Sunday and the final day is the Shabbat.
Sunday is the beginning, and the start of a new week. It is the first day of creation. It signifies creation and new beginnings. God formed the people of Israel as faith community and then formed the church at Shavuot, on a Sunday.
The day of Shavuot may be fixed but the date is not. It is determined by wherever the Passover falls. This also means that the gap between Shavuot and the Feast of Trumpets is an unspecified period of time. Given that we see the Spring feasts fulfilled in great measure by the first coming of Jesus, it makes sense that the unknown date of His return is mirrored by the indeterminate gap between the end of Shavuot and the Fall feasts. Even so, there is a season and a time frame that can be known. We recognize the times and seasons, and can see that the glorious return of Jesus is imminent, when He really will make all things new!
Even as we wait expectantly, we know God will pour out His Spirit for a great end time harvest—all over the world, and in Israel itself. When the Holy Spirit comes in power, we become aware of our sin and our need to repent… and times of refreshing can come like the wind. Come Holy Spirit, come.
Rahab is a figure often labeled
"the harlot."
Living in the
Canaanite city of
Jericho
https://youtube.com/shorts/slhPbEdiqpA?si=VIQ9bxmMKbePaVqg
Rahab was a young Canaanite prostitute and as such not a very likely candidate for the faith.
Jericho was one of the principal seats of idol worship, being especially devoted to Ashtaroth
Here was centered all that was the vilest and most degrading in the
religion of the Canaanites.
Many Bible commentators, eager to remove the stigma of
the designation “harlot”
have described
Rahab as a hostess or tavern keeper
Prostitution is often referred to as
the "oldest profession."
Indeed, it has always been a common way for women to make money, even in Bible times. The Bible tells us that prostitution is immoral. Proverbs 23:27-28 says, "For a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well. Like a bandit she lies in wait, and multiplies the unfaithful among men."
God forbids involvement with prostitutes because He knows such involvement is detrimental to both men and women. "For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell"
(Proverbs 5:3-5 NKJV)
Prostitution not only destroys marriages, families, and lives, but it destroys the spirit and soul in a way that leads to physical and spiritual death. God’s desire is that we stay pure and use our bodies as tools for His use and glory (Romans 6:13). First Corinthians 6:13 says, "The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."
Although prostitution is sinful, prostitutes are not beyond God’s scope of forgiveness. The Bible records His use of a prostitute named Rahab to further the fulfillment of His plan.
As a result of her obedience, she and her family were rewarded and blessed
(Joshua 2:1; 6:17-25)
Because of her faith, Christ had forgiven all her sins, and she was received into His kingdom
(Luke 7:36-50).
Just like anyone else, prostitutes
have the opportunity to receive salvation and
eternal life from God,
to be cleansed of all their
unrighteousness and be given a brand
new life!
All they must do is turn away from their
sinful lifestyle and
turn
to the living God,
whose grace and mercy are boundless.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
(2 Corinthians 5:17).
Daniel 12
The End Times
(Revelation 1:1–3)
1“At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress, the likes of which will not have occurred from the beginning of nations until that time. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.
2And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.a 3Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens,b and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.
4But you, Daniel, shut up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase.”
5Then I, Daniel, looked and saw two others standing there, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6One of them said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long until the fulfillment of these wonders?”
7And the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, and times, and half a time. When the power of the holy people has finally been shattered, all these things will be completed.”
8I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”
9“Go on your way, Daniel,” he replied, “for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.
11And from the time the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12Blessed is he who waits and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
13But as for you, go on your way until the end. You will rest, and then you will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”
“In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD, speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, ‘Shall I weep in the fifth month and abstain, as I have done these many years?’”
(Zech 7:1–3).
The seventh chapter of Zechariah functions for that book much like the Sermon on the Mount does for Matthew. The people of Bethel wanted to discuss ritual, but God wanted to address relationship. With the exile over and the temple being rebuilt, they wondered whether it was still necessary to continue fasting over the destruction of the first temple and the murder of Gedaliah.
Rather than answering their question directly, God turns to the deeper issue of the heart. He is far more concerned with the motivation behind religious actions than with the actions themselves. “When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted?”
(Zech 7:5).
Herein lies a serious danger for God’s people today. We may easily hide behind good works, but God sees past religious appearances and examines the motivation of the heart. In the Sermon on the Mount, Yeshua identifies doing good deeds for the wrong reason as hypocrisy
(see Matt 6:2, 5, 16; 7:5).
When our actions are done for the glory of God, however, even ordinary things like eating, drinking, or giving someone a cold cup of water (Mark 9:41) become acts of worship that please Him (see 1 Cor 13:1–3). And since only God can see the heart, hypocrisy is not something we should hunt for in others. Instead, we should ask God to expose it in our own religiosity, which may impress people but fail to honor Him.
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”
(1 Cor 10:31).
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).
Purity is freedom from anything that contaminates. Purity is the quality of being faultless, uncompromised, or unadulterated. Pure water is free from any other substances. Pure gold has been refined to such a degree that all dross has been removed. And a pure life is one in which sin no longer determines the choices one makes.
Purity is important to God, who alone is truly pure. Purity is often used in Scripture as a means to communicate holiness or perfection. When Moses was building the tabernacle, God specified that the lampstand and other items inside the Holy Place be made “of pure gold” (Exodus 25:31; cf. 37:2, 16). The oil used in the tabernacle was to be pure, as was the frankincense (Leviticus 24:2, 7). The Lord has “pure” eyes (Habakkuk 1:13) and speaks “pure” words (Psalm 12:6). The New Jerusalem is described as a “city of pure gold, as pure as glass” (Revelation 21:18).
When God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1 — 2), everything was pure. There was no death, decay, pollution, or sin. God creates pure things because He is pure. In Him, there is no confusion, contradiction, or compromise. Everything He does is good (Psalm 18:30; 145:17). He created human beings to reflect His image and to live in pure, unbroken communion with Him (Genesis 1:27). However, sin is the corruptor of purity (Psalm 14:3). Impurity is often listed as one factor that will keep us away from the presence of God (Colossians 3:5–6; Galatians 5:19–21; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10). Impurity renders a person or a nation unfit for entrance into God’s presence (Joshua 3:5; Revelation 21:27; Ephesians 5:5; James 4:8). In order to have fellowship with a holy God, we must reclaim the purity that He originally intended for us: “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” (Psalm 24:3–4).
In the Old Testament, people reclaimed purity by sacrificing animals in the way God specified. God had declared that He would purify them (Leviticus 22:32) if they kept all His commands (Leviticus 22:31), His Sabbaths (Leviticus 26:2), and His sacrifices (Exodus 8:27). Repentance and faith in a coming Savior, as shown in their obedience to the Law, were sufficient for God to pronounce people righteous. In the New Testament, purity is reclaimed by placing our faith in the perfect sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3–7). We cannot be pure enough on our own to see God (Romans 3:23). We must have Christ’s righteousness credited to our accounts (2 Corinthians 5:21). That’s what it means to be a Christian.
The term purity is often used today in relation to sexuality. Sexual purity is freedom from immorality or perversion. Girls sometimes wear purity rings to indicate their commitment to saving sex for marriage. Purity is closely related to holiness, and those who walk in holiness will keep themselves sexually pure: abstinent before marriage and monogamous within marriage.
When we have been born again through faith in Jesus (John 3:3), we desire to live in purity (1 Peter 1:15–16). That purity is not limited to our sexuality, although that is important (Ephesians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 6:18). God desires that we live purely in all our dealings with others (Ezekiel 45:10; Luke 6:31). Purity should define our thought life (2 Corinthians 10:5), our words (Ephesians 4:29), and our actions (1 Corinthians 10:31). Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). When our hearts are clouded with impurities, we cannot experience God’s presence or hear His voice. But when our claim to righteousness is based on what Jesus has done (Titus 3:5), we will strive to forsake sin (1 John 3:9) and live in purity of heart, enjoying fellowship with the God of purity.
holy purity is freedom from contamination, representing a life set apart from sin and dedicated to God. It is an internal state, not just outward appearance, requiring believers to cleanse their hearts through Christ to reflect God's holiness. Purity impacts thoughts, morality, and sexual conduct. [1, 2, 3]
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.
"irreverent" questions—or a general lack of respect for God and sacred things—are often seen as rooted in pride, self-deception, or a misunderstanding of God's holiness.
To trespass is to go beyond one’s right by violating a boundary or a law. When we trespass on someone’s property, we violate the physical boundaries they have in place. In a similar way, we trespass when we violate God’s moral law or the rights of other people. Ephesians 2:1 shows how serious it is to trespass against God’s commands: “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.” The words trespass and sin can be used interchangeably, and it is possible that Paul uses both terms here for emphasis’ sake or to refer to all sorts of sins. It could also be that the thought in Ephesians 2:1 is that, while all are guilty of inherited sin through Adam (Romans 5:12), we are also guilty of individual trespasses against God’s law. However we interpret it, Scripture says we are all trespassers.
The Greek word most often translated “trespass” in the New Testament literally means “a false step.” It implies a falling away after being close beside. It is a tripping up, a deviation of course, a stumble away from the truth, or a falling over of some kind. Trespasses can be intentional or non-intentional. The trespass offering (or guilt offering) in the Old Testament was offered by those who realized they had inadvertently committed a sin against the sanctified items of the tabernacle (Leviticus 5).
“We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). We all trespass. A husband can trespass against his wife by dealing harshly with her, causing her to pull away (Colossians 3:19). A friend can trespass against another friend by breaking a trust or betraying a confidence (Proverbs 18:19). Trespasses have a way of catching us as if in a trap (Galatians 6:1).
Jesus taught us how to deal with trespasses and offenses in Matthew 18:15–17. He also taught that we are to forgive those who trespass against us so that our Father will forgive us (Matthew 6:12; 18:23–35).
We all trespass against God because we are all sinful (Romans 3:23). God posted His “No Trespassing” signs, and we violated His boundaries. But God is willing to forgive our trespasses when we confess them to Him and place our faith in Christ (1 John 1:9; Acts 3:19). Jesus took our trespasses upon Himself on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). His death and resurrection removed the barrier that our trespasses and sins created between us and God (Colossians 2:14). When we repent of our sin and receive Christ by faith, His blood cancels our trespasses, and God pronounces us righteous.
What Constitutes Irreverence?
- Definition: Irreverence is the lack of proper awe, respect, or wonder for God.
- Biblical Examples: Examples include Nadab and Abihu offering "unauthorized fire" (Leviticus 10:1), and Belshazzar misusing temple goblets.
- Modern Context: It is seen as a "Jesus-is-my-buddy" attitude that ignores God's sovereign power.
- Speech: Using terms like "OMG" or "geez" can be considered irreverent if they are used to diminish or make light of God’s name, though some people use them without such intent.
The Consequences of Irreverence
- Judgment: Scripture often highlights that ignoring God's holiness brings judgment.
- Hardened Heart: Persistent irreverence can cut people off from knowing God's grace and lead to spiritual decline.
- Proverbs 9:10: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," suggesting that a lack of reverence is the beginning of folly.
A Different View: "Healthy" Irreverence
- Prophetic Role: Some viewpoints suggest a form of "healthy irreverence" can act as satire, mocking false religiosity and challenging traditions, similar to how Jesus confronted religious leaders.
- Authenticity: Some argue that questioning and, at times, irreverent questioning, can lead to a more genuine faith by avoiding blind obedience
Key Aspects of Holy Purity
- Definition: Purity means being unadulterated, faultless, and sincere—free from anything that pollutes. It is essentially being "set apart" (holy) for God's purposes.
- Source of Purity: Humans cannot purify their own hearts. It is accomplished by Jesus' shed blood (1 John 1:7) and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
- Internal vs. External: True purity is internal (heart/mind) and flows outward. Following man-made rules without internal transformation is not true purity.
- Sexual Purity: The Bible emphasizes maintaining sexual purity within the bounds of marriage. It is considered a way to honor God and respect the body.
- Cultivating Purity: Believers maintain purity by "guarding their way" with the Word of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ, and walking in the Spirit.
- Why is purity important? Purity is important because God is pure (1 Peter 1:15-16), and it is required for fellowship with Him.
- What if I have failed? The gospel offers cleansing for impurities. 1 John 1:9 states that if we confess our sins, He is faithful to purify us from all unrighteousness, offering healing and restoration.
- Are purity rings necessary? Purity rings are not required, but can be a personal, symbolic commitment to abstinence if done with a sincere heart to honor God.
The word fornication comes from the Greek term porneia (from which we get our English word pornography) and is often linked with adultery in the Bible. It is a general term for sexual immorality. Fornication includes adultery, which is the act of a married person engaging in sexual intercourse with someone other than his or her spouse. But fornication also involves engaging in any kind of sexual relations before marriage or between two people who are not married. For instance, in the King James Version of 1 Corinthians 5:1, fornication is used twice to describe a sexual sin that was being tolerated by the church: a man was sleeping with his father’s wife.
In a list of horrendous sins in Romans 1:29, the apostle Paul includes fornication, referring to all kinds of sexual immorality. Jesus mentions fornication in a list of corrupting sins that come from within a person’s heart: “For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality [fornication], theft, lying, and slander” (Matthew 15:19, NLT; see also Mark 7:21).
The sin of fornication violates the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14), which was intended to safeguard the integrity of the family and the marriage union. God designed sex for marriage, and marriage to be a holy, prized, and honored institution. The Bible calls husbands and wives to keep themselves exclusively for one another or face God’s judgment: “Marriage is to be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers” (Hebrews 13:4, CSB). Condemnation of sexual immorality is unanimous in Scripture. Those who persistently indulge in fornication will not inherit the kingdom of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9).
Abstaining from fornication was one of four conditions required of the Gentiles to be accepted into the early church by the Jerusalem conference: “Abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well” (Acts 15:29, KJV).
The Bible instructs believers to run from every kind of sexual sin, including fornication: “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people” (Ephesians 5:3, NLT; see also 1 Corinthians 7:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3).
According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:18, sexual sin is unique in that it is a sin against one’s own body. This idea is linked to the teaching established in the previous verses—that believers are members of the body of Christ (verses 12–17). An immoral sexual union violates the believer’s mystical “one flesh” union with Jesus Christ (verse 15). We don’t have the right to use our bodies any way we wish because we belong to the Lord. Fornication runs contrary to our new nature and identity as members of Jesus Christ’s body. Paul goes on to explain that a Christian’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, a holy place that belongs to Jesus Christ (verse 19). We have been redeemed by God for good and righteous works and not for sin (Ephesians 2:10).
In both the Old and New Testaments, Scripture uses fornication in a figurative sense to describe the corruption of God’s people with the sin of idolatry and unfaithfulness. Both Israel and the church are depicted as the Lord’s wife, or the Bride of Christ. When God’s people engage in idolatry and unfaithfulness, He calls this sin “fornication” (Jeremiah 2:20–36; Ezekiel 16:15–43; Revelation 2:14, 20–22; 17:1–18; 18:2–9).
Paul tells the Corinthians to “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 saying that sexual immorality is sin against one’s own body, Paul may have been referencing a common belief among the Greeks of that day that the physical body was not important. In fact, many believed the body to be evil and often described it as a tomb or a weight the soul was forced to carry around. This idea led some in the Corinthian church to take Christian liberty beyond what is appropriate. Why does sexual immorality matter—it’s just a physical act that only involves the body, right? Paul says, “Wrong.”
As Paul confronts the issue of sexual immorality, he builds an argument beginning in 1 Corinthians 6:12. He first establishes the idea that the legality of something is not the only concern. One should ask not just, “Is this permissible for me?” but, “Is this beneficial to myself and others?” Another question is “will this liberty eventually master me, leading to a place of bondage and addiction?”
Paul then addresses the Corinthians’ view of the body in 1 Corinthians 6:13. His readers tended to say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”; that is, “I have an appetite, and it’s not wrong to satisfy it.” Paul responds by saying that both the appetite and the food will be destroyed one day. He then contrasts this to sexual immorality. The body was not designed for immorality in the same way that the stomach was designed for food. Sex is more than a desire to be satisfied; food does not defile a person, but immorality does.
Paul goes on to argue against sexual immorality by pointing to the resurrection. The body will be raised in the same power that “raised the Lord from the dead” (1 Corinthians 6:14). Thus, the body is important, and God still has a plan for the body. It is not an evil that the soul is trapped in, but it is part of the makeup of mankind that God intends to redeem. Both the body and soul will be preserved immortal. So, even if sexual immorality involved only the body, the body is important and intended to glorify the Lord.
Beyond this, the Christian’s body is united to Christ through a spiritual union (1 Corinthians 6:15). What Christians do with their bodies impacts Christ. As the believer is united with Christ, a Christian committing sexual immorality (specifically, in this context, having sex with a prostitute) unites the body of Christ with a prostitute. Paul reacts to this in the most negative way possible in the Greek language, translated, “May it never be!” (1 Corinthians 6:15).
Because of the nature of sexual immorality being against the body, Paul implores the Corinthians to “flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Sexual immorality is the only sin that unites two people in one flesh (verse 16). It is a sin that corrupts and ensnares like no other, and it often leads to physical diseases. For these reasons, Paul concludes that sexual immorality is a sin committed against one’s own body.
The body is the Lord’s and should be used for His glory. Sexual immorality is of particular importance because it is sinning against one’s own body. The believer’s body has been bought by the Lord at a high price and should be treated that way, so flee sexual immorality. Joseph provides a good example of what fleeing sexual immorality looks like (Genesis 39:12).
The word translated “fornication” has the same idea in both the Hebrew and the Greek. The Greek word is porneia, from which we get the English words porno and pornography. The word in Scripture refers to any illicit sexual activity, and this would have to include the abhorrent acts of a pedophile—including the gathering and trading of obscene or indecent pictures of young children. People who use this type of pornography usually graduate from looking to actually doing, bringing great harm to children. Fornication is among the “lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16–21) and among the evil things that come from the heart of a man apart from God (Mark 7:21–23).
Pedophiles share the characteristic of being “without natural affection” (Romans 1:31; 2 Timothy 3:2). The phrase “without natural affection” is translated from one Greek word, which means “inhuman, unloving, and unsociable.” One without natural affection acts in ways that are against the social norm. This would certainly describe a pedophile.
In addition, there is a principle found in Jesus’ words about children. Jesus used a child to teach His disciples that childlike faith is necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. At the same time, He said that the Father has concern for all of His “little ones” (Matthew 18:1–14). In that passage, Jesus says, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6, KJV). The word offend in the Greek means “to cause one to stumble, to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, to entice to sin, or to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey.”
These definitions of the word offend can easily be applied to the actions of a pedophile. Of course, the principle of not harming a child can be applied to a wide range of child-abusive actions, and Matthew 18:10 makes the case against anyone who would bring any type of harm to a child.
Ephesians 5:25–33 contains vital instructions for husbands in their relationship with their wives. Verse 25 gives the basic command: “Husbands, love your wives.” In case anyone wonders, the Greek word for “love” here is a form of agape. Husbands are to love their wives with God’s kind of love—selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. For a husband to love his wife, he must truly desire what is best for her, and he must work for that best, regardless of the cost to himself.
The standard by which husbands are to love their wives is stated outright, and it’s a high standard, indeed: “Just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). The love of Christ took Him to the cross; the love of a husband for his wife will involve a similar giving of himself, even if the end result is not as bloody. Such is the nature of true love that it is willing to sacrifice for the loved one. Such is the nature of marriage that God intends husbands to sacrifice for their wives.
The goal of husbands loving their wives is also addressed. Christ’s goal for the church (His “bride”) is “to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:26–27). Husbands cannot sanctify their wives exactly like Christ sanctifies the church, but they can set the spiritual goal of their wives being all that Christ wants them to be. Then husbands can, in love, work toward helping their wives achieve that goal of Christlikeness. Husbands who love their wives remember that they are “fellow heir[s] of the grace of life” (1 Peter 3:7, NASB).
The Bible also gives husbands a practical way to gauge the authenticity of their love for their wives: are they caring for their wives’ needs in a way comparable to how they care for themselves? “Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church” (Ephesians 5:28–29). The “one-flesh” principle comes into play here. Selfishness has no place in a marriage. And, ironically, as a husband meets the needs of his wife, he will find that he himself reaps the benefits. Note, too, that the standard for husbands’ love of their wives comes back to Christ’s love of the church.
The remainder of the passage in Ephesians 5 deals with the principle of leave and cleave (verse 31) and emphasizes once again the connection between the marriage relationship and the relationship of Christ and His church (verse 32).
Too often, husbands look earlier in Ephesians 5 and latch on to verse 22: “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.” Husbands sometimes take it upon themselves to make sure their wives submit to their authority. However, verse 22 was not written to husbands. It is specifically addressing wives. Husbands are never told to enforce their wives’ submission. Rather, husbands are told to love their wives (verse 25). Verses 25 through 32 are for husbands, and that is what they should focus on.
What is a husband’s responsibility? To love his wife. Without selfishness, without reservation, and without condition. Love her as Christ loved the church unto death (see John 13:1). Love her, seek her best good, sacrifice for her benefit, give yourself to her wholeheartedly, and, when that’s all done, love her some more.
Instructing the Christians in Corinth to flee from sexual immorality, the apostle Paul exhorted, “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). Indeed, God the Father created our bodies, God the Son redeemed them, and God the Holy Spirit indwells them. This makes our body the very temple of the Holy Spirit of God.
Those who do not belong to Christ do not have the Spirit of Christ residing in them (Romans 8:9). Thus, their bodies are not a temple of the Holy Spirit. Clearly, then, the greatest thing we can do for our bodies is to make them into a temple for God’s Spirit. And we do this by placing our trust and faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. The moment we do this, the indwelling of God’s Spirit takes place (1 Corinthians 12:13). Our salvation is then sealed and guaranteed (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit will then be with us forever (John 14:16), given by God as His pledge of the believer’s future inheritance in glory (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).
As the Holy Spirit resides in us, therefore, we are to honor God with our bodies as they “are not [our] own,” as Paul said. We have indeed been bought with a price. And it was not gold or silver or other perishable things by which we were redeemed; it was with the precious, unblemished blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). Ordained by God before the foundation of the world (Acts 2:23), Christ’s blood purchased us out of the slavery of sin and set us free forever. And as Christian’s bodies are God’s temple, we are to use them to glorify God.
If God meant simply to convey the idea that the Spirit lives within the believer, He could well have used words such as “home,” “house,” or “residence.” But by choosing the word “temple” to describe the Spirit’s dwelling, He conveys the idea that our bodies are the shrine, or the sacred place, in which the Spirit not only lives, but is worshiped, revered, and honored. Therefore, how we behave, think and speak, and what we let into the temple through our eyes and ears becomes critically important as well, for every thought, word and deed is in His view. Even though He will never leave us, it is entirely possible to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4: 30). Instructing the Ephesians to not grieve the Spirit, Paul told them to “get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32). When we live by the Spirit, we will no longer gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16).
The unpardonable/unforgivable sin or “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” is mentioned in Mark 3:22–30 and Matthew 12:22–32. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter” (Mark 3:28), but then He gives one exception: “Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin” (verse 29).
According to Jesus, the unpardonable or unforgivable sin is unique. It is the one iniquity that will never be forgiven (“never” is the meaning of “either in this age or in the age to come” in Matthew 12:32). The unforgivable sin is blasphemy (“defiant irreverence”) of the Holy Spirit in the context of the Spirit’s work in the world through Christ. In other words, the particular case of blasphemy seen in Matthew 12 and Mark 3 is unique. The guilty party, a group of Pharisees, had witnessed irrefutable evidence that Jesus was working miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit, yet they claimed that He was possessed by the prince of demons, Beelzebul (Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:30).
The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day committed the unpardonable sin by accusing Jesus Christ (in person, on earth) of being demon-possessed. They had no excuse for such an action. They were not speaking out of ignorance or misunderstanding. The Pharisees knew that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God to save Israel. They knew the prophecies were being fulfilled. They saw Jesus’ wonderful works, and they heard His clear presentation of truth. Yet they deliberately chose to deny the truth and slander the Holy Spirit. Standing before the Light of the World, bathed in His glory, they defiantly closed their eyes and became willfully blind. Jesus pronounced that sin to be unforgivable.
The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, specific as it was to the Pharisees’ situation, cannot be duplicated today. Jesus Christ is not on earth, and no one can personally see Jesus perform a miracle and then attribute that power to Satan instead of the Spirit. The only unpardonable sin today is that of continued unbelief. There is no pardon for a person who dies in his rejection of Christ. The Holy Spirit is at work in the world, convicting the unsaved of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). If a person resists that conviction and remains unrepentant, then he is choosing hell over heaven. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6), and the object of faith is Jesus (Acts 16:31). There is no forgiveness for someone who dies without faith in Christ.
God has provided for our salvation in His Son (John 3:16). Forgiveness is found exclusively in Jesus (John 14:6). To reject the only Savior is to be left with no means of salvation; to reject the only pardon is, obviously, unpardonable.
Many people fear they have committed some sin that God cannot or will not forgive, and they feel there is no hope for them, no matter what they do. Satan would like nothing more than to keep people laboring under that misconception. God gives encouragement to the sinner who is convicted of his sin: “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8). “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5:20). And the testimony of Paul is proof positive that God can and will save anyone who comes to Him in faith (1 Timothy 1:12–17). If you are suffering under a load of guilt today, rest assured that you have not committed the unpardonable sin. God is waiting with open arms. Jesus’ promise is that “he is able to save completely those who come to God through him” (Hebrews 7:25). Our Lord will never fail. “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).
Revelation 4:10–11 describes a scene in heaven: “The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and . . . lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power.’” The words translated “glory” and “honor” are closely related and often used interchangeably in the Bible. But there is a subtle difference between them. The word most often translated “glory” means “something that has inherent, intrinsic worth” while the word translated “honor” means “perceived value; to render or esteem glorious.”
Glory is a quality inherent in the one being glorified. Glory can be thought of as a mirror that accurately reflects what is there. When we accurately reflect the character of God, we glorify Him. To glorify God is to honor Him for who He really is. God has glory because He is infinitely valuable. Human beings have glory because we are created in the image of the One who is all-glorious (Genesis 1:27). We glorify God when we demonstrate through word or action His glorious character or deeds. Modeling the character of Jesus is a way to glorify God, because we are showcasing His attributes. When we glorify God, we bring Him honor.
Honor originates in our hearts and refers to the value we personally place on something or someone. Collectors hold certain items in higher esteem than non-collectors do. What others overlook may be highly valued by someone else and therefore honored. We honor other people to the degree that we consider their position and contributions significant. We are commanded to honor people because of their position, not necessarily their performance. We are commanded to honor our fathers and mothers (Deuteronomy 5:16; Mark 7:10), the elderly (Leviticus 19:32), and those who rule over us (1 Peter 2:17). When we honor God, we are demonstrating the high regard we have for Him. We are reflecting His glory back as praise and worship.
The Bible shows many ways to honor and glorify God. We show Him high regard and reflect His character by being sexually pure (1 Corinthians 6:18–20), by giving of our income (Proverbs 3:9), and by living lives devoted to Him (Romans 14:8). It is not enough to merely honor Him outwardly. God desires honor that comes from our hearts. “The Lord says, ‘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). When we delight in the Lord (Psalm 37:4), seek Him in everything we do (1 Chronicles 16:11; Isaiah 55:6), and make choices that reflect the place He has in our hearts, we bring Him the greatest honor.
Jesus also referred to one sin being a “greater” sin (although not the “greatest”) in John 19:11. Speaking to Pontius Pilate, He said that the one who had handed Him over to Pilate was guilty of the “greater sin.” He meant that the guilt of the person who delivered Him to Pilate, whether Judas or Caiaphas, was greater than Pilate’s because of the deliberate and cold act of handing Jesus over after seeing the overwhelming evidence of His miracles and teaching, all pointing unmistakably to Him as the Messiah and the Son of God. That sin was greater than that of those who were ignorant of Him. This could indicate that those who have been given knowledge of Jesus as the Son of God and still reject Him would be subject to a greater punishment than those who remain ignorant of Him: "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains” (John 9:41).
These incidents, however, do not prove that one sin is the “greatest sin” of all. Proverbs 6:16–19 is a catalog of the seven sins God hates and are detestable to Him: “Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” But none of the seven are identified as a greater sin than any of the others, and none are identified as the greatest sin.
Although the Bible doesn’t name any one sin as the greatest sin, it does refer to the unpardonable sin, which is the sin of unbelief. There is no pardon for a person who dies in unbelief. The Bible is clear that, in His love for mankind, God provided the means of eternal salvation—Jesus Christ and His death on the cross—for “whoever believes in Him” (John 3:16). The only condition under which forgiveness would not be granted concerns those who reject the only means of salvation. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), making it clear that He and He alone is the path to God and salvation. To reject the only means of salvation is unpardonable and, in that sense, is the greatest sin of all.
The key to understanding this commandment is in the definition of the word “covet.” Two different Hebrew words are used in the passages condemning coveting (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21), and both mean “to lust after or to long for with great desire.” Since the commandments are given as “you shall not’s,” the desire in this case is for something that is not the property of the desirer and not rightfully his to long after. In this commandment, the Israelites are told not to lust after their neighbor’s possessions—his house, land, ox or donkey, or the people in his life—his wife or servants, both male and female. The Israelites were not to desire, long for, or set their hearts on anything that belonged to anyone else.
Whereas several of the commandments prohibit certain actions, such as murder and theft, this is one of the commandments that address the inner person, his heart and mind. As James 1:15 tells us, the inner person is where sin originates, and in this case, covetousness is the forerunner of all manner of sin, among them theft, burglary, and embezzlement. At its root, coveting is the result of envy, a sin which, once it takes root in the heart, leads to worse sins. Jesus reiterated this very thought in the Sermon on the Mount when He said that lust in the heart is every bit as sinful as committing adultery (Matthew 5:28). Envy goes beyond casting a longing glance at the neighbor’s new car. Once dwelled upon, envy of the neighbor’s possessions can turn to feelings of resentment and hatred for the neighbor himself. That can turn into resentment against God and questioning Him: “Why can’t I have what he has, Lord? Don’t you love me enough to give me what I want?”
God’s reasons for condemning covetousness are good ones. At its very core, envy is love of self. Envious, selfish citizens are unhappy and discontented citizens. A society built of such people is a weak one because envious malcontents, as stated before, will be more likely to commit crimes against one another, further weakening the societal structure. Furthermore, the New Testament identifies covetousness as a form of idolatry, a sin which God detests (Colossians 3:5). In the end, envy and covetousness are Satan’s tools to distract us from pursuing the only thing that will ever make us happy and content—God Himself. God’s Word tells us that “godliness with contentment is great gain” and that we should be content with the basic necessities of life (1 Timothy 6:6-8), because true happiness is not attained by things, but by a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. By this alone do we gain that which is worthy, true, solid, satisfying, and durable—the unsearchable riches of God’s grace.
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.
When Jesus cleared the temple of the moneychangers and animal-sellers, He showed great emotion and anger (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; John 2:13-22). Jesus’ emotion was described as “zeal” for God’s house (John 2:17). His anger was pure and completely justified because at its root was concern for God’s holiness and worship. Because these were at stake, Jesus took quick and decisive action. Another time Jesus showed anger was in the synagogue of Capernaum. When the Pharisees refused to answer Jesus’ questions, “He looked around at them in anger, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts” (Mark 3:5).
Many times, we think of anger as a selfish, destructive emotion that we should eradicate from our lives altogether. However, the fact that Jesus did sometimes become angry indicates that anger itself, as an emotion, is amoral. This is borne out elsewhere in the New Testament. Ephesians 4:26 instructs us “in your anger do not sin” and not to let the sun go down on our anger. The command is not to “avoid anger” (or suppress it or ignore it) but to deal with it properly, in a timely manner. We note the following facts about Jesus’ displays of anger:
1) His anger had the proper motivation. In other words, He was angry for the right reasons. Jesus’ anger did not arise from petty arguments or personal slights against Him. There was no selfishness involved.
2) His anger had the proper focus. He was not angry at God or at the “weaknesses” of others. His anger targeted sinful behavior and true injustice.
3) His anger had the proper supplement. Mark 3:5 says that His anger was attended by grief over the Pharisees’ lack of faith. Jesus’ anger stemmed from love for the Pharisees and concern for their spiritual condition. It had nothing to do with hatred or ill will.
4) His anger had the proper control. Jesus was never out of control, even in His wrath. The temple leaders did not like His cleansing of the temple (Luke 19:47), but He had done nothing sinful. He controlled His emotions; His emotions did not control Him.
5) His anger had the proper duration. He did not allow His anger to turn into bitterness; He did not hold grudges. He dealt with each situation properly, and He handled anger in good time.
6) His anger had the proper result. Jesus’ anger had the inevitable consequence of godly action. Jesus’ anger, as with all His emotions, was held in check by the Word of God; thus, Jesus’ response was always to accomplish God’s will.
When we get angry, too often we have improper control or an improper focus. We fail in one or more of the above points. This is the wrath of man, of which we are told “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:19-20). Jesus did not exhibit man’s anger, but the righteous indignation of God.
The apostle Paul wrote a warning for the church: “The time will come when men 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” (2 Timothy 4:3).
The Greek word translated “itching” literally means “to itch, rub, scratch, or tickle.” To want one’s ears “tickled” is to desire massages rather than messages—sermons that charm rather than challenge, entertain rather than edify, and please rather than preach. The people Paul warns about will have, as one commentator put it, “ears which have to be continually titillated with novelties.”
“Itching ears” is a figure of speech that refers to people’s desires, felt needs, or wants. It is these desires that impel a person to believe whatever he wants to believe rather than the actual truth itself. When people have “itching ears,” they decide for themselves what is right or wrong, and they seek out others to support their notions. “Itching ears” are concerned with what feels good or comfortable, not with the truth—after all, truth is often uncomfortable. Paul’s warning is that the church would one day contain those who only opened their ears to those who would scratch their “itch.”
Those with “itching ears” only want teachers who will assure them that all is well, teachers who say, “Peace, peace . . . when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). Where there is a demand for something, the suppliers are not far away. Paul says that not only will there be great demand for watered-down, personalized messages, but there will be “a great number of teachers” willing to provide such pap and steer people away from “sound doctrine.”
Evidence today of people having “itching ears” includes the popularity of messages that people are not required to change, as if repentance were outmoded; that people are basically good; that God is too loving to judge anyone; that the cross, with all its blood, is not really necessary; and that God wants His children to be healthy, wealthy, and content in this world. As people turn their backs on the truth about sin and condemnation, they disregard their need for repentance and forgiveness. And a craving for “new” and “fresher” ideas grows—even though there is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9–10)—accompanied by a longing to feel good about who they are and where they’re going. Messages that tickle ears can fill a lot of churches, sell a lot of books, and buy a lot of time on cable tv.
Some of the early followers of Jesus complained about some of the Lord’s words: “Many of his disciples said, ʻThis is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’ . . . From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:60, 66). Walking away from hard truth is easy to do.
The church’s remedy for those who have “itching ears” is found in the same passage of 2 Timothy: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2). It is a solemn charge, made “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” (verse 1). And it contains all the elements needed to combat the temptation to tickle ears: preach, correct, rebuke, and encourage. The content of preaching must be the written Word of God, and it must be preached when convenient and when inconvenient. This takes “great patience and careful instruction,” but sound doctrine is worth it.
The church’s quest to manage the comfort level of its audience must never take priority over preaching the Word. The fear of offending people’s sensibilities can never supersede the fear of offending God. Rather, the church should follow the example of the apostles: “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2).
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).
The term double-minded comes from the Greek word dipsuchos, meaning “a person with two minds or souls.” It’s interesting that this word appears only in the book of James (James 1:8; 4:8). Bible scholars conclude that James might have coined this word. To grasp the full meaning of this word, it is best to understand how it is used within its context.
James writes of the doubting person that he is “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does” (James 1:6–8). A doubter is a double-minded person. Jesus had in mind such a person when He spoke of the one who tries to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). Such a man is “unstable,” which comes from a Greek word meaning “unsteady, wavering, in both his character and feelings.”
A double-minded person is restless and confused in his thoughts, his actions, and his behavior. Such a person is always in conflict with himself. One torn by such inner conflict can never lean with confidence on God and His gracious promises. Correspondingly, the term unstable is analogous to a drunken man unable to walk a straight line, swaying one way, then another. He has no defined direction and as a result doesn’t get anywhere. Such a person is “unstable in all he does.”
Those who are double-minded do not have the faith spoken of in Hebrews 11:1, 3: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. . . . By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” We cannot be both “certain” and doubting, as is the double-minded person. One part of his mind is sure of something, while the other part doubts.
Jesus declared, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24). God and the things of this world are of such opposite natures that it is impossible to love either one completely without hating the other. Those who try to love both will become unstable in all their ways. If someone struggles with being double-minded, he or she should read, study, and memorize the Word, for it is the Word of God that produces faith (Romans 10:17). And he or she should pray for faith. God freely gives what is good to those who ask Him (Luke 11:9–12), and it’s good to ask for an increase of faith (Luke 17:5; Mark 9:24).
Paul says, the “falling away” or “apostasy” (NASB) would come before the day of the Lord. Many have understood from this statement that before Christ returns many people will reject the faith and rebel against God.
Paul uses the Greek word apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, so “apostasy” is a good, literal translation. The Greek word means “to be apart from or to stand apart from.” Paul uses the same word in 1 Timothy 4 when he explains that in the last days people will stand apart from (or fall away from) the faith and follow various kinds of falsehood (1 Timothy 4:1–3). So, there will be a standing apart from the faith or a great falling away before Christ returns. Wickedness will grow worse and worse (2 Timothy 3:13). This might be what Paul is referring to in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. On the other hand, Paul could be referring to the departure of the church (the rapture). Paul reiterates that the apostasia would come before the day of the Lord, and he could be referencing the church standing apart from or departing before the judgment falls.
In 1 Thessalonians 4 Paul had described the event of the church’s meeting Christ in the clouds; then Paul explained that the day of the Lord would come upon those slated for destruction (“them”) but not upon believers (1 Thessalonians 5:3), because believers were not destined for wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Then in 2 Thessalonians he says a standing apart or away from will take place before the day of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Some commentators take the view that the “falling away” is simply a “departure” of the church from the world.
The semantic range of the word apostasia can allow for either type of departure: doctrinal or physical. The great falling away before Christ returns could be a reference to the wickedness of mankind or to the physical removal of believers before the day of the Lord.
Nehemiah 13:25
Nehemiah did not just have questions about beards—he took physical action by pulling out the hair of men who had married foreign women.
Here is the context behind this event:
- The Action: Upon returning to Jerusalem, Nehemiah found that Jewish men had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. In his anger, he "contended with them, cursed them, struck some of them, and pulled out their hair" (often interpreted as pulling out their beards).
- The Reason: This was not a random act of violence, but a sign of intense distress and righteous anger. Pulling out hair/beard was a symbolic act of shame and mourning in the ancient Near East, signaling that the men had brought disgrace upon themselves and the community by violating God’s covenant against intermarriage.
- Context: Nehemiah was desperate to stop the assimilation that threatened the survival of the Jewish people and their religious identity.
While the act of plucking hair
was a specific,
intense moment in Nehemiah,
related discussions about beards
in the Bible include:
- Priestly Laws: Priests were forbidden to trim their beards (Leviticus 21:5).
- General Law: Israelite men were told not to "mar the corners" of their beards (Leviticus 19:27), often understood as a prohibition against certain pagan mourning rituals.
- Symbolism: Beards generally represented maturity, wisdom, and masculinity in Hebrew culture.
Nehemiah's actions in Chapter 13 represent a leader taking drastic measures to enforce strict religious and cultural separation.
Serving Those on the Front Lines
ONE FOR ISRAEL
ONE FOR ISRAEL has been working to bring aid to those on the front lines in Israel, whether its civilians who have taken the brunt of attacks on the border with Gaza and now in the north near Hezbollah, or the soldiers sent to serve over the borders to keep Israel safe.
Whether soldiers or civilians, living on the front lines under life-threatening conditions is extremely challenging both mentally, emotionally, and practically.
Orit Kashtan has been coordinating the complicated logistics of getting help where it is most needed, thanks to generous gifts from our partners at ONE FOR ISRAEL. We have provided all sorts of equipment for army units: warm clothing, camping mattresses, and even watches for when they have to go days without a phone. We have also sent help in the form of food, funding and encouragement to families whose lives have been changed forever.
Almost quarter of a million people have been displaced, many homes and businesses destroyed, and countless Israelis have been traumatized by the constant barrages of missiles and sirens, living in and out of bomb shelters. Schools have been closed and children are stuck at home presenting a serious challenge for working parents.
Israel has been very much in need of encouragement and care.
Flowers on the front linesIn addition to the more obvious forms of aid, Orit has also been creative in finding ways to bless and encourage Israelis on the front lines while simultaneously supporting businesses on the brink of bankruptcy. The owners of a plant nursery and flower farm just two meters from Gaza — right on the border — told Orit they were in despair and couldn’t see how their business could survive. Several of their community had been murdered on October 7 and the businesses were slowly dying too without the people living there. Orit decided to act. She organized a mass order of flowers for soldiers to take home to their wives and mothers.
When the soldiers finally came out of Gaza to go home for a break, there were 250 bouquets of flowers waiting for them to take back with them. “ They loved it,” said Orit. “You know, we helped them with winter clothes, with all kinds of things, but this is what they remembered — the flowers,” she said.
The little things that mean so muchLater, on a trip to the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, she got talking to the owner of a mini mart. “He said there are about 200 bomb shelters in Kiryat Shmona and about 40 people in each of them.” Orit also realized that as Israel’s most northern city, right there on the front lines on the Lebanese border, Kiryat Shmona serves all the communities around it making it a great distribution hub for the whole area.
“What do you say — could we give them all boxes of food?” Orit suggested. The shop owner told her that truck drivers were often unwilling to venture up to the border while missiles were falling, and the logistics of the plan were by no means straightforward. There was not much in the way of food on the shelves to purchase, but he assured Orit that he wanted to do it if he could. Let’s give them ice cream, they decided. Everyone is happy with ice cream.
“Just to say, we are thinking about you, we haven’t forgotten you are there,” Orit explained.
She turned to pastor Israel Iluz whose congregation meets in Kiryat Shmona and worked on plan to provide families on the northern border with 300 boxes of ice creams. The ceasefire with Iran provided a welcome reprieve for most of Israel, but those in the very north, near the front lines, were still suffering at the hands of Hezbollah. This would bring a bit of blessing and encouragement — a treat that would bring a smile to the weary.
Please keep us in your prayers --
pray that God would lift up the weary, heal the broken hearted, restore what has been lost, and bring peace to our region.
It seems that every few years, a red heifer (red cow) is born in Israel, and it results in some people thinking that the return of Jesus is near. Why is this? What does a red heifer have to do with the end times? Before we explore that question directly, it is important to understand the significance of a red heifer in the Bible.
To meet the requirements of the Old Testament law, a red heifer was needed to help accomplish the purification of the Israelites from uncleanness—specifically, the ashes of a red heifer were needed (see Numbers 19). Because red heifer ashes were necessary for the purification rites held at the temple, many have regarded the appearance of a red heifer today as heralding the construction of the third temple and the return of Christ.
According to rabbinical tradition, there have been nine red heifers sacrificed since Moses’ time. Since the destruction of the second temple, no red heifers have been slaughtered. The rabbi Maimonides (1135—1204) taught that the tenth red heifer would be sacrificed by the Messiah Himself (Parah Adumah, ch. 3, § 4). The Temple Institute, a group advocating the construction of a third temple, reports that five flawless red heifers from Texas arrived in Israel on September 15, 2022 (https://templeinstitute.org, accessed 9/22/22). Many people view this event as a fulfilment of prophecy, since the acquisition of a red heifer is a major step forward in plans for a new temple.
The Mosaic Law specified that the red heifer was to be “without defect or blemish” and to have never borne a yoke (Numbers 19:2). The sacrifice of the red heifer was unique in the law in that it used a female animal, it was sacrificed away from the entrance to the tabernacle, and it was the only sacrifice in which the color of the animal was specified.
The slaughtering of a red heifer is described in Numbers 19:1–10. Eleazar the priest was to oversee the ritual outside the camp of the Israelites. After the animal was killed, Eleazar was to sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tabernacle seven times (verse 4). Then he left camp again and oversaw the burning of the carcass of the red heifer (verse 5). As the red heifer burned, the priest was to add “some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool” to the fire (verse 6).
The ashes of the red heifer were then collected and stored “in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp.” The ashes were used “in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin” (Numbers 19:9). The law goes on to detail when and how the ashes of the red heifer were used in purifying those who came in contact with a dead body: “Whoever touches a human corpse will be unclean for seven days. They must purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then they will be clean” (verses 11–12). The purification process involved the ashes of the red heifer in this way: “Put some ashes from the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water over them. Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle . . . anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave or anyone who has been killed or anyone who has died a natural death” (verses 17–18).
The commands concerning the red heifer were yet another foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Christ for believers’ sin. The Lord Jesus was “without blemish,” just as the red heifer was to be. As the heifer was sacrificed “outside the camp” (Numbers 19:3), Jesus was crucified outside of Jerusalem (Hebrews 13:11–12). And, just as the ashes of the red heifer cleansed people from the contamination of death, so the sacrifice of Christ saves us from the penalty and corruption of death.
The red heifer ritual as established in the Mosaic Law was fairly simple; in the interval since that time, Judaism has added many standards and extra criteria. Talmudic tradition speaks of the type of rope the red heifer was to be bound with, the direction it was to face when being slaughtered, the words spoken by the priest, the wearing of sandals during the ritual, etc. The rabbinical rules listed many things that would disqualify a red heifer from being sacrificed: if she had been ridden or leaned on, if she had a garment placed over her, if a bird had rested on her, and if she had two black or white hairs, among many other conditions not found in the biblical text.
According to the futurist timeline of eschatology, there will indeed be a third temple of God in Jerusalem. Jesus prophesied a desecration of the temple to occur during the tribulation (Matthew 24:15; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:4); for that to happen, there obviously will need to be a temple. Assuming those who dedicate the end-times temple follow Jewish law, they will need the ashes of a red heifer, mixed with water, for the ceremonial cleansing. If a blemish-free red heifer has truly been found and is in Israel, that could be one more piece falling into place for the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
Must a red heifer be found before the rapture occurs? No, Jesus could return to receive His own at any moment. The rapture is not contingent on the presence of any particular cow. Must a red heifer be found before the temple is rebuilt? Not necessarily, although temple advocates certainly want one for ceremonial purposes. Are animal sacrifices of any type required today? No, Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the law, and His sacrifice provides true forgiveness and life eternal.
Scripture explicitly contrasts the red heifer ceremony with the greater sacrifice of Christ: “The ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:13–14).
The Golden Calf and the Red Heifer (Parah Adumah) are deeply connected in Jewish tradition, representing a relationship between sin and atonement. While the Golden Calf (Exodus 32) represents the sin of idolatry, the Red Heifer (Numbers 19) is a purification ritual used to cleanse the spiritual impurity caused by that sin.
The Golden Calf (The Sin)
- The Incident: Created by the Israelites at Mount Sinai while Moses was receiving the Torah, symbolizing a breakdown in faith and the breaking of the "yoke of heaven".
- Significance: It introduced profound spiritual impurity and death into the world, requiring a special atonement.
The Red Heifer (The Rectification)
- The Ritual: An entirely red, unblemished cow that has never worn a yoke is sacrificed outside the camp, its ashes mixed with water to create a purification potion for those exposed to death (the ultimate impurity).
- The Symbolism: The Midrash states, "Let the mother [the Red Heifer] come and clean up her child's filth [the Golden Calf]".
- "Red" Symbolism: Red acts as a symbol of sin, which the purification process renders white, or pure.
- The Yoke: The heifer must not have worn a yoke, directly reversing the act of breaking the "yoke of heaven".
- Outside the Camp: Just as the sin of the calf caused a breach that alienated the people, the heifer is sacrificed outside the camp to deal with that sin.
- Counter-act: The Golden Calf was a sin of fire (gold poured in), while the Red Heifer is burned to ash, with the red cow's ashes becoming an agent of cleansing.
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. Aaron called the people together and told them that the golden calf was the god who delivered them from Egypt. 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 and calling it by God’s name seemed fairly 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.
An idol
is anything that replaces the
one, true God.
The most prevalent form
of idolatry
in Bible times was the
worship of images
that were thought to embody the
various pagan deities.
From the beginning, God’s covenant with Israel was based on exclusive worship of Him alone (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7). The Israelites were not even to mention the names of false gods (Exodus 23:13) because to do so would acknowledge their existence and give credence to their power and influence over the people. Israel was forbidden to intermarry with other cultures who embraced false gods, because God knew this would lead to compromise. The book of Hosea uses the imagery of adultery to describe Israel’s continual chasing after other gods, like an unfaithful wife chases after other men. The history of Israel is a sad chronicle of idol worship, punishment, restoration and forgiveness, followed by a return to idolatry. The books of 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, and 1 & 2 Chronicles reveal this destructive pattern. The Old Testament prophets endlessly prophesied dire consequences for Israel if they continued in their idolatry. Mostly, they were ignored until it was too late and God’s wrath against idol-worship was poured out on the nation. But ours is a merciful God, and He never failed to forgive and restore them when they repented and sought His forgiveness.
In reality, idols are impotent blocks of stone or wood, and their power exists only in the minds of the worshipers. The idol of the god Dagon was twice knocked to the floor by God to show the Philistines just who was God and who wasn’t (1 Samuel 5:1-5). The “contest” between God and His prophet Elijah and the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel is a dramatic example of the power of the true God and the impotence of false gods (1 Kings 18:19-40). The testimony of Scripture is that God alone is worthy of worship. Idol worship robs God of the glory that is rightfully His, and that is something He will not tolerate (Isaiah 42:8).
Even today there are religions that bow before statues and icons, a practice forbidden by God’s Word. The significance God places upon it is reflected in the fact that the first of the Ten Commandments refers to idolatry: “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me” (Exodus 20:3-5).
Idolatry extends beyond the worship of idols and images and false gods. Our modern idols are many and varied. Even for those who do not bow physically before a statue, idolatry is a matter of the heart—pride, self-centeredness, greed, gluttony, a love for possessions and ultimately rebellion against God.
Is it any wonder that God hates it?
What is the Golden Calf Bible Story About?
In Exodus 32 an odd event took place after the Israelites escaped Egypt.
While the Egyptians were on their heels, God split the Red Sea, and the Israelites passed through safely. Once they made it to the other end unharmed, God drowned the Egyptians in the Red Sea. Then in the desert, as Moses was on Mount Sinai retrieving the 10 Commandments, the Israelites did what we often see in the Old Testament.
They got impatient.
When Moses seemed to take a long time in returning from the mountain, the Israelites turned to Moses’ brother Aaron and asked him to make an idol for them – a physical idol, like the ones they had seen in Egypt. In essence, they’d grown impatient with their God to respond, so they wanted another one fashioned in the meantime so they could worship it.
Aaron obliged them and made a golden calf out of the golden earrings they wore—which likely were the very same treasures the Egyptians gave them after God rescued them out of Egypt (Exodus 12:35).
Why was the chosen symbol a calf? Bull and calfs were a traditional animal sacrifice in that time and symbolized strength and fertility. Many gods in Egypt were fashioned after bulls, so the golden calf was a natural choice for the Israelites coming out of Egypt. The golden calf represented God's power for having delivered the Israelites from Egypt.
By the time Moses descended Mount Sinai, the Israelites had sacrificed to this idol and indulged in revelries.
The situation had gotten out of control.
Consequences of the Golden Calf
Why did the Israelites choose a calf?
One could point to the gods of other nations for some possible inspiration for this.
- The Egyptian god, Hathor, a bull goddess of joy, celebration, and love, could’ve had some sway over the shape this idol took.
- Another Egyptian deity, Apis (a calf) could’ve served as an inspiration.
- One could also point to Canaanite literature’s El (a bull), the chief god or Baal, an ox.
But scholars sometimes disagree with this. In the chapter above, it seems Aaron is throwing the festival in honor of Yahweh (Exodus 32:5), at least initially
.
This article suggests the Israelites, at first, didn’t intend for the calf to replace God, but instead Moses. Either way, the worship which soon followed shows they had a few intentions far beyond just having the golden calf serve in Moses’ place.
Golden calves make an appearance once again when Jeroboam, a contender for the throne of Israel, makes two of them (1 Kings 12:25-33).
In both instances, idol worship of calves ends in massive destruction.
- When Aaron made a calf, the Israelites lose three thousand people.
- Jeroboam, who led the Northern Kingdom, led it in a direction of destruction and a very bad line of kings when the Israelites ultimately were taken over by the Assyrians in 722 BC.
The Deeper Meaning of the
Golden Calf
1. The Israelites took gifts from God and turned them
into an idol.
Whether they intended to replace Moses as a mediator or make an outright idol, they took the gold that came as a gift from Egypt (a gift from God, essentially) and turned it into an abomination.
Although this may seem removed from our current day and age—after all, we don’t worship golden calves on Sundays—how often do Christians take gifts God has bestowed upon us and turn to worship those instead of the Creator Himself?
2. The Israelites got impatient.
They waited for a long time for Moses to return from Mount Sinai with the 10 Commandments. Because God wouldn’t make a move on their schedule, they decided to make their own and force His hand.
Although we have God’s commands in print (our Bibles) we can often get frustrated when He doesn’t seem to move according to our timetable. So we try to force His hand via other means. We might try to pursue certain opportunities or relationships when He has not given us the permission to do so yet.
3. The Israelites tried to justify their reasons for setting up the golden calf.
Later in the passage, when Moses confronted Aaron about why he built the calf, Aaron offered nothing but excuses.
Often, when we worship idols in our lives, we can create our own form of logic for why we are justified in worshipping anything less than God.
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.
Biblical typology, often referred to as "types and shadows," is a method of interpretation where Old Testament people, events, or institutions (the type or shadow) prefigure or foreshadow a greater reality in the New Testament, usually Jesus Christ or the church (the antitype or substance). The concept is rooted in the idea that Old Testament history is purposefully designed by God to act as a "living prophecy" pointing toward future salvation.
Key Aspects of Typology
- Shadow vs. Substance: Old Testament law and rituals are described as a "shadow of the things to come," while the reality belongs to Christ.
- Types vs. Symbols: A type is not merely a symbol; it is a historical reality that actually occurred, later serving as a prophetic pattern.
- Antitype: The antitype is the fulfillment, which is always greater than the type.
Examples of Types and Shadows
- Persons: Adam is a type of Christ as a representative of humanity (Romans 5:14). Joseph is a type of Christ in his betrayal by brothers, suffering, and subsequent exaltation.
- Events: The flood and Noah's ark represent salvation and baptism. The lifting of the bronze serpent in the wilderness foreshadows the crucifixion of Jesus.
- Institutions/Objects: The Levitical priesthood and the Tabernacle are shadows of Christ’s superior, heavenly priesthood. The Passover lamb prefigures Christ as the sacrificial lamb.
Identification and Guidelines
- Scriptural Validation: A true type should generally be identified as such by the New Testament to avoid wild speculation.
- Purpose: The purpose of types is to make the antitype clearer, acting like a training tool for understanding God's plan.
“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, From everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen” (Psa 41:13).
As we begin a devotional journey through the Psalms, it helps to step back and take in the whole landscape. Each individual psalm has its inspired author, but we should also remember that the Holy Spirit guided the shaping of the Psalms as a single, carefully arranged book.
One of the clearest signs of this design appears at the end of each of the Psalms’ five major sections, often called Books 1–5. Each section ends with a doxology, not simply to wrap up the individual psalm, but to bring a fitting conclusion to each “book” within the larger collection. Psalm 41:13 is the first of these doxologies. And the pattern continues: each book closes with a similar, often nearly verbatim, burst of praise to God’s name and an “amen!” (see Psalm 72:18–20; 89:52; 106:48; 145:1–21). Even the opening and closing of the Psalter reflect this structure, with Psalms 1–2 serving as an introduction and Psalms 146–150 as a grand finale.
Why does this matter? Because if we only read the Psalms one by one, we may miss the larger story they are telling together. And when we see that bigger picture, we begin to recognize how central God’s promise is to raise up an eternal king from the house of David (2 Sam 7:12–17). It cannot be coincidence that at the most strategic points in the Psalms, the book repeatedly draws our attention to the Messianic King
(see Psa 2; 45; 72; 89; 110; 132; 149).
When we read the Psalms this way, the words of Yeshua to His disciples on the road to Emmaus suddenly shine with new clarity: “Now He said to them, ‘These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures”
(Luke 24:44-45).
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).
Perhaps better than any other chapter in the Bible, Leviticus 19 explains what it meant for Israel to live as a holy nation. Through Moses, God spoke to the people, saying, “Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). Both the Old and the New Testament stress the importance of cultivating personal holiness in the life of every believer: “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15–16).
In Hebrew, the words translated “holy” and “holiness” have to do with being “set apart,” “separate,” “different,” or “dedicated.” The absolute moral purity of God’s character sets Him apart, making Him different from every other living creature. Yet He calls His people to be holy as He is holy. Humans generally think of holiness as obeying God’s law. But, for God, holiness is not a mere action or a set of behaviors. Holiness is His essence. God is morally and ethically perfect by nature. So how can we set ourselves apart to reflect God’s holiness in the way we live?
The Bible reveals that God’s holiness of character is a model for believers’ lives and our shared communion with others. Both passages (Leviticus 19:2 and 1 Peter 1:16) and their surrounding verses stress that those who wish to replicate God’s holiness must reflect His holy nature in their relationships with other people and their sincere love for fellow believers.
In Leviticus 19:1–37, God applies the Ten Commandments to various areas of life, spelling out in great detail for the Israelites how to be holy as He is holy. They were to honor their parents, keep the Sabbath, not practice idolatry, worship and offer sacrifices properly according to God’s instructions, provide for the poor, not steal, cheat, seek revenge, and not follow pagan customs and rituals. The commands continue, covering every aspect of spiritual, moral, family, work, and community life. Included is the charge to “love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18).
Peter also lays out how we can live in the light of God’s command to be holy as He is holy. First, he says to discipline our minds: “So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world” (1 Peter 1:13, NLT). We are to exercise self-control and stay alert both mentally and spiritually. This mental discipline requires a concentrated focus on trusting in the Lord to get us to our final destination, where we will experience the fullness of God’s grace in Jesus Christ.
Paul expresses it like this: “Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12–14, CSB). If we focus only on the short-term—our current situation—we run the risk of straying off course. But if we live with total trust that Jesus Christ will return to accomplish all that He started in us (Philippians 1:6), it will make a significant difference in how we live.
“You must live as God’s obedient children,” says Peter, “Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires” (1 Peter 1:14, NLT). When we “do not conform to the evil desires” (NIV) we had before we came to know Christ, we live in response to God’s holiness, adopting His behavior as our pattern.
This change of behavior begins on the inside with our attitude and mind-set. When our inner thought life, our purpose, and our character are changed into the image of Christ, our outward selves and outworking behavior will alter naturally. This process is the Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
As part of his teaching on cultivating holiness, Peter instructs believers to “live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear” (1 Peter 1:17). Living as strangers here on earth hammers home the idea that our earthly lives with all their challenges and struggles are only temporary. Even in our pain, we can live with hope as citizens of a future heavenly reality. Reverent fear refers to humble, respectful awe of God, which motivates us to live obedient, holy lives.
Finally, Peter makes the point that living in the light of God’s holiness means demonstrating “sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart” (1 Peter 1:22, NLT).
Believers ought to be notably different from non-believers and their old selves because of their relationship with God through Jesus Christ. His holy presence in our lives produces in us a loving obedience to God’s Word, which ultimately forms God’s character in us. If we are set apart for God’s use, separated from our old, common way of living, we are following God’s command to “be holy for I am holy.”
The Bible records two instances of Jesus cleansing the temple of money changers and those selling sacrificial animals. Jesus’ first encounter with money changers was at the beginning of His three-year ministry (John 2:14–16). He made a whip of cords and drove them out. The second time He confronted the money changers was the week before His trial and crucifixion. Seeing that the money changers had come back, He again drove them out, saying, ““It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers’”” (Matthew 21:13).
Because Jewish law required a temple tax of a half-shekel (Exodus 30:11–16), Jews and visitors from other nations came to pay their taxes when they offered their sacrifices. But foreign coins with the likeness of pagan emperors would not be accepted in God’s temple. So money changers exchanged those foreign coins for Jewish money, but they did so at an exorbitant profit. Rather than provide this service as a business in another part of town, they exploited the religious zeal of the visitors to Jerusalem and did their business on temple grounds. Because they determined their own exchange rate, money changers easily took advantage of the poor and the foreigners pouring into Jerusalem for Passover.
These same money changers were associated with others who engaged in shady business practices in the temple courts. Some sold sacrificial animals, overcharging people who did not bring their own. Others were in charge of examining the animals to be sacrificed, and it was a simple matter to declare an animal “unapproved” and force the worshiper to buy another animal—at an inflated price—from the temple vendors. Such goings-on, exploiting the poor and the foreigner, angered the Lord Jesus and was strictly forbidden in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:34).
The money changers in the temple courts were similar to tax collectors in that they extorted money from their own people. They were more than ordinary businessmen. They were seeking to profit financially from the worship of God. Wherever passion and zeal are found, there will also be those who seek to profit from that zeal. Paul wrote to Timothy about such people, false teachers who found a way to make a fortune off the gospel (1 Timothy 6:5). Modern versions of the money changers flood the airways, promising to exchange your hard-earned dollars for blessings, healing, and God’s favor. For a suggested donation, they will supposedly pray for you or promise virtually anything you want. For another twenty bucks, they will sell you a book about how to wrangle prosperity, health, or spiritual insights from God. And, like the simony of the first-century money changers, the practices of modern religious price gougers only aid those worshipers who have enough cash to purchase their wares.
Paul often clarified the difference between his ministry and that of false teachers by pointing out their greed. In 2 Corinthians 2:17 he wrote, “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.” Peter also warned that one way to spot a modern-day money changer is to notice his or her fascination with financial gain (2 Peter 2:3). Jesus hated the money changers’ exploitation of the devout two thousand years ago, and He still hates it. We may not have shady characters collecting temple taxes outside our places of worship, but we have them invading our homes through radio and television. We are wise to remember how Jesus reacted to such selfish swindlers. With no apologies, He drove them out of His Father’s house. When we identify a modern money changer, we should do the same.
About a week before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus went into the temple and cleared it out of “all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves” (Matthew 21:12). Jesus then spoke to the startled crowds: “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves” (verse 13, KJV). The same incident is recorded in Mark 11 and Luke 19. John 2 records similar actions of Jesus at the beginning of His ministry.
In speaking of a “house of prayer” and a “den of thieves” (the NIV has “den of robbers”), Jesus cited two passages from the Tanakh. In Isaiah 56:7 God says, “These [faithful foreigners] I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Twice in this verse, God’s temple is called “a house of prayer.” God’s design was for His house in Jerusalem to be a gathering place for worshipers from all nations, a place where prayers would rise like incense from the hearts of the faithful to the presence of the living God.
The phrase den of thieves comes from Jeremiah 7:11, where God says, “Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.” The prophet Jeremiah was rebuking the temple leaders for their abuses. Even as they continued going through the motions of their religion, they were oppressing the needy and violently taking what was not theirs. God saw through their pretense, however, and promised to deal with the thieves in His sanctified house.
Jesus takes these two verses from the Old Testament and applies them to His day. One verse was full of purity and promise: God’s temple would be an inviting house of prayer. The other verse was full of conviction and warning: people had perverted God’s right purposes for their own gain. In the courts of the temple, people were being taken financial advantage of, being cheated through exorbitant exchange rates and being compelled to buy “temple-approved” animals for sacrifice, on the pretext that their own animals were unworthy. Jesus denounced such greedy goings-on and physically put a stop to the corruption. In His righteous indignation, He quoted Isaiah and Jeremiah to show that He had biblical warrant for His actions. What should have been a sanctuary for the righteous had become a refuge for the wicked, and the Son of God was not going to put up with it. God’s design for the temple was that it be a house of prayer, a place to meet with God and worship Him. But when Jesus stepped into its courts, He found not prayer but avarice, extortion, and oppression.
It’s always good to remember the Lord’s purpose for what He makes. Whether it’s the temple, the church, marriage, the family, or life itself, we should follow God’s design and seek to honor Him.
Any twisting or perverting of God’s design
for selfish purposes
will draw the Lord’s righteous anger
“They will be as MIGHTY MEN, treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle; and they will fight, for the LORD will be with them; and the riders on horses will be put to shame. I will STRENGTHEN the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back, because I have had compassion on them; and they will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them. Ephraim will be like a MIGHTY MAN, and their heart will be glad as if from wine; indeed, their children will see it and be glad, their heart will rejoice in the LORD…. And I will STRENGTHEN them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk, declares the LORD”
(Zech 10:5–7, 12).
In this brief chapter, which looks ahead to the future establishment of the Messianic kingdom, we find an essential lesson on leadership. Good leaders strengthen God’s people to live lives empowered by God rather than by human ability alone. The Hebrew root gavar appears four times in this chapter, twice as an adjective
(“mighty men,” vv. 5, 7) and twice as a verb (“to make strong,” vv. 6, 12).
Under bad leadership, Israel fell prey to false teaching (Zech 10:1–2) and, as a result, was scattered and oppressed (Zech 10:2). God responds by removing these corrupt shepherds and by strengthening His people, transforming helpless sheep fleeing in fear into majestic horses charging into battle (Zech 10:3). The reason wandering sheep become mighty warriors is simple: the LORD Himself will be with them on the day of battle
(vv. 5–7).
If you will permit me, let us now shift the metaphor from shepherds to sermons. Bad sermons leave listeners defeated and discouraged because they appeal to human strength: “Try harder. Do better.” Good sermons, by contrast, leave God’s people strengthened and encouraged, not by offering false hope, but by reminding them that they “can do all things through Him who strengthens” them through the power of the new covenant and the indwelling Spirit
(Phil 4:13).
“The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah: … Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near, for the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests…. A day of wrath is that day, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness…. Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who have carried out His ordinances; seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be HIDDEN in the day of the LORD’S anger”
(Zeph 1:1, 7, 15; 2:3).
The book of Zephaniah is seamlessly woven into the Book of the Twelve, taking up key themes from earlier books (compare Zeph 1:7 with Hab 2:20). Most prominent among these themes is the impending Day of the LORD (Zeph 1:7, 14), the eschatological judgment when God will call every human being to give an account.
Considering a future day of wrath and final judgment is, to be honest, unsettling. Anyone who can imagine standing before God on that day without trembling is, in the words of Mrs. Beaver to Susan, extremely brave or just silly (from C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). For on that day, who would dare demand from God what they deserve?
Questions about the fate of God’s people on the day of judgment lead to another key theme in Zephaniah, the LORD’s remnant (Zeph 2:7, 9; 3:13). This is also a central theme in the Book of the Twelve.
Should the remnant, those who love God and are called according to His purpose, live in dread and fear? The answer comes through a wordplay on the prophet’s name. “Zephaniah” means “the LORD will hide.” Just as God providentially hid and protected His people in the days of Moses and Joshua (Exod 2:2–3; Josh 2:4), so too the remnant will be “hidden” (satar) in the day of the LORD’s anger (Zeph 2:3; satar is a synonym of the Hebrew verb tsaphan).
While the day of wrath is indeed a sobering reality, “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”
(1 Thess 5:9).
Since most people don’t get to choose their names, why does Proverbs 22:1 say, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold” (ESV)? Likewise, why does Ecclesiastes 7:1 similarly suggest that “a good name is better than fine perfume”?
The word name in both verses means “reputation,” “standing,” or “the general estimation and recognition of a person.” In ancient Israel, a person’s name was intricately linked with his reputation and standing in the community. The term translated “to be chosen” in the original language carries the idea of going after what is more desirable, preferable, or worth much more. Favor is actually “good favor” in the original Hebrew and corresponds with name in the first line of the verse. In this framework, favor means “acceptance, respect, or esteem from other people.” Thus, Proverbs 22:1 emphasizes the superior value of maintaining a good, respectable reputation.
Like wisdom, an honorable standing or “a good name” is more valuable than money, riches, and expensive material things like silver, gold, and fine perfume. A good rephrasing of the proverb would be, “It is far better to have honor and esteem associated with one’s name than all the riches in the world,” or, as the New Living Translation renders Proverbs 22:1, “Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.” Since, in the poetic Hebrew parallelism, the two lines of the passage mean essentially the same thing, the Contemporary English Version combines them: “A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold.”
Proverbs 22:1 is not suggesting that it is wrong to have a lot of money and possessions. Wealth is not the culprit, but how we obtain it matters. If we acquire riches at the expense of destroying our reputation, then we have paid too high a price. Riches are worthless if, in pursuing them, we ruin our character. “Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it,” says Proverbs 1:19 (see also Proverbs 10:2).
Proverbs 22:1,
“Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed”
(Othello, III:iii).
Having a good name or honorable reputation is the result of developing inner character and living uprightly. Ruth’s story proves that living with integrity builds a respectable reputation (Ruth 2:1–13). A good reputation comes from obeying God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:1–14), living to please the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:9–10), and always striving to keep a clear conscience before God and people (Acts 24:16; Hebrews 13:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:1).
Even as a young boy, Jesus cultivated a good reputation as He grew “in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people” (Luke 2:52, NLT). The early church leaders chose seven men of “good reputation” (Acts 6:3, NKJV) to serve as deacons. The Bible describes at least one of them, Stephen, as a man who was “full of the Spirit and wisdom,” “full of faith” (Acts 6:5), and “full of grace and power” (Acts 6:8).
Proverbs 3:3–4 teaches, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” Once again, a good name here means “a respectable reputation.” Love in the original language denotes “kindness,” as in how we treat our fellow humans. And faithfulness refers to “steadfastness, and fidelity to one’s word,” especially regarding our obligations and relations with other men and women. When the Lord’s lovingkindness and faithfulness surround our hearts like a beautiful garland, we earn the favor of God and others. This favor provides us with a good name, branding our reputation and hanging like a monogram over the threshold of our lives. A good name such as this is more desirable than all the money in the world.
“Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
and its circuit
to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat….
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them
there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults”
(Psa 19:6, 11-12).
In one of the most celebrated psalms in the Psalter, King David looks up and listens to the unspoken words of creation, and then looks down at the scroll to hear the commandments of God’s revelation. By repeating the word “hidden,” David draws a comparison between the inescapable heat of the sun and the inescapable light of the Torah (vv. 6, 12). As he looks up at the sun and feels its heat, David begins praising God for His power. As he looks down at the scroll and sees the LORD’s perfections, he begins repenting of his imperfections and sins.
Within this extraordinary comparison between two kinds of revelation, it is important to notice the surpassing greatness of God’s spoken words over creation’s unspoken words. In the first half of this psalm, only the general name for God, “El,” is used, and that only once. In the second half, God’s personal name, YHWH, is used seven times. David also adds two more names for God at the end of the psalm: my Rock and my Redeemer.
If we long to worship God as our all powerful Creator, we must look up. If we long to know God personally as our Savior and Redeemer, we must spend time looking down, reading and meditating on the Holy Scriptures.
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do”
(Heb 4:12-13).
Barabbas, the notorious
prisoner released by Pontius Pilate
instead of Jesus,
was named Jesus Barabbas
The name means
"Jesus, son of the father,"
highlighting a dramatic irony
in the
Passover Pardon Tradition
where the crowd chose to
free one
"son of the father"
while condemning the other
Key Details About
Jesus Barabbas:
His Name:
In early Greek manuscripts of Matthew 27:16-17, the prisoner is referred to as Iesous Barabbas (Jesus Barabbas).
The Choice:
Pilate gave the crowd a choice between "Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ".
His Crimes:
He was a "notorious prisoner," described in the Gospels as a thief, robber, and an insurrectionist who committed murder during a riot against Roman authority.
Significance:
His release and Jesus's subsequent crucifixion are often viewed as a literal representation of substitutionary atonement—the innocent (Jesus) taking the place of the guilty (Barabbas).
Meaning:
"Barabbas" is derived from Aramaic, meaning "son of the father" (\(bar\) = son, \(abba\) = father).
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.
When the Sanhedrin brought Jesus before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, Pilate could not find any fault in Jesus, and he said so three times (Luke 23:4, 14–15, 22). Late in the trial, Pilate sought a way to free Jesus (John 19:12). It was a Passover festival custom that the governor release a prisoner to the people, so, in a ploy to appease the crowd of Jewish leaders who had gathered and to secure Jesus’ release, Pilate allowed them to choose between a convicted criminal named Barabbas and Jesus. Instead of choosing Jesus, as Pilate had hoped, the crowd chose Barabbas for release. Shocked that they would free a hardened criminal, Pilate asked, “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” (Mark 15:12). The crowd cried out, “Crucify him!” (verse 13).
It is well that Pilate was confused by the crowd’s reaction, for barely a week earlier the people of Jerusalem had welcomed Jesus into the city with the waving of palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna!” (Matthew 21:1–11). What Pilate may not have known was the extent to which the religious and political leaders hated and opposed Jesus. Over the course of Jesus’ ministry, His teachings had alienated and angered the Pharisees, the scribes, the Herodians, and the Sadducees. Not only did Jesus point out their extreme hypocrisy on many occasions (see Matthew 23; Mark 7:1–14; Luke 20:45–47), but He also claimed to be God, which was blasphemy to the unbelieving teachers of the law (see Mark 14:60–64). The religious leaders wanted to utterly destroy Jesus (Matthew 12:14; Mark 3:6). Only His death would satisfy them.
In Jesus’ time, crucifixion was reserved for the worst of criminals. The torture a person endured on a cross would last for hours, and killing Jesus in this manner likely appealed to the religious leaders who hated Him so deeply. In an effort to hide their move against Jesus from His many supporters, the Jewish leaders arrested and tried Jesus in the middle of the night. When Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate—the only one with authority to order a crucifixion—it was still early in the morning (Matthew 27:1–2). When Pilate presented Jesus and Barabbas to the people, the chief priests whipped the crowd into a frenzy, encouraging them to call for Barabbas’s release (Mark 15:11). When Pilate asked what they wanted done to Jesus, the crowd, again influenced by the chief priests, shouted, “Crucify Him!” Pilate, the people-pleaser, gave them what they demanded. He had Jesus flogged and then turned Him over for crucifixion.
At the beginning of the week, there was a crowd in Jerusalem celebrating Jesus as the Messiah; by Friday, there was a crowd crying, “Crucify Him!” The striking change of the city’s heart naturally causes some perplexity. It’s good to remember that not everyone at the Triumphal Entry was celebrating the Lord. Most of the city was puzzled: “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’” (Matthew 21:10), and the Jewish leaders were indignant (verse 15). Some of the same crowd who shouted, “Hosanna!” may also have been part of the crowd shouting “Crucify Him!” but we can’t be sure. If some people did join both crowds, it may be because they had grown disillusioned with Jesus when they discovered He was not going to set up the kingdom immediately—or perhaps they disliked Jesus’ insistence that they repent. Also, it’s quite possible that the crowd gathered before Pilate at that early hour had been assembled and suborned by the Jewish leaders.
In the end, it wasn’t the crowd’s cries of “Crucify Him!” that put Jesus on the cross. Our sin did that. From the very beginning, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the Lord had promised to send a Savior who would crush the reign of sin and death (Genesis 3:15). Throughout the ages God wove His plan to send a Savior, and that plan culminated in the person of Jesus Christ: God’s own Son who became the perfect God-man so He could take upon Himself the punishment for sin. Although wicked men were involved in Jesus’ death on the cross, His sacrifice was ultimately the will of God (Isaiah 53:10; John 10:18). The shedding of Jesus’ blood fulfilled God’s promise to mankind to provide a Savior and sealed the New Covenant (Luke 22:20). Jesus would then defeat the power of death and the grave by rising again three days later and ascending to His Father’s right hand in heaven.
“Why are the nations in an uproar and
the peoples
devising a vain thing?”
(Psalm 2:1).
Rashi, the medieval rabbi whose interpretations of the Hebrew Bible are regarded by many as representing the “literal meaning,” marked a clear break from many earlier Jewish interpretations of the Psalms. Concerning Psalm 2, Rashi wrote: “Our Rabbis (Berakhot 7a) interpreted this passage as referring to the King Messiah; but according to its plain meaning, it is correct to interpret it as referring to David himself.”
It is beyond the scope of a morning devotional to explain all the reasons for Rashi’s turn away from the traditional and Messianic interpretation of this psalm. Still, it is clear that before Rashi many Jewish interpreters read Psalm 2 Messianically, much like the Jewish authors of the New Testament.
In Rashi’s reading, the messiah (anointed one) and son of God in Psalm 2 (vv. 2, 7) refer to David rather than to the coming Messiah, and the word “bar” in verse 12 means “purity” rather than “son.”
But Psalm 2 itself directs us beyond David. Most notably, there is the direct allusion to 2 Samuel 7 in Psalm 2: “I will surely tell of the decree: The LORD said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You’” (v. 7).
When we remember God’s promise to David, “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me” (2 Sam 7:14), and that this promise concerned a son whose throne would be established forever, the logic becomes unavoidable.
God’s covenant promise was not that David himself would be the eternal Son who reigns forever, but that one of his descendants would sit upon his throne forever. If Psalm 2 is echoing that covenant promise, then the “Son” in Psalm 2 cannot be David. It must be David’s promised Son.
To read Psalm 2 literally, therefore, is not to diminish its Messianic hope, but to see it clearly. The psalm calls us to recognize the true identity of God’s Son, the One to whom the covenant ultimately points.
The Leper Messiah
ONE FOR ISRAEL
Sometimes we use the word “leper” to describe a persona non-grata… someone rejected by the majority, and left out in the cold. It’s an experience most of us have at one time or another, and it’s one that Yeshua understood and cared about.
The Talmud even describes a “Leper Messiah” in a story about how the Messiah would be found caring for lepers:
“His name is ‘the leper scholar,’ as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted.”…”‘When will the Messiah come?’ — ‘Go and ask him himself,’ was his reply. ‘Where is he sitting?’ — ‘At the entrance.’ And by what sign may I recognise him?’ — ‘He is sitting among the poor lepers…'” (Sanhedrin 98a and 98b).
The passage goes on to describe the Messiah carefully bandaging the wounds of lepers, instead of shunning them.
Unclean!
Many of the laws in Leviticus draw distinctions between those deemed acceptable and those considered unclean and untouchable. They exclude lepers, exclude women who are bleeding, and they exclude those who are blind or with physical defects… but we see the powerful ministry of Yeshua overcoming each of these ailments, one by one; healing lepers, healing the woman with an issue of blood, healing the blind, the disfigured and the lame, and he welcomes them back into the camp.
Sometimes the books of God’s Law at the beginning of the Bible can seem bewildering or even boring, especially when they go into graphic details about mould and spots and hair growth. But an interesting pattern emerges when we take some of the odder commandments and follow them through to the life and ministry of Yeshua.
- Leviticus tells us that those with a contagious disease, translated as leprosy, must be put outside the camp and considered unclean. The Talmud takes it further, legitimising the practice of throwing rocks at lepers [1].
- We also learn that women are unclean while menstruating – again, unlucky for anyone who suffers with abnormal bleeding.
- Then later we read that those with blindness, the lame and those with other defects are banned from certain areas of the temple.
- And of course, the temple was also a no-go area for the Gentiles.
The touch of the MessiahBut we see a revolution taking place when Yeshua the Messiah overcomes all of these defilements and restrictions: He cures lepers, heals a man born blind, and delivers the woman with the issue of blood – unnamed outcasts were suddenly given new life and a new start. Biblical leprosy can be seen as a symbol for sin and sickness in general – the result of the Fall upon humanity. And yet Yeshua showed that he had the power and authority to deal with all of our ailments that paralyse and hold us back – spiritually and physically.
In Yeshua we see a reversal of the laws of clean and unclean – instead of becoming sullied by the outcasts, His mighty power over sin and death brought cleanness, life and health to all He touched.
3 signs to recognise the MessiahThere were three specific miracles that the rabbis were expecting from the Messiah:
- That he would be able to cure leprosy,
- That he would cast out a mute demon,
- And that he would heal the lame.
In part, this set of qualifications harks back to Isaiah 35:5-6, a Messianic prophecy:
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.”
But it’s amazing to think that no Israelite leper was ever healed and had to present himself to the priest to check to see if he was really clean!
There had been brief brushes with the disease for Moses and his sister Miriam, and Naaman the Syrian had been dramatically healed, but there had never been the case of a Jew under the Mosaic Law who had to follow the procedure laid out in Leviticus 14:
“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought unto the priest…”
On the day Yeshua sent the first cured leper to the temple to be checked over by the priest, it would have been the first time any priest had ever had to consult the details of the Law on the matter… it had never happened before in history!
What a momentous event. Leviticus 13 and 14 were written for that moment, to help identify that the Messiah had truly come.
Similarly, when Yeshua had healed the demonically oppressed man who was mute, it caused quite a stir of Messianic hope among the people:
“Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”” (Matthew 12:22-23)
It makes sense then, that when John the Baptist sent people to check to see if Yeshua really was the Messiah, He responded like this:
Yeshua answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see:the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” (Matthew 11:4-6)
As far as Yeshua was concerned that was proof in and of itself.
When God tells the prophet Haggai to quiz the priests about how things become unclean in Haggai 2, He emphasises that the unclean usually renders the clean unclean, not the other way around. But Yeshua brought in a complete reversal of everything that had gone before. His holiness was so powerful and incorruptible that He could never be made unclean, and even death could not hold Him in the grave!
Wherever He went,
He turned
the tables on the exclusions
in the Mosaic Law,
bringing healing,
inclusion
and joy.
Yeshua was,
and is,
the
Promised One
“How blessed is the man
who does not
walk in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stand in the path
of sinners,
nor sit in the seat of scoffers! …
For the LORD
knows the way of the righteous,
but the way
of the wicked will perish”
(Psa 1:1, 6).
The first psalm is a beautiful poem praising the man who drinks deeply from God’s word. It opens and closes with a reference to the “way” and “the wicked” (1:1, 6). It contrasts a tree firmly planted and well watered with chaff blown away by the wind (1:3, 4). It contrasts the blessed man, who does not sit in the seat of scoffers, with the wicked who will not stand in God’s judgment (1:1, 5). The first word of the psalm begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the last word begins with the last letter.
Although Psalm 1 stands on its own, it is clear that the author of the Psalter, by placing Psalms 1 and 2 side by side, invites us to read them together. Psalm 1 begins with the “blessings” of the man (1:1), and Psalm 2 ends with the “blessings” of those who trust him (2:12). Both psalms conclude with the “way” of the wicked “perishing” (1:6; 2:12). In Psalm 1, the man “meditates” on the Torah (1:2), while in Psalm 2 the nations “meditate” on rebellion against the LORD and his Messiah (2:1-2). In Psalm 1, the blessed man does not “sit in the seat of scoffers” (1:1), but in Psalm 2 one is “seated in heaven, scoffing” at the wicked (2:4), far above their rebellion. In Psalm 1, the man meditates on the Torah (1:2); in Psalm 2, he recites the LORD’s “decree” (2:7). Unlike most psalms in Book One, which have superscriptions (Psalms 3-41), Psalms 1 and 2 stand together without them. For this reason, the Babylonian Talmud (b. Ber. 9.2) states that “The blessed man” and “Why do the nations rage” are one single literary unit.”
This carefully crafted introduction to the Psalter calls us to be like the blessed man who meditates deeply on the Scriptures. By delighting in the Torah, and thus in the Psalms, we see clearly who the blessed man is and why we should trust him (2:12).
He is Israel’s perfect King,
the Son of God,
and
the LORD’s Messiah,
who alone
leads us to the tree of life,
to leaves
that will never wither
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“Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; take warning,
O judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD
with fear and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss 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!”
(Psa 2:10-12).
The meaning of verse 12 is hotly contested. The debate centers on the word “bar,” which most Christian translations render “son,” while Jewish translations render it “purity.” The main objection to “son” is that “bar” means son in Aramaic but “purity” in Hebrew, and Psalm 2 is written in Hebrew.
Yet this argument overlooks two important facts. First, “bar” is used for “son” elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible (Prov 31:2). Second, Psalm 2 already contains an Aramaic loanword, “uproar,” in verse 1. But the strongest support for translating “bar” as “son” lies in the psalm’s structure.
Psalm 2 unfolds in three movements, each requiring both the LORD and his Messiah. The nations rebel against both (vv. 1-3): “Let us tear THEIR fetters apart.” “Their” refers to the LORD and His Messiah. The LORD installs His King (v. 6), and the Son declares, “He said to me, ‘You are My Son’” (v. 7). Finally, the rebels are urged to reconcile before it is too late (vv. 10-12). If “bar” does not mean “son,” then they reconcile only with the LORD but not with his Messiah. The structure therefore strongly supports translating “bar” as Son, since only acceptance of him completes the call to repentance.
And if “bar” means “son,” then the Messiah in Psalm 2 shares in God’s divine identity. Everywhere else the phrase “take refuge in” appears in the Hebrew Bible, the object of trust is a divine being (Deut 32:37; 2 Sam 22:3, 31; Isa 57:13; Nah 1:7; Psa 2:12; 5:11; 16:1; 18:2, 30; 25:20; 31:19; 34:8, 22; 37:40; 64:10; Prov 30:5).
Thus Psalm 2 reveals a critical truth. Reconciliation with God is not complete without paying homage to God’s Son and taking refuge in Him (see Dan 7:13-14). “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. 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 3:35-36).
“You shall not steal”
(Exodus 20:15)
is one of the Ten Commandments people can readily recall, even though it is number eight in the Decalogue. And while there may be those who attempt to undermine the authority of the Ten Commandments by suggesting it is part of the Old Covenant, our Lord Jesus, speaking to the rich young ruler, quoted five of them, including this one (Matthew 19:18). The Ten Commandments are part of the moral law of God and, unlike the ceremonial and sacrificial laws of the Old Testament which were given to Israel, they apply to all men in all ages.
Stealing is defined as “taking another person’s property without his or her permission.” However, there are many other forms of theft. For example, taking longer over our lunch breaks at work or arriving late and leaving early are actually forms of stealing from our employers, stealing time they have paid for. Taking advantage of employers in that way indicates a lack of love for others. The apostle Paul, when discussing God’s commandments, sums up the entire law in the same way as our Lord Jesus did, with “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31; Romans 13:9). And, again like Jesus, he states that this is the fulfilment of the “Law” (Matthew 22:39-40). So, we know from such instructions that “Do not steal,” as with all of the Ten Commandments, is about “loving one another” (John 13:34-35).
Victims of theft know the horrible feeling it produces. The very act of someone taking what may have been an especially precious gift from a loved one really pierces our hearts and makes us feel vulnerable and unsafe. Theft has a tremendous impact not only on individuals, but on society as a whole. Theft disturbs societal stability and the results are feelings of fear and insecurity and a desire for revenge. One has only to look at some third world countries where laws against stealing are ignored to see how detrimental it is to the population. God’s laws are not only moral and spiritual; they are infinitely practical as well.
Christians have received tremendous physical and spiritual gifts from God, and we should desire to give back to Him all that we have. When we withhold the things that are rightly His—our time and talents, our possessions and our finances, indeed our very lives—we are in effect stealing from Him. The prophet Malachi put it this way when addressing the Israelites: “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' ‘In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse — the whole nation of you — because you are robbing me. 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 you will not have room enough for it’” (Malachi 3:8-10). One day we will be judged by God and expected to give an account of what we did with the gifts God has so generously bestowed on us (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 4:13).
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!
The phrase “graven image” comes from the King James Version and is first found in Exodus 20:4 in the second of the Ten Commandments. The Hebrew word translated “graven image” means literally “an idol.” A graven image is an image carved out of stone, wood, or metal. It could be a statue of a person or animal, or a relief carving in a wall or pole. It is differentiated from a molten image, which is melted metal poured into a cast. Abstract Asherah poles, carved wooden Ba’als covered in gold leaf, and etchings of gods accompanying Egyptian hieroglyphics are all graven images.
The progression of idolatry in a pagan religion generally starts with the acknowledgement of a power that controls natural forces. The presence of the force is then thought to indwell an object, like a stone, or a place, like a mountain. The next step is altering a naturally occurring object, like a standing stone, a deliberately planted tree, or a carved Asherah pole and asking the force to indwell it. When the idolatrous culture has had time to contemplate the personality of the god, they then make corresponding physical images—a statue that looks like a woman or a relief carving that looks like an animal. Graven images can be either of the last two steps.
The spiritual progression is similar. People start with wanting something (Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 3:5), often children or prosperity or good crops. They observe the circumstances (which some acknowledge are God-ordained, and others think are independent) that lead to these things and begin to ascribe to the causal forces human characteristics—thus creating gods. Places are set aside to commune with these false gods. For convenience sake, smaller items, thought to hold the power or the communication line of the gods, are brought into homes. Before long, the people are ensnared by the compulsion to give homage to a thing of their own definition instead of to the God of the universe.
The second commandment, recorded in Exodus 20:4–5, reads, “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them.” Likely, this refers back to the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me,” and specifically forbids the creation of idols. But it is equally dangerous to create an image of God Himself. God has given us reminders enough of His power and glory (Romans 1:20) without man attempting to use created things to represent the Creator.
Functionally, there is no difference between a “graven” image (Deuteronomy 4:16) and a “molten” image (Exodus 34:17). Both are man’s attempt to define and confine the power of God who works over creation. Both are the result of greed and covetousness, along with the fear that God does not have the worshipers’ best interests at heart. Graven images, whether an idol, a crystal, or a charm, are attempts to limit the power of God and reduce it to a small package that we can control. As with any kind of worship, the object of adoration inevitably controls us.
In Luke 14,
Jesus lays out the terms of
discipleship
There were great crowds following Him.
Everyone loved
the miracles, healing, and free food.
Jesus was cool,
the talk of the town, and the latest fad.
But He knew their hearts.
He knew they desired the benefits of what He did rather than an understanding of who He was. They loved His gifts, not the life He was calling them to. So He explained what it takes to be one of His followers:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26-33).
Jesus said a lot in those simple illustrations. He quickly put an end to the idea that He offered some kind of welfare program. Although the gift of eternal life is free to anyone who asks (John 3:16), the asking requires a transfer of ownership (Luke 9:23; Galatians 5:24). “Counting the cost” means recognizing and agreeing to some terms first. In following Christ, we cannot simply follow our own inclinations. We cannot follow Him and the world’s way at the same time (Matthew 7:13-14). Following Him may mean we lose relationships, dreams, material things, or even our lives.
Those who are following Jesus simply for what they can get won’t stick around when the going gets tough. When God’s way conflicts with our way, we will feel betrayed by the shallow, me-first faith we have bought into. If we have not counted the cost of being His child, we will turn away at the threat of sacrifice and find something else to gratify our selfish desires (cf. Mark 4:5, 16-17). In Jesus’ earthly ministry, there came a time when the free food stopped and public opinion turned ugly. The cheering crowds became jeering crowds. And Jesus knew ahead of time that would happen.
Jesus ended His description of the cost of discipleship with a breathtaking statement: "Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33). “Renouncing” may mean we give up something physically, but more often it means we let go emotionally so that what we possess no longer possesses us. When we become one of His, we cannot continue to belong to this world (1 John 2:15-17). We must make a choice, for we cannot serve both God and Mammon (Matthew 6:24). The rich young ruler, when confronted with that choice, turned his back on Jesus (Luke 18:18-25).
Suppose you learned that you had been given an all-expense-paid condo on a beach in Tahiti, complete with airfare, a car, food, and a maid. You could brag about your new lifestyle, plan for it, and dream about it. But until you pack up and leave your current home, the new life is never really yours. You cannot live in Tahiti and your current hometown at the same time. Many people approach Christianity the same way. They love the idea of eternal life, escaping hell, and having Jesus at their beck and call. But they are not willing to leave the life they now live. Their desires, lifestyle, and sinful habits are too precious to them. Their lives may exhibit a token change—starting to attend church or giving up a major sin—but they want to retain ownership of everything else. Jesus is speaking in Luke 14 to those with that mindset.
We cannot earn salvation by lifestyle change or any other good deed (Ephesians 2:8-9). But when we choose to follow Christ, we are releasing control of our lives. When Jesus is in control, pure living results (1 John 3:4-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17). In Jesus’ parable of the sower, it was only the soil that allowed the seed to put down roots and bear fruit that was called “good.” If we are going to be disciples of Christ, we must first count the cost of following Him.
The "mark of the beast" in Revelation 13 is biblically described as a requirement for buying or selling, placed on the right hand or forehead. Interpretations often connect this with financial allegiance, equating it to a total economic system where participation requires compromising religious values rather than just a physical coin or tech device.
In the prosperity gospel, also known as the “Word of Faith Movement,” the believer is told to use God, whereas the truth of biblical Christianity is just the opposite—God uses the believer. Prosperity theology sees the Holy Spirit as a power to be put to use for whatever the believer wills. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a Person who enables the believer to do God’s will. The prosperity gospel movement closely resembles some of the destructive greed sects that infiltrated the early church. Paul and the other apostles were not accommodating to or conciliatory with the false teachers who propagated such heresy. They identified them as dangerous false teachers and urged Christians to avoid them.
Paul warned Timothy about such men in 1 Timothy 6:5, 9-11. These men of “corrupt mind” supposed godliness was a means of gain and their desire for riches was a trap that brought them “into ruin and destruction” (v. 9). The pursuit of wealth is a dangerous path for Christians and one which God warns about: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (v. 10). If riches were a reasonable goal for the godly, Jesus would have pursued it. But He did not, preferring instead to have no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20) and teaching His disciples to do the same. It should also be remembered that the only disciple concerned with wealth was Judas.
Paul said covetousness is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5) and instructed the Ephesians to avoid anyone who brought a message of immorality or covetousness (Ephesians 5:6-7). Prosperity teaching prohibits God from working on His own, meaning that God is not Lord of all because He cannot work until we release Him to do so. Faith, according to the Word of Faith doctrine, is not submissive trust in God; faith is a formula by which we manipulate the spiritual laws that prosperity teachers believe govern the universe. As the name “Word of Faith” implies, this movement teaches that faith is a matter of what we say more than whom we trust or what truths we embrace and affirm in our hearts.
A favorite term of prosperity gospel teachers is “positive confession.” This refers to the teaching that words themselves have creative power. What you say, prosperity teachers claim, determines everything that happens to you. Your confessions, especially the favors you demand of God, must all be stated positively and without wavering. Then God is required to answer (as though man could require anything of God!). Thus, God’s ability to bless us supposedly hangs on our faith. James 4:13-16 clearly contradicts this teaching: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Far from speaking things into existence in the future, we do not even know what tomorrow will bring or even whether we will be alive.
Instead of stressing the importance of wealth, the Bible warns against pursuing it. Believers, especially leaders in the church (1 Timothy 3:3), are to be free from the love of money (Hebrews 13:5). The love of money leads to all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). 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). In sharp contrast to the prosperity gospel emphasis on gaining money and possessions in this life, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). The irreconcilable contradictions between prosperity teaching and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is best summed up in the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve both God and money.”
Key Interpretations of the Mark and Money:
- Symbolic/Economic Allegiance: Many commentators argue the mark is not a physical item but a metaphor for loyalty. It signifies placing financial security and the world’s systems (the "beast") above obedience to God.
- Technology & Control: Some interpretations focus on future technologies, suggesting the mark could be a physical identifier like an RFID chip, barcode, or digital currency system that enables buying/selling.
- Historical View: Historically, it is interpreted as a symbol of emperor worship in Roman times, where worshippers of the state were branded, enabling them to trade.
- Systemic Corruption: Another view connects the mark to a corrupt fiat currency system ("666 talents of gold"), which represents a "number of the name" where people buy and sell through a system of debt and digital numbers rather than inherent value.
Biblical Context:
- The Constraint: Revelation 13:17 states that no one can buy or sell unless they have the mark.
- The Location: The mark is placed on the right hand (actions) or forehead (thoughts), representing complete devotion.
- The Alternative: The passage serves as a warning against complying with an anti-Christian economic or political system.
While some link the mark specifically to credit cards, microchips, or a cashless society, others argue it is a broader issue of idolatry and worship.
Revelation 17:1-2 tells us,
“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’” Revelation 17:5 goes on to say, “And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
Who is this
“whore of Babylon”
and what is
“mystery Babylon”?
Revelation 17:3 gives this description: “Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.” The beast mentioned in this verse is the same beast as in Revelation chapter 13:1, “And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.” The beast in Revelation chapter 13 is understood to refer to the Antichrist, the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Daniel 9:27).
So, the whore of Babylon, whoever it is, is closely affiliated with the end-times Antichrist.
The fact that the whore of Babylon is referred to as a mystery means that we cannot be completely certain as to her identity. The passage does give us some clues, however. Revelation 17:9 explains, “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.” Many commentators link this passage with the Roman Catholic Church because in ancient times, the city of Rome was known as “the city on seven hills” because there are seven prominent hills that surround the city. However, verse 10 goes on to explain that the seven hills represent 7 kings or kingdoms, five of which have fallen, one that is and one that is to come. Therefore, the "whore of Babylon" cannot refer exclusively to Rome. Revelation 17:15 tells us, “Then the angel said to me, ‘The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.’” The whore of Babylon will have great worldwide influence over people and nations. Verses 10-14 describe a series of eight and then ten kings who affiliate with the beast. The whore of Babylon will at one time have control over these kings (Revelation 17:18), but at some point the kings will turn on her and destroy her (Revelation 17:16).
So, can the mystery of the whore of Babylon be solved? Yes, at least partially. The whore of Babylon is an evil world system, controlled by the Antichrist, during the last days before Jesus’ return. The whore of Babylon also has religious connotations – spiritual adultery with the beast being the focus of an ungodly, end-times religious system.
The Great Harlot (Revelation 17) and the Final Beast (Revelation 13 & 17, Daniel 7) represent a symbiotic partnership between a corrupt, seductive religious/commercial system and a brutal, political-military power in end-time prophecy. The Harlot rides the beast, controlling it temporarily, before the beast and its ten kings turn on her and destroy her.
Key Aspects of the Prophecy
- The Great Harlot (Babylon): Identified as "the great city" that sits on seven hills, often interpreted as Rome or a globalized idolatrous system that martyrs believers and seduces world leaders.
- The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns: Parallels Daniel’s fourth beast. The seven heads represent seven mountains (seat of the harlot) and seven kings (empires).
- The "Little Horn" / Beast (Daniel 7 & Revelation 13): A final, powerful dictator (Antichrist) who emerges from a ten-nation confederation (ten horns) and speaks blasphemies.
- The "Was, Is Not, Is to Come" Beast: A ruler or empire that is killed (fatal wound) but resurrected (or appears to be), causing the world to worship it.
- The Final War: The beast, along with the ten kings, makes war on the Lamb (Jesus), but is conquered.
Key Connections to Daniel
- Daniel 7's Fourth Beast: Similar to John's vision, this beast is terrifying, has iron teeth, and ten horns (kings), with a "little horn" boasting against God.
- Timeframe: Daniel and Revelation share the timeline of the "3.5 years" (1260 days/42 months) for the beast’s power, indicating the final period of tribulation.
If you're interested in studying this further, I can help you:
- Explore different theological interpretations (Preterist, Futurist, Historicist).
- Compare the four beasts of Daniel in more detail.
- Identify historical figures associated with the Harlot and the Beast.
Prostitution is often referred to as the
"oldest profession."
Indeed, it has
always been a common way
for
women to make money, even in
Bible times
The Bible tells us that prostitution is immoral. Proverbs 23:27-28 says, "For a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well. Like a bandit she lies in wait, and multiplies the unfaithful among men."
God forbids involvement with prostitutes because He knows such involvement is detrimental to both men and women. "For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell"
(Proverbs 5:3-5 NKJV).
Prostitution not only destroys marriages, families, and lives, but it destroys the spirit and soul in a way that leads to physical and spiritual death. God’s desire is that we stay pure and use our bodies as tools for His use and glory (Romans 6:13). First Corinthians 6:13 says, "The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."
Although prostitution is sinful, prostitutes are not beyond God’s scope of forgiveness. The Bible records His use of a prostitute named Rahab to further the fulfillment of His plan. As a result of her obedience, she and her family were rewarded and blessed (Joshua 2:1; 6:17-25). In the New Testament, a woman who had been known for being a sexual sinner—before Jesus forgave and cleansed her from sin—found an opportunity to serve Jesus while He was visiting in the home of a Pharisee. The woman, recognizing Christ for who He is, brought a bottle of expensive perfume to Him. In regret and repentance, the woman wept and poured perfume on His feet, wiping it with her hair. When the Pharisees criticized Jesus for accepting this act of love from the "immoral" woman, He admonished them and accepted the woman’s worship. Because of her faith, Christ had forgiven all her sins, and she was received into His kingdom
(Luke 7:36-50).
When speaking to those who refused to believe the truth about Himself, Jesus Christ said, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him"
(Matthew 21:31-32).
Just like anyone else, prostitutes have the opportunity to receive salvation and eternal life from God, to be cleansed of all their unrighteousness and be given a brand new life! All they must do is turn away from their sinful lifestyle and turn to the living God, whose grace and mercy are boundless. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
(2 Corinthians 5:17).
In Hosea 1:2 we read,
“The LORD said to Hosea,
‘Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom
and
have children of whoredom’”
Hosea obeyed, marrying a woman named Gomer,
who was unfaithful to him.
Why did God tell Hosea to
marry a prostitute?
To begin with, it is important to realize this command could be understood two different ways. First, and more likely, this command could be one of anticipation. In other words, God may have instructed Hosea to marry a woman who would later become unfaithful to him. The other possibility is that the command was for Hosea to marry someone already known as a prostitute.
In either case, the reason for this unusual directive is specified in the latter half of the same verse: “For the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD” (ESV). God wanted to provide an illustration of His relationship with the people of Israel, who had been unfaithful to Him by practicing idolatry. This theme is carried through the remainder of the prophecies in chapter 1 and the discussion of Israel’s unfaithfulness in chapter 2.
In Hosea 3:1, after Gomer had left Hosea and was living in immorality, the Lord commanded Hosea to find her and buy her back. God was continuing His illustration, except now He wanted to show the greatness of His grace: “Even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods” (ESV). Hosea’s faithful love of Gomer was an illustration of God’s faithfulness to wayward Israel. Just as Gomer had been unfaithful to her husband and had to be redeemed, Israel needed God’s initiative to restore their relationship.
The prophet Hosea was commanded to marry an unfaithful wife, and this set up a model of Israel’s broken relationship with God. Israel had been chosen and loved by God yet had been unfaithful to Him by way of idolatry. Just as Hosea redeemed his estranged wife and sought to continue his relationship with her, God promised to redeem Israel and renew their relationship with Him. The story of Hosea and Gomer is an unforgettable picture of God’s strong, unending love for His covenant people.
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.
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).
Acts 3
A Lame Man Walks
1One afternoon Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.a 2And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts.b 3When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.
4Peter looked directly at him, as did John. “Look at us!” said Peter. 5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6But 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!
7Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. 8He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God.
9When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10they recognized him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Peter Speaks in Solomon’s Colonnade
(Deuteronomy 18:15–22)
11While the man clung to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and ran to them in the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade.d 12And when Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why are you surprised by this? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servante Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him. 14You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of this fact.
16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know has been made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given him this complete healing in your presence.
17And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer. 19Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, 20that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you.
Heaven must take Him in until
the time comes
for the
restoration of all things,
which God
announced long ago through
His holy prophets.
For Moses said,
‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.
You must listen to Him in everything He tells you.
Everyone who does not listen to Him
will be
completely cut off from among his people.
Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have proclaimed these days.
And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’
When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”
1 a That is, three in the afternoon
2 b Literally the temple; also in verse 8
6 c SBL, NE, and WH In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!
11 d Literally in the colonnade called Solomon’s
13 e Or His child; also in verse 26
22 f Deuteronomy 18:15
23 g See Deuteronomy 18:19
25 h Genesis 22:18
Romans has the theme of faith
(Romans 1:16–17).
Paul addresses
the process by which faith is produced
in the
heart in Romans 10:17:
“Faith
comes from hearing the message, and
the message is heard
through the word about Christ.”
The first eight chapters of Romans contends with the ideas of positional salvation through faith (Romans 1:18—5:21), the process of growing in holiness through faith (Romans 6:1—8:17), and the future glorification Christians will receive because of faith (Romans 8:18–39). Chapters 9—11 of Romans works from the implied question, “Has God then failed to fulfill His promises to Israel?”
It is within this context that Paul gives the reason for the Israelites’ lack of salvation; namely, they lack faith (Romans 9:32; 10:4). The Israelites are saved through faith in Christ, just like the Gentiles. Eternal salvation does not distinguish between Gentile or Jew but is received through belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:12–13; 1 Corinthians 15:1–8; Galatians 3:23–29).
In the lead-up to the statement that faith comes by hearing, Romans 10:14–16 explains the requirements for a series of actions to take place. In order for one to “call on the name of the Lord,” he or she must believe. In order to believe, one must hear (or receive the report). In order for one to hear, another has to give the report. And that other won’t give the report unless he or she is sent.
Paul continues in Romans 10:17 to summarize
the argument thus far:
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ”
“Faith” is translated from the Greek word pistis, which means “belief, trust, or confidence in someone or something.” It is key to the book of Romans and is used 40 times in the book—three of those occurrences appearing in chapter 10. The verb form of the word is also used 21 times within the book and most often translated as “believe.”
If faith comes by hearing, then what does Paul mean by “hearing”? In this context, it is not simply the physical receiving of sounds by the ear as most English speakers would understand the term. “Hearing” seems to designate something more—the receiving or acceptance of a report. Note the use of the word, translated “message” in Romans 10:16, as Paul quotes Isaiah 53:1: “Lord, who has believed our message?” In Isaiah’s day, the Lord had provided Israel with a message, but the prophet laments that few actually received it. The “hearing” was not attached to simple sounds but to a message or report given. In Romans 10, Paul makes the point that the good news has been given and the people of Israel have heard (Romans 10:18).
The nature of the gospel is a report: a report of God saving people from the wrath they deserve. In order to believe the report, one must receive the report! Faith comes by hearing. It is not a guarantee that the report will result in faith, as Paul makes clear in Romans 10:16. For just as the Israelites refused to believe the message of Isaiah, every human today can refuse to believe the message of the gospel.
The nature of “hearing” also does not require the physical act of hearing with the ear. The report simply needs to be received. For instance, someone could read the gospel through GotQuestions.org and receive it by faith, without an audible word being spoken. As long as the message can be received fully, the medium does not affect the outcome.
The content of the message must be “the word about Christ.” As Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:3–5, the message is “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve” (NASB). Faith that leads to eternal salvation comes after “hearing”; that is, after receiving this message concerning Christ.
